im finally starting to save up money and i dont know what to do first. I've read around and i think i should put the following on my stock lo3: edelbrock performer intake, lb9 heads, underdriven pully kit, lt1 cam, 323-342posi unit (not really part of the lo3 but open sucks). Which should i do first? now i plan on keeping the stock throttle body unit and i realize that this system is prolly extremely unbalanced. What would you guys do to max out the stock tbi on an lo3? thanks in advance.
-chuck

 

max out stock tbi.....ultimate TBI mods....just a lot of porting and polishing of the original TBI. Get a 1 inch injector spacer and a TBI spacer ( get the biggest one that will still alow your hood to shut) and that should help you out. Or, dump it, get a 454 TBI that has the 2 in bores and the holley intake instead of the edelbrock and you should have good air/fuel flow for those mods.

As far as which one to do first.....that's up to you. They all take different amounts of time and labor to do, so do what you want. IMHO i would do the cam and pulley kit first cuz you can tackle them at the same time...and the won't mess with your computer too much. But, it's up to you.
Lc

 

Did you still have your stock exhaust? If so I'd say that should be the first thing to change, but its really up to you. Keep in mind some things are better to change together, just look around or search and you can find more mods than you will have the time or money to do.

 

I just wanted to say that you have the best name in the world

Anyways, subframe connectors (first thing), headers, full 3" exhaust, open element, gears ... that'd be my starting point if I started again.

 

it is isnt it!

Anywho, i live in michigan so the car will be going inside soon (thank you winter) and wont be driven until spring. So ill have tons of time to do stuff. Exhaust is already on the way, that'll be going on the first week it gets put away, im putting the open element on tomorrow (half day!). When you say gears you mean the rear end right? I checkd the classifieds here and see plenty of posi rear ends for under $200 this seems like a good deal to me, how hard is a new rearend to install? what steps are involved in putting it on. Anyone know what a good ratio for my car would be, its got the 2.73 stock open in it right now. I was thinking going between a 3.08-3.42 (leaning towards a 3.23) Is this going to provide that good jump off the line and still preserve some top speed, ill prolly just check the equation page to find out. any way, thanks yyouve already been a big help.

 

call me old fashion and no fun, but the first "mod" to any car should be fixing whats already worn or broken... so if your shocks/struts are bad, or your steering worn, replace thoes first.

after that, subframe connectors would be a great start..


after that, you need to think of your overall goal... and then form a plan of how to get there.

 

LMFAO!

 

its very true, all of our cars probably need tons of new bushings. before you can realise any gains from mods, you fisrt have to fix what is wrong.

 

shocks and struts are christmas present this year. where do subframe connectors weld in? im assuming its under the car, prolly near the rear axel, but you know what's said about assumptions. I dont have the know how or the equipment to weld, a whats the best kind of place to go to to get subframe connectors welded in? never would have even thought of those, thats why i like these forums, how much hp do you need before these become necessary?

I'd like to make 275 hp and/or sub 15 second quarter miles, but this is prolly a little out of my planned mods reach, idk the best way to make it, but thats why i found these boards to learn!

 

subframe connectors weld in under the car, connecting the front "frame" to the rear suspension mounting points.. they stiffen the whole car.


any automotive welding shop can do it... ask around.. or look in the yellow pages.


they are necessary even at the stock HP level... as your car sits right now, it flexes.... heres a trick:


roll down your window and go for a drive... find a road with a few SMALL bumps.. like the small dips by intersections, or a street with alot of patches...

as you drive down the street put one hand outside the car, over the door gap so that part of your hand is on the rear of the car and part still on the door..... you can touch the gap, but DONT stick your fingers in there..


you can feel the car flexing as you go over the bumps.. the gap changes....


this is because the only thing really connecting the front and rear of your car is the thin stamped sheetmetal floorpan.....
by stiffening it, you allow the suspension to work as its designed, the whole car "feels" better when you drive it, and it gets rid of alot of creeks and rattles...

most rattles and creeks occur in these cars because of these parts bending.. as they bend, mounting holes elongate and make stuff loose... and stuff rubs other stuff.. and all that makes noise.


SFCs help stop that.

 

Well my water pump just went so i guess that that'll be my first mod. Damn $88.26. Anyway, do you think its possible to run sub 15 second quarter miles on lb9 heads? i think thats the weakest part of my setup but i could be wrong.

Ill be getting subframe connectors, those will prolly go in this spring. Thanks again i would have never thought of that.