Below is a list of modifications I'm interested in having done. Please give me an idea of what these things would cost individually including installation - and the order they should be done in. If you have any better recommendations, please let me know. My goal is the best results for my money while maintaining a smooth running L98. Also. What would a supercharger or nitrous do with this setup?

P.S. The following mods were copied from a magazine. It was posted up here some time ago and I wrote everything down. I just found that piece of paper and I'd like to know more about it. There were three cars similarly modded - all automatics- and all were running somewhere in the 12's...

Car: 1987
Engine: Stock L98 - no change
Crank: Stock - no change
Rods: Stock - no change
Pistons: Stock - no change
Rings: Stock - no change
Oil Pump: Stock - no change

Cylinder Heads: Air Flow Research, 2.02 intake/1.60 exhaust valves, Crane 1.6 roller rocker arms

Camshaft: Lingenfelter roller, .560-inch lift, 219° duration at .050-inch lift

Air Intake: Lingenfelter 58mm throttle body, Lingenfelter Super Ram intake manifold, K&N air filter with forced air intake, stock mass air

Fuel Injection: Stock Tuned Port Injection - no change

Injectors: Stock 22 psi - no change

Fuel Pump: Bosch, ACCEL adjustable fuel pressure regulator

Exhaust: Lingenfelter 1 5/8 inch ceramic coated headers with H-pipe, Ultra Flow mufflers

Computer Chip: Hypertech

Ignition: MSD 6A, ACCEL coil and wires, AC plugs

Transmission: 700-R4, TCI flywheel, JW torque converter with 3000 RPM stall speed (non-lockup)

Rear Differential: 3:07:1 gear ratio (stock - