I am going to be coming into some extra cash for the next year or so and I am finally going to be getting some nice upgrades on my 89 GTA, auto. Here is what i am thinking and could use some help on what to get and where to get it.
1. Headers-I was thinking edelbrock
2. Catback-I was thinking Hooker
3. Plenum(sp), runners, and intake-???
4. Heads-???
5. Ram Air Hood-I like the 97 style.
6. Ford 9" rear end
7. Adjustable fuel pressure regulator-I was thinking holley
8. Torque Converter-???
9. Cam-???
I think all of this will do for a while. Any input is appreciated.

Any suggestions would be appreciated,
Brian

 

First of all tell us what you want out of this motor. Does it need to be smog legal? That is the bare minimum we need to recommend anything.

 

how fast do you want to go, and realistically how much can you spend.

 

I say go for Edelbrocks or SLP. SLP i think is awesome but edelbrocks for me becuase of price and it has a better y pipe than slp IMHO.
Hooker for catback because I heard it has it own sound. Different from flows or an equivalent. But my slp catback is Sweet!:lala:It growls under acceleration and all the way to redline but it is soooo quiet on a cruise setting which for me is great. if I want loudness i ride my Honda CB900f with a 4 into 1 (no baffle)





Ed- 1.8 60'!!!!:hail: :hail:
Holy S**T!!!
Well I've done all of the mods in my sig and I didn't siamese my plenum and runners because a couple of people have told me that 1- it will flow better but at less velocity 2-the 305 has no need for it
WHat do you think? I did all in my sig and I'm hopeing for 14.5 but i still have my 2.73s.

 

My advise is to set a budget and stick to it. You can't believe how much all the mods you listed snowballs. I was going to do heads, cam, superram, headers, cat back, afpr, and a nice loud cat back. Look at my sig to see how the project has grown. Now I am at a complete stand still thanks to the wonderfully fast shipping department of ATI Procharger, but that's another story. I think the next step is to decide whether this car will be emissions friendly. Will you drive it on weekends, or to work/school everyday? What kind of power are you looking for? Do you want to bend the tach needle before shifting or are you looking for low- to mid range power? You said you are coming into money over the next year, you might be better off collecting parts and installing them all at once, instead of doing a cam one month, then pulling heads the next, etc. I can't recommend a torque converter. My friend is building my transmission and he buys them form someone in FLA. that custom makes them. He swears by them and uses them in all the street rod jobs he does.

I would also recommend picking up John Lingenfelter's book and reading that. He has a ton of useful info in it

 

I want to go as fast as possible while keeping it a "daily driver"(maybe 10k miles a year). And yes it needs to be CA smog legal. I can probably get away with spending about 4-5k within this next year and I am not sure about the next. I was thinking a ford 9" because I want to put some serious power to the ground with out my rear end busting. If there is a better one for my situation then I would like to know about it. Thanks,
Brian

 

I have seen this book and always wanted to know if it was worth getting.
Now I know, thanks.
Brian

 

Lingenfelter's book is really worth getting! He was able to explain stuff clearly like I've never heard it before. Definitly a must read!

 

 

SLP...since you gotta be CA legal
Depends on the sound u want. Look at price too.
I'd say vortec heads...but if they're not smog legal (i'm not sure) then I'd go w/ AFRs. If you get vortecs...then port plenum, SLP runners and vortec intake. If you go w/ any other, then port plenum, SLP runners, and siamese intake.
I think the ford 9 inch would be good. But i'd make that the last thing I did....that way you'll know if you can fit it in ur budget.
the only one i've personally used it BBK and I dont like it. I've heard that holley is the best though.

Like they said Yank or Vigilante
Like he said...u gotta see what's legal. I too like the LT4 HOT cam

 

If you're only looking at $4-5k, and this is apparently your first such major undertaking with the car let's keep it simple.

Good heads are the most important part of a strong combo. One of the favorite heads right now is the AFR 190, but at around $1300 you're paying for the performance. There are some other good heads out there for a few hundred less that can also make great power.

Might as well think about intake next. Pick up the cheapest aftermarket base you can find and finish porting it yourself. If you want to go all out look up siamesing the base, it really opens up TPI to making top end power. As for runners, SLPs are cheap and can be ported pretty good. AS&M are the best LTR and semi-siamesed LTR, but again, you're paying for them.

A nice cam....something big enough to use the good heads and good converter. Don't worry about emmisions legal, just don't go too nuts. Something like the LT4 hot cam isn't too

And thena nice vigilante in the 32-3500 stall range.

