Charsel

I'm planning to do some mods to my 95 6spd conv. 95k. not going to be a track car, and not doing big internal rebuild yet, but want to start the process. GM Hot Cam Kit seems to be a good starting point, then headers w/ cats (already have Magnaflow Cat Back). Many posts about stock LT1 exhaust being pretty good for stock. Would I be losing much doing just cam, and add headers when engine pulled for rebuild? I read about head flow, etc, but intake/head porting is for later rebuild.

Kevova

Everything works off your budget. At 95k rebuild would be a little unusual. The more engine mods the larger the benefits of long tube headers. On a stock lt1 they are worth 15 hp or so. The PCM can deal with the Hot Cam with out custom tuning is a plus. I would only want to have engine apart once. So if you're a planning modified heads the Hot Cam was designed for LT4 top end. Lloyd Elliott and Eldebrock offer top end and cam packages. Although relitively expensive you might consider doing it all at once.

FAUEE

I think headers should be your first performance mod. Every mod after that will continue to make more power due to them, and they're probably the best bang for the buck mod you can make.

i would do a headers and tune long before I did a cam no headers setup.

ElisTwoCents

I would start with headers/exhaust before breaking into the engine to be frank

1993C4LT1

I'd for sure add the headers later on. By that, I mean like in the summer, or spring

cv67

Just get it, do the rest when yo ucan. Cam will last forever makes good power for its size.
Not everyone has the coin to do it all at once.

Charsel

Thanks for feedback from everyone. Leaning towards Hot Cam now, and ARH 1 3/4" headers w/cats and tune Spring/Summer due to budget. Don't have the space/time to do cam myself, but C&S Corvette (good reviews from my 'vette club) in Sarasota can handle the job. One place I called about said I didn't need LT4 valve springs w/ 1.6 rockers. I ran away fast.

1993C4LT1

Smart move. You definitely need those valve springs.

Mr. Peabody

I would offer this for your consideration:
Installing just long tube headers will not require a tune on your 95 LT1 BUT installing the Hot Cam Kit will require a tune to get the most benefit out of the cam.
The car may "run" without a retune but you're going to leave a lot on the table without it.

Thus, I would go the long tube route first ... then when you can afford the cam and the resulting retune you will already have the LT headers on the car.

Charsel

I've read that LT require a tune. If I went LT , then Hot Cam wouldn't I need a tune after each installation? I've read the Hot Cam does not require a tune, so a tune after Hot Cam and headers seems more practical and less down time.

FAUEE

Technically you want a tune after both. Certainly the LTs are the mod less likely to need a retune provided you can maintain sensors and stuff. Newer cars usually need tunes after headers due to emissions, I may be wrong but I dont think your car will have that issue.

A cam is going to throw off the tune a lot more, as the valve durations are longer. It's far more likely to need a tune, though a hot cam ia only mildly different.

IMO if you're doing a cam you should get your heads done at the same time "while you're in there", and that definitely Italy needs a tune.

ChumpVette

In all honesty you are just wasting money doing something now. If you are planning for a rebuild a little further down the line, I would wait and do everything at once. A lot of the camshaft swap would be redundant during a rebuild, and even the headers would be a wasted effort as they too would come off in a rebuild. If it was my car, I would hold off.

JBPC4

9T3VETTE

JBPC4

aklim

I'd start with the headers first and see what cam your tuner thinks will work. IF the Hot Cam will work without tunes, it probably is mild enough for the ECM to compensate FOR THE MOST PART. If you are going to dyno tune it, why hobble yourself? Might as well get what the tuner feels can work best with the headers and maybe intake and do the tuning all at once instead of trying to shoehorn something it that you might not be happy with in the future.

9T3VETTE

vettespecial

Yes by all means install headers first.

aklim

I'd definitely do headers and then get a cam worthy of a dyno tune and time and effort to install. Skip the hotcam that might work OK, with the stock tune. If it is that close that it works, it is probably not the max you can get since that would require a tune. If you are going through all the work to install the cam, might as well get something really good and do a tune. Why hobble yourself?

JBPC4