I am selling off all my cars but a 76 gmc 3/4 ton and my third gen to make this happen. Anyways I want to turn my gta into a fire breathing vette killer in a straight line and through the twisty's but I don't want the car or me to be crashing over a pebble and have my back broke every time. I plan on running 17" wheels if not 18". I plan on at least 45k and under 55k investment in this car from engine to body to everything under and in between.

 

well, all the top-end suspension and chassis mods, a 6-speed transmission from american powertrain, and a well built all-aluminum small block will easily make that happen. drop in a good set of seats that will keep you in place while the car is zipping around and you're set. Anywhere you can save weight is a must as the C7 comes in at about 3300 lbs(hence the aluminum block).

*EDIT* also a big brake upgrade

 

I wish i had that kind of budget! This sounds like a fun thread. Here are my suggestions with some guesstimated prices.

LS7, Tremec T56 magnum, and strange s60 around $25k

Wheels and tires, get at least 9-9.5" wide wheels. 18" and 19"s will clear bigger brakes and the steering arm for even wider wheels and tires. 19's may not have enough sidewall for best handling. $2500-$5k. There are so many options.

CC plates, Koni yellows, Weight Jacks, GW delalum bushings, Swaybars, adjustable Panhard bar and LCA, pan hard relocation bracket and LCARB's, strut tower brace, subframe connectors, and a wonder bar. around $3500
You could also get UMI RR k-member and tubular a-arms, a cage and a watts link. another $3k

Brakes you can spend as much or as little as you want. You can either swap in some bette brakes for a reasonable price or buy a Baer, Wilwood, or Brembo kit. Its really whatever you want and want to spend. $1k-whatever

Well thats about $40k spent (depending on how you go about things). that leaves $5k-$15k for body work and any other mods you may want like a pro charger.

 

My dream build right now would be a Cadillac CTS-V LF3 Twin Turbo 3.6l V6 with a TCI-6X trans behind it and paddle shifters. (420 HP- and very light weight)

The rest of the car would follow suit to what I had previously built

 

There are many paths to take on your journey - most of which work, but are going to be a compromise in price vs. performance.

I'm going to say to get a used LS1/LS2/LS3 out of a low mileage wrecked car and throw the right parts at it to make 500 to 575hp. Of course you will need new parts like a full exhaust, fuel system, rear diff... But it will be much less money than going to GM and picking up a crate LS7.

One item you have to your advantage is weight - you can take a lot out of a 3rd gen and get it slim. Just an aluminum LSX motor is a 140lb drop compared to an all iron SBC, not to mention all the other parts you can swap or eliminate. An easy 300lbs can be taken out.

As a wheel manufacturer, my advice is to go only as large (wheel diameter) as you have to clear whatever brake system you have. This would be either a 17" or 18" wheel. 19" is an oddball size and 20" has a tiny sidewall and a lot of weight.

Lastly, please make sure that you have the proper safety equipment - a proper roll cage, 5pt harnesses, and a fire suppression system; many people don't figure this into the price-out...

 

Once agan theyth of the mysteriously light weight LS motors. Its actually a 29 lb difference when you go LS motor all aluminum compared to a iron block V8 with aluminum heads (both motors with headers, flywheel, starter, and fuel injection- with NO pullies or accessories up front.

When you start bare block to bare block, the Alum LS block is 116 and the SBC is 150. The LS heads are heavier and the internals are more beefy inside the LS so they too are a little heavier. The intake on the LS is lighter.

Just for the record also, the alum LS blocks everyone seems to look for are only good in longevity under 700 hp (which is more than enough) but the high hp applications really should refer to the cast iron LS block if getting up there past stock HP figures. The aluminum blocks are not designed to take the abuse of modifications upping the HP past the 650-700 mark. The iron LS block can handle 1400 hp and that bare block weighs 195 lbs.

One of the magazines did a direct working comparison of engines with all the essentials to run them in the same car- the differences was 29 lbs.

