Ok, so I'm tired of not having a reliable car so now that I finally have a decent job I'm going to save up and build what I was trying to build from the very beginning! And well I was wanting some advice from you guys here. It was running recently but about a couple of weeks ago my oil pressure dropped and my engine started knocking. ( Thinking its a spun rod bearing on Number 3.)

I want to overhaul everything! Engine/ Transmission/Rear-end/Suspension/Exterior/Interior

My budget is $5000 it can go over though It doesn't really matter I just to build something nice that I can enjoy, reliably.

1. Cheap
2.Fast I choose 2 and 3.
3.Reliable

Im going to be building my car in this order.
1.Engine: My goal is to get as close to 400HP as possible. ( staying TPI)

2.Transmission: T-56, it was rebuilt recently so that's more money I can spend else where.

3.Rear-end: I can either rebuild my 9 bolt and put 3.7 gears. ?? ADVICE?

4.Suspension: I want to overhaul the whole suspension. My goal is to make my car handle well on the streets as well as in the track.

5.Exterior: Just get a paint job and buy a new convertible top.

6.Interior: Refurbish everything and install a better audio system.

Advice will be very much appreciated I want to do this once and do it right and be happy with it.

 

Its going to very difficult to do all that on 5000 even if you do it all yourself. I am currently at a cross road with mine as in do I want to dump another 5000 into mine between paint, vert top, and a real tune or find a good clean roller that doesn't need paint so bad and put everything into that car

 

Well right now my main priority is to build my roller 350 from my 88 iroc and put it in this one. next on the list is getting a rearend with 3.73 gears to make better use of my t-56. I don't care about the money though, whatever it takes to build something that I will finally be happy with. The car is pretty clean exterior and interior wise though. The suspension isn't bad at all either. But its just not what I want, yet.

 

If I were you I would prioritize things. Do it in stages. Like say stage 1 is performance and set a budget, then interior and a budget, then exterior and a budget...paint will eat up most of the 5000 dollar budget.

Engine work is another one. To make 400 horses with a tpi is not all that hard but it all depends on the parts. You will need a HSR or simaliar manifold, full exhaust headers back, a set of heads, a cam, machine work on the block maybe even punching it out a little so a rotating assembly, injectors, a tune. It all adds up really fast

 

Yea dude, $5000 is nothing for what you're wanting to do.

I'm in probably $4000 in paint.
$1500 in switching my 2.77s to 3.70s... damn carrier
$2000 in freshing up the 350 - headers, y pipe, exhaust, tune.
Not to mention God only knows what in pieces here and there.

Now I paid $5000 for the car and all said and done, it should be pretty fast (within reason) and fun to drive. I think all said and done I'm currently into her for about $15,000.

I figure next winter I'll drop about a grand on suspension stuff.

 

jrhaus76 your car is lookin great. I am very much pre-beautification lol

 

Thanks! You'll get there. These cars are a labor of love, blood, sweat, tears, anger, sadness, frustration, desperation, alcoholism, rage, hate, despair, and money... all rolled into a beautiful package!

Stay with it!

 

Lol couldn't have said it better. Its got a lot into it underneath the ugly skin. She will get there I know...after about 5500-6000 between paint, new top, and the stupid crap like the headlight motor gears I just ordered

 

So right now I'm going to focus on building my engine. So far it seems like I'm going to be spending a lot of money on this project. I'm looking to spend anywhere from 3K-5K just for my engine. I have a 350 roller block sitting in my 88 Iroc (Im going LS with the 88) that would be perfect to rebuild and drop into my 89.

So should I go for as many cubes as I can? as in boring it .060 over and a 3.75 crank?
or just go with a .030 overbore and keep the 3.48 stroke?
I want my compression from 10.2-10.8 so I can run a big enough cam to make power close to where I want it.

for heads I can either port my 083 heads, find me a pair of vortecs, or just save and get some trickflows or AFRs.
I understand everything has its pros and cons. I want a combo that will get me as close to 400hp as possible while still staying TPI.

 

I went with a .030 over bore and kept the stock 350 stroke. That makes 355. I also used vortec heads that I had machined with bigger valves and studded. I then used a high flow vortec tpi base with SLP runners. As far as a cam goes make sure it is FI friendly. If you go to radical the ecm will have trouble with it even with a good tune.

 

It looks like i will be buyin a zz4 block with trickflows 180cc twisted wedge heads and LPE 219 cam.ill be posting up pictures of my progress pretty soon!!

 

the 219 is a nice cam. very very streetable