[Dexterpoole2014]

i am debating this right now as well. to do full bolt ons ad a cam on my ss 1le im looking at around 9000ish dollars. thats with a ported msd intake. i got the 19 ss 1le for 42k and between that and the appearance mods i have done i will easily be around 13000 into that car. 55k is what i would be at in total.

you CAN find a used zl1 in that range but then it comes down to personal preference. some people dont wanna buy a zl1 with almost 50k miles and some do.

I am tempted to get the zl1 used, do an exhaust and tune and just be done with it. I used to have one with the 10 speed transmission tuned by pray performance and it made 648/671 with just a rotofab and mbrp catback and that was plenty fast enough for someone like me who never races. to make that kind of power in a ss you will spend way more than that 13000 so i think if you can afford it then the zl1 is priced appropriately.

sorry for the long post i hope it was worth your time to read.

[Jus Cruisin]

Modding any car is too personal for resale. You will be lucky to get 20% of your costs back at time of resale and you lose most of your potential buyers. If it's a forever car, buy what you want and go to town.
When I was looking at Camaros for sale, I was having a tough time locating a new one. There was a used Zl1 for sale that was perfect as far as color and all. But.... Modded...spent time on dynos ringing the motor out. As nice as it was I wouldn't want to take a chance. Buying used, bone stock is much safer.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by Dexterpoole2014

i am debating this right now as well. to do full bolt ons ad a cam on my ss 1le im looking at around 9000ish dollars. thats with a ported msd intake. i got the 19 ss 1le for 42k and between that and the appearance mods i have done i will easily be around 13000 into that car. 55k is what i would be at in total.

you CAN find a used zl1 in that range but then it comes down to personal preference. some people dont wanna buy a zl1 with almost 50k miles and some do.

I am tempted to get the zl1 used, do an exhaust and tune and just be done with it. I used to have one with the 10 speed transmission tuned by pray performance and it made 648/671 with just a rotofab and mbrp catback and that was plenty fast enough for someone like me who never races. to make that kind of power in a ss you will spend way more than that 13000 so i think if you can afford it then the zl1 is priced appropriately.

sorry for the long post i hope it was worth your time to read.

I do not agree with this statement at all. In my situation, my new blower kit (shopping frugally) was $4,900. Longtube headers, flex fuel, LT4 injectors and LT4 high pressure fuel pump came out to $2,100. I am $7K in parts and just waiting on a tune appointment date. All in, I will be just under $8K for my supercharged LT1 making 700rwhp+.
I guess if you can't install anything, then yeah, I can see it being $13K like you say. As for me, my new LT1 with a blower will be just under $38K total and that's an absolute bargain compared to what even used ZL1 go for.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by LT1ornothing

I will be just under $8K for my supercharged LT1 making 700rwhp+.

Better find a good tuner for 700 wheel on stock internals who works for free.

Because at that power level, most tuners worth a squat are either going to tell you to upgrade the internals or run pig rich to protect them... or they're not and going to blow it up. LT4 fueling's practical limit is 650 wheel.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by LT1ornothing

I do not agree with this statement at all. In my situation, my new blower kit (shopping frugally) was $4,900. Longtube headers, flex fuel, LT4 injectors and LT4 high pressure fuel pump came out to $2,100. I am $7K in parts and just waiting on a tune appointment date. All in, I will be just under $8K for my supercharged LT1 making 700rwhp+.
I guess if you can't install anything, then yeah, I can see it being $13K like you say. As for me, my new LT1 with a blower will be just under $38K total and that's an absolute bargain compared to what even used ZL1 go for.

Originally Posted by Gunkk

Better find a good tuner for 700 wheel on stock internals who works for free.

Because at that power level, most tuners worth a squat are either going to tell you to upgrade the internals or run pig rich to protect them... or they're not and going to blow it up. LT4 fueling's practical limit is 650 wheel.

Yes, I don't see how that car will make 700+ rwhp without a cam or port injection or something else either.

That said, in all fairness I spent much more than $13K on my SS for its safe and stable 735 rwhp, but my upgrades were done in distinct stages, all of that in one go (plus not having to get it trailered to the shop once due to GM's crappy head manufacturing) would've been much cheaper.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

Better find a good tuner for 700 wheel on stock internals who works for free. i have a wonderful tuner who is definitely not working for free.