Now when you are just taking the stock 3rd gen iron SBC and stripping it of al the heavy front accessories/steel brackets, then you put aluminum heads on it, aluminum pullies, alum WP, aftermarket FI, and headers, you are damn near the same weight as trying to retrofit an LS motor.

What you get that is better on the LS motor is modern "sequential firing" fuel injection. That's it.....and an overplayed motor swap.

 

Does the car need to be street legal?

 

First time I have heard of this - what magazine and issue?

I'm going to disagree with your "What you get that is better on the LS motor is modern "sequential firing" fuel injection. That's it.....and an overplayed motor swap" statement. There is a fundamental jump in volumetric efficiency, high rpm ability, and cylinder head technology with the LS motors. Even though say a C5 LS1 is only rated at 345hp, it isn't hard to get another 175hp with just some parts swaps and upgrades and still be streetable and get good mileage. I'd love to see a 350 SBC make that level of power on stock internals, have the same power band, and the same street manners - not happening even with a modern EFI system retrofit.

I've calculated some of the built LS2/3 motors to have VE %'s approaching high end exotic motors in the 458, LFA, and others without the 4 valve/short stroke/10 or 12 cylinder advantages. Most SBC motors are lucky to approach 100% VE in even the most built non-NASCAR configurations.

 

Paul, I will have to find the article. I remember what he is talking about. i think it was Hot Rod magazine....

 

I'd say try to find a wrecked GTO with a 6.0L. Swap the LS2 intake manifold for an ls6, turbo it, upgrade the clutch, lightweight flywheel, stronger rear axle, and a stronger drive shaft.
18x9" on all 4 corners, every suspension upgrade you can get, subframe connectors, and at least a roll bar, if not a full cage, with at least a racing seat on the driver's side and five point harness.

 

Car would have to be street legal, but it might not happen. Instead I might be getting a porsche 996 911 turbo and do a ls7 swap on. $30000 for the car sell the engine for $10-15k, 620hp ls7 for +/- 8.5-9.5k, conversion kit just under 7K, 0-60mph around 3.4 seconds, 1/4 mile time low 12 second high 11 second and over 200mph top speed for $45000 or so. All wheel drive, all season car with camaro level cost of ownership. I am having a tough decision as to which dream car to go with my 3rd gen or a turbo that I have wanted for forever.

 

Time wise it would also be faster to do the 911 swap than to rebuild my gta. It would take over 6 months at least for the gta and less than a month for the 911 turbo.

 

Either way you will have a cool car. The 996 does look freaking sweet. Expect no slack for the LS swap though; Porsche people will hate you for that... probably b/c the LS7 is such a cool engine lol. I have a friend who got dragged through the mud really bad over his sbc swap into his 928. It was really stupid; he got hate mail and everything.

Don't you already have the 3rd gen though? what will you do with it? You could always just build it later; and buy the porche now. *You could have both your dream cars*

 

Let the flaming begin.

 

Thats the spirit man! The ls7 swap would be sweet. Have you considered just building both of them?

 

I am not going to sell my gta no matter what I do. And as far as the 996 is concerned porsche purists dont really like it to begin with anyways so no love lost there.

 

right now only have money for 1 of them

 

I wouldn't worry about it personally; I was just giving you a heads up.

Since your definitely keeping the GTA; You could just slowly build it up as money comes in... like over the course of a 5 year span. Have you considered turning it into an autox / road race car? (as in stripping it) or are you wanting to keep as a street car?

 

The 5 year plan could be do able. Was planning on it being a open road race car with a really good ride lightened interior(not completely striped but not a luxury car by any means) power windows nice seats and a custom 1 piece dash center consul.

 

It could be done in the $25k-$30k range as long as you don't get too crazy with the engine mods. Many road racers / autox fiends have properly built 3rd gens for under 25K.

 

What, no flaming yet. I was really hoping for flaming.