And then you still need little stuff like injectors, and a PROM burning set-up, etc. But figure 1300 for AFRs, 700 in the intake, 200 cam, 700 converter and you're at 2900, and thats not even couting gaskets. Say another $500 or so between injectors and PROM stuff. Beleieve me the rest of the little things will also add up quickly on this too, so $3500 as a preliminary total is not a good sign

At this point i'd call it good for a while and save whatevers left for replacement parts, because 400hp will break parts. In an automatic you'll break the trans before the rear most of the time, and stock 3.23s aren't horrendous, although upgrading to 3.73s or more would be nice. A ford 9 is overkill at the $$$ you're playing on, you would kill the trans just turning it soon enough, and by the time you add the rear and tranny into the equation you're most liely blowing your budget. But if you can swing it, go for it, and then you'd have one solid combination.

 

i can buy:
LT-4 Hot cam
Flowmaster Catback System
SLP 1.75" Headers
AFR 190 Heads
LT1 Intake
Holley AFPR
Vigilante 2800 Stall
For around $3600

Would this be better than buying a supercharger? either way I will have all of this and the supercharger. But which would be better to get first?

Thanks,

Brian

 

The LT1 intake is not an emmisions legal part. Not that it can't pass emmisions, just there is no way you're going to pass a CA smog **** visual with it on there. Which is why i sugggested running a siamesed base.

As for what would work better, all those parts, or a blower, IMHO i'd build the NA combo first. Otherwise the blower will just be in the way when you're opening it up to do the heads/cam later, etc. And most likely, the NA combo with heads/cam/intake/headers/converter should outrun a blown otherwise stock car. Mild boost on a completely stock car would be good for real low 13s or high 12s. The aforementioned NA combo should be good for easy mid 12s.

 

did you ever consider n20? this way it dosen't affect emissions but will give you super hp when you use it?

if you want to go with the afr's try here www.totalengineairflow.com

i got mine drilled for centerblot valve covers and temp sender for 1230 total...

 

That sucks that the lt1 intake isnt legal. I have read nothing but good things about it, but then again, anything good for performance is usually not legal. I was also thinking about going the NA route first because I assumed it was better, and it is always impressive saying that you are running such low times with a NA car. One more question, do heads generally come with all of the roller rockers and everything else needed?

badgta-I have thought about nitrous many times. I just dont want to screw anything up and blow up my engine. I dont even know anyone running nitrous to ask them personal experiences.

Thanks for all the help so far,

Brian

 

well n20 is somthing that can mess things up if you use it wrong....

it was the culprit of my motor blowing..... well, not by itself but a helper....

nitrous can be used over and over if you keep it coservitive and don't wind past 6000 rpm....

when you buy heads cam etc all you are doing is letting more air and fuel into your engine.. thats all nitrous does.......

the thing that makes it better to me if you don't have it, is that 1: it's cheaper than heads cam etc... 2: your engine is itself all the time except when you hit the switch.... so emmisions aren't affected....


with what your spending you can bulk up your rearend tranny and buy all the n20 stuff so it can be used without worrying about your driveline alot..

if theres any questions pm me...

 

Sounds like Ed and the guys are setting you on the right track. And you have your goals somewhat defined, which is great. All I will add is to look at A LOT of people's combos. Both on here and corvetteforum.com and other websites. Click on people's links to their personal websites. See what people have and what they run and find out how they like their car on the street and how they use their cars (daily driver, weekend cruiser, street/strip, etc.). Take your time and ask questions and research for a combo of parts you feel will achieve your goals the best. I did this for YEARS, mainly b/c when I started I was in college and had no money. But it was good b/c I had nothing but time to research and very little money to do anything besides get an exhaust and a tune up.

 

I used too work at a trans shop. I can tell you that a $200 Dacco converter that stalls at 2500RPM with lockup will handle any abuse you can give it on a street car. I have had mine in my IROC for 2 years and have done many launches pulling 1.969 60fts. and nver even once had a problem.

If you're on any type of budget like most of us 3rd genners, don't spend all your loot on the converter when that money could go towards the heads or a set of roller rockers, etc. The cheap converters from the right companies will last. You just have to ask people who know...

As an example, I have a buddy that has a low 10 second IROC with a T350 trans with 4000 stall (by Dacco also) and it has held up to nitrous blasts and abuse for over 4 years now. Everything still works as when it was built.

Please no flames cause im not on the Yank or Vig bandwagons.

 

Who needs to flame when the results speak for themself. 1.96 huh. I've done 1.85, with a 305, in a heavier car. There's a reason some of us love these converters.

 

well hell, you paid 3 or 4 times what he did for the dacco, so i would hope you pull a better 60ft time. You get what you pay for remember.