Because at that power level, most tuners worth a squat are either going to tell you to upgrade the internals or run pig rich to protect them... or they're not and going to blow it up. LT4 fueling's practical limit is 650 wheel.

LT4 pratical fueling limit may be 650 wheel for a LT4 with stock compression, but the 11.5 LT1 compression stretches that a bit higher. No it should not blow up, 10 lbs on E50 will provide enough fuel, octane and timing to reach my SBE goal.

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Yes, I don't see how that car will make 700+ rwhp without a cam or port injection or something else either.
might want to read up a bit on the forced induction subforum.

That said, in all fairness I spent much more than $13K on my SS for its safe and stable 735 rwhp, but my upgrades were done in distinct stages, all of that in one go (plus not having to get it trailered to the shop once due to GM's crappy head manufacturing) would've been much cheaper.

That is what happens when you don't buy once, cry once.

[Gunkk]

At least gap the rings, please. Hate to see a good LT1 block go to waste.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by LT1ornothing

LT4 pratical fueling limit may be 650 wheel for a LT4 with stock compression, but the 11.5 LT1 compression stretches that a bit higher. No it should not blow up, 10 lbs on E50 will provide enough fuel, octane and timing to reach my SBE goal.


That is what happens when you don't buy once, cry once.

Good luck with your build.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by Gunkk

At least gap the rings, please. Hate to see a good LT1 block go to waste.

Won't go to waste bud, all under control. It is staying SBE for a reason. Doesn't get tracked and sporadically sees a strip. There are several forum members who have maintained 700+rwhp on a very mild SBE blower set ups. The ones that last blend e85 + pump 93 on a complete LT4 fuel system, the ones that pop are the stubborn that try to do it on premium fuel only.

There is no point in gapping those stock LT1 piston rings when you are that deep in the motor. Might as well rebuild the engine with at least pistons rods, cam and valvetrain at that point. Then yeah, if you intend to go that route, just buy a ZL1.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

Good luck with your build.

Almost there, home stretch, has been a doozy piecing parts, waiting on wideband and install and the TBD tune date. I will definitely post a little build thread in the Forced Induction section once it is tuned.
Also, I'm not fixed on a number. Whatever I get out of the 2 pulleys I take to the tuner is fine with me. My guess from what I have seen on similar builds is high 600s to low 700s, and being at sea level and manual persuades me to 700rwhp.

[s346k]

i can see gapping the rings if you don't plan on going over 1000 hp, as the rod and crank are factory forged and already strong. easily save yourself $5k+ as you can simply reuse everything but a few bolts.

i like na stuff so i had to find a lighter chassis to start with. mission accomplished, but i need to get rid of this bolt on ss 1LE before i start.

[LT1ornothing]

Originally Posted by s346k

i can see gapping the rings if you don't plan on going over 1000 hp, as the rod and crank are factory forged and already strong. easily save yourself $5k+ as you can simply reuse everything but a few bolts.

i like na stuff so i had to find a lighter chassis to start with. mission accomplished, but i need to get rid of this bolt on ss 1LE before i start.

I would do pistons, rods, cam and valvetrain if I had it apart.
I originally wanted to go N/A, but I needed a hi ram manifold and wasn't interested in a hole on the hood or an Anderson Composites hood to clear it.
Finding a light chassis for a NA LT1 would be ideal as you intend to do. I feel like a mild amount of boost on a SBE LT1 is possible when done correctly with self control.

[s346k]

i currently have a gpi ported hi ram and mamo ported msd to choose from. prob leave the msd on the camaro and use the hi ram on the swap car. i think the project car will knock on 140 mph na with an m6 and full interior, they're pretty light as is.

i like the camaro but not enough to invest any more money into it or move up to a slightly faster one. it's an awesome car, but the prospect of selling it and building what i've wanted for a long time is very appealing. i have 4 cars now and about to inherit another, i'm already way out of garage space.

[Wtgrantham]

I might be in the minority but I prefer the looks of the SS over ZL1. That front end and hood scoop just don’t do it for me. I had a Z but just went for an SS 1LE this time