What would the smartest thing to do here, install a cam, lifters, rocker arms, computer chip, port and polished heads.. Or build a 350 and swap into the car? By the way the car is a 1992 3.1 camaro automatic.

 

We're gonna need a LITTLE more info...

If you are building a street machine then you need a 3.4 shortblock to go along with the above mods.

If you are trying to get into the 12's then you need a turbo on top of the above mods...

If you wanna go V8, it will be because that's what you want. If you want a V8 car, I'd sell the V6 car and buy a V8 car. I don't think you would necessarily get to the same point with a V8 any cheaper with your car because of all the things that must be changed to accomodate the V8.

A V8 car can probably be built to be faster on a tighter budget than a V6 car, but you would need to sell your car and buy a similar priced or less V8 car and start over.

Does that make any sense?

 

Im def not selling my car. Its been repainted and interior is almost completley restored. I just want my car to be able to keep up or out run the typical ricers. Im not looking to take it to the drag strip anytime soon. What do you think the avg horsepower increases would be with those mods. Im going to take highperformance in college, so ill build a beefy v8 then.

 

I would strongly recommend a modded V6, but it's your car...

The money that you will spend will probably be the same either way...

 

You can beef up the 60* and keep up/beat alot of the typical ricers. I can keep up with civics with my 2.8, or at least I could if it was running right...

 

i dont recall ever having a problem with any civic's... but then again they don't seem to bother me... I find most times they dont wanna KNOW wat i'm working with...
Im considering doing a nice 3.4 build myself...

 

If you go V8, then you gotta change the tranny too. The one hooked to the v6 is for a 60 degree engine and has a bunch of different things from the 90 degree(sbc) version. Just search the engine swap forum(and their v6-v8 swap sticky) for more information on it. And even if it could hook up, I doubt it'd hold up to the power of a v8 for long without being taken out and being rebuilt stronger.

Besides, everyone and their dog has a built SBC in a thirdgen. Do something interesting, like a beefy v6.

 

I would suggest not wasting too much money on the v6 if you're going to build another, better engine soon.

 

Do what I did in this position: get another f-body! Build your beefy v6, drop it into one car, then build your beefy v8 for the second.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I start school in august and wont graduate for almost 3 years.

 

I also have two cars and would recommend it. All the time and effort that a swap takes would be better spent on a car that's stock. If all you do is wanna go fast, V8. If you want a well balanced car that handles exceptionally, V6. Or get a LSx/LTx and get both worlds.

 

How much though, is reasonable estimate as to how much power could be squeezed out ouf a 3.4...?

 

If you stay NA you could do 200 possibly. But thats full exhaust, huge cam, ported heads/intake, and a very good custom tune.

 

^^^With a 3x00 top end on a 3.4, there has been dyno proof of 220hp. That's more than a 305 3rd gen (approaching 350 territory). The drawback is the scarcity of these parts and the time for the mods will leave your car down for several days.

A V8 swap is not that hard if you go carbed. Basics, and I mean basics, would be tranny, motor mounts, radiator, engine and intake. If you have fuel injection, then you will need to change the pump to a carbed/TBI unit.

Now if you want the car to be fast with a V8 (or hipo V6), don't forget subframe connectors, posi and probably a built tranny.

 

If im not wrong i think if you want to keep your car you could make it turbo from anywhere from 700-1000$ and stay with the v8 and kill the ricers.it all depends on what you want to do and what your budget is

 

Mine cast about $1k, all the work was done in my driveway. The only things I did not make was the intercooler (Daves12secv6 modded it for me) and the flanges were made by another friend here local. The bends were free and the piping was $20 for 10' lengths...
http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t...ojectfirebird/