Cascade Crew

[Xophertony]

[STEEL]

*Eyes get big*

Wow, that makes my brain hurt....

[rjmcgee]

[Sellmanb]

And now you can see why it's easier to convert from auto-manual, as opposed to 305-350.

[Xophertony]

what? points are legit, people still use points. i would probably prefer to go with the MSD boxes that allow you to make your own spark curves, but that might go against his "carbs are easy mentality, perhaps he would prefer points with a vacuum advance...

[STEEL]

Alright, holy crap, I have been avoiding home work and learning tons ALL DAY.

My father, and my grandfather (both live with me and both are experienced mechanics) vote to swap out a 305 to a larger engine, but never try to swap a tranny. Due to my lack of confidence and inexperience, I think Im going to listen to the guys that will be helping me.

Now, I just have to make it work!

The victim: 1991 Camaro RS, teal/aqua, TBI 305, Manual five speed, fresh tune up, fancy clutch! listed for $2500, Im buying it for $1900. It needs the paint re-shot, front rotors, and a drivers side door. Before I let Maaco shoot at it I want to swap an IROC hood on there, get the new door, and remove those stupid bumper things that are half way up the doors. Then, after boot camp, this things getting a bigger engine.

If Im going to do an engine swap, I think I want to do a stroker 383, and since I plan on installing NOS into this car SOMEDAY, the MSD box and distributor were already panned for this car, that way, when I hit the button, it automatically adjusts my timing depending on the amount of NOS Im sending in.

I found my engine for $2500 on E-bay, with free shipping.

Now, in my research, I have found that no one, or almost no one, has made a TBI 383 work well, which puts me back at a carbed 350, right? So, if I am correct, then I plan to do a fuel pressure regulator, which solves the 45psi, then an Edlebrock intake manifold and carb, with the MSD box and distributor, and then start it up, right?

I plan on grabbing a junk yard intake manifold and carb to begin with, due to lack of money, so this how Im looking at it.

$2500 for long block
$800 for MSD boxes
1 day of work, once I got it all gathered together.

My big question, will she pass Washington emissions?

I know that after this is done, my tranny wont last long. Im going to be shoving 420 through a tranny that couldn't handle 250. I figure my clutch will be ok, and before I do any other mods, like the headers, duel exhaust and the Edlebrock carb, it will definitely need a T-56.

So, lets me crunch some numbers:

$1900 for car
$2500 for engine
$0400 for scuff and squirt
$0100 for door at Pull A Part
$1500 for the T-56
$1500 for edlebrock carb, manifold, duel exhaust, and headers
$1000 for MSD
----------------------------------
$8400 for what I would guess will be a 450 horse power 500 torque car.... Then I go stomp on fourth gen WS6, showing that our third gens do have bawls!

Obviously, this will be a gradual process over a few years, but this is my plan for the next few months (unless one of you guys sees a large flaw) is as fallows:

Buy car tomorrow
Pull A Part a door and an IROC hood
hopefully paint the car before I leave for Basic training.
At this point, I will be out of money.
When I return, I should have $4500
I will spend about $1500 on a street bike, just cuzz I really want one!
Then buy the stroker and required MSD equipment.
At that point, I baby my tranny, nice careful shifts, then buy a junk 4rth gen with a T-56.

Do you guys know if a fourth gen V6 T-56 will bolt onto a third gen V8?

My father got that happy look on his eyes when I began to talk about all this to him, which means I will actually be able to get his help. A big part of the reason I got into muscle cars was because I wanted a project Dad and me could work on together, but he HATED the 79, he will love this car. He will love helping me build this car. When its all said and done, I will have $15,000 worth of power for half that price... with parts that *should* bolt right up.

[Xophertony]

4th gen v6 cars never got 6 speed transmissions, they had T-5s. and since the input shafts are different (14 spline on all 60*v6s) and 26 spline on SBC (gen1-3) they are not interchangeable. did'nt i PM all this stuff too you over on TGO?

the only thing i am unclear about is the 90*v6 cars. the 3.8s. they had five speeds as well, but i do not know if they are small pattern or big petter, i also do not know what size input shaft they use. ether way, they have T-5s as well, so it will do you little good.

[STEEL]

Must have missed part of that, but thats fine. With 400+ horse power, I will NEED a T-56. Its not a big deal, I can get my hands on a manual 4rth gen V8 that has been wrecked, and do some of the cool interior cross overs at the same time.

The other thing that has me concerned is that I will need some sub frame connectors, and all the ones I have found require cutting up the floor boards. Has any one in the crew installed these? If so, I would definitely accept/require help on that. Although my family has a welder, Im not very skilled, and Im scared to death of cutting my car...

[rjmcgee]

Good luck!!!!

[Sellmanb]

[iansane]

[Quasi-Traction]

[Twilightoptics]

Points bad.

[Quasi-Traction]

[Quasi-Traction]

[STEEL]

Well, today I went and spoke to Bud, (Buds machine shop in Lakewood) Who works right next door to my grandfather who works at Lakewood transmission. This guy has done work for my mom way back when, and he re-did the 454 in our pickup. I told him I was looking for a 383 to put into my 91 camaro RS, and his eyes lit up.

He said bring him a 350 when I get back from boot, and we make a good stroker for it that will work with my TBI, and will do exactly what I need it to. His exact words were, "We will build you the engine for your specific car and to do what you want it to."

Holy cow! He estimated we could do a stroker with forged pistons, forged rods, do a moderate cam, get set up with compression just high enough that it will require premium fuel, for $1000, if I bring him a block with heads.

YAY! That knocks off a good $2000 off this project!

[Dewey316]

That seems a little too good to be true. What cam does he plan to run in a 383 with TBI? who is going to tune it?

Really, how many people actualy have experiance tuning modified TBI cars, not a lot. I can tell you from experiance (click my car link on the left ) what it is like to tune it, and I am still running a 305. I don't want to burst your bubble, or anything. BUT, realisticly it is not as easy as people think, and getting a moderate 383 to run WELL with TBI is not easy.

[Xophertony]

dewey. he is planning on running carbed.

[Twilightoptics]

[STEEL]

he ISNT charging for labor...