Hey guys.

I've posted here several times about the 383 that I intend to put into my 84 Trans Am. Well, it's coming down to crunch time where I actually intend to spend some serious cash and I am starting to second guess where I should start.

From the beginning, I have a mostly stock 1984 Trans am with a freshly rebult 700R4 (with some help from a B&M trans kit) and the stock 3.73 rear end. I came across a mostly intact 1996 chevy truck block with the vortec heads on it. My first instinct was "Sweet! New motor for the car!"...so $300 in machine work later it's bored .030 over and ready for whatever I want to put in it.

But now that I've done some research, I know that I also have to upgrade not only the stock suspension (looking at some of the hotchkis stuff along with polyurithane bushings all around) but also the exhaust from the stock 2.5-inch single cat set up to a 3-inch set up with headers (Most likely hooker 2055). And, when it's all said and done, I'll probably be getting a 12-bolt set up from either Moser or Strange to toughen up the rear end.

Now, I know that this car will "never be finished" but where do I start? Do I go ahead and throw my $2300 at the motor first, get it done and put it in, but still have the stock exhaust and suspension (probably for a year or more)? Or, do i go the other way, and first build up the suspension and only buy the exhaust stuff to hold on to until I can afford to finish the motor (a year or so down the road)?

The engine in it now is a tired little 305 with 113000 miles on it and sure it leaks 1 to 1.5 quarts every 3000 miles, but it runs well and tries really hard. So if any of you want to throw your 2 cents down here and let me know what you think, I'd be very appreciative. Thanks again for your time!

Ozz

 

if it were mine i would save myself $ and headache and just put a good shape 355 or 400 in it and be done

got a good trany and axle ratio already

i dont see what youre really trying to do to the poor car, its an early third bird man, these are nice cars these first three years, unique and beautiful

id be glad to have one of them and would just get the tired 305 out real quick and put a good sbc in place of it real quick and be glad ot be driving it again but without a tired little engine

andnot try to do some crazy stuff with it

just my .02 though

good luck

 

Don't get me wrong, I love this car. I'm spending a lot of time keeping it running on the little nit-noid stuff. It was parked for near 7 years while I was stationed overseas and everyone knows how cars hate to be parked... So I've designated it my new project car. Everything on it works from the A/C to the Cruise Control. From the blinkers to the rear-defrost and power seats. So now that I've finally got all that working again, it's time for a little performance upgrade. I just want to replace the motor with something a little more performance orientated (350-400hp), stiffen up the suspension, and put in a rear end that will handle the new motor. I guess I was asking for some advice where I should start. Should I start at the heart of the matter with the new motor or around the edges with the suspension and work my way in?

 

I'm in the middle of a similar project. Start with the suspension first. It will suck some cash, but the car will be alot more fun and feel faster on the street eaven with a tired engine. My 305 has 172,000 miles and with all my suspension mods it is still fun as hell. It's not much in a strait line, but the twisties still get your heart going.

Start from the ground up and you will thank yourself for it in the end. When you finally put that engine in your car will handle as good as it accelerates.

 

I agree with systalis. I did mine all over last winter, and am trying to tune it up now (well, re-rebuild the engine actually, but none the less...)

I did beefy moog springs, KYB shocks, subframes (were already on the car), boxed stock rear suspension, poly everywhere, rebuilt/beefed the rear. The car handles like it's on rails, and feels incredibly solid, it's amazing. I also built up a 350 with ported 305 heads, it should have ~350HP when it's all done and setup right. Cost about $5000 all said (being ripped off along the way, and in CDN dollars), but it only took me one winter.

I'd say do your suspension, and exhaust first, then (meanwhile maybe), build the motor on a stand. Putting in a new motor, then fumbling with exhaust, is a pain, have the complete exhaust ready and working on the old motor, so there's no surprises. Breaking in a cam with open heads SUCKS!
anyway, that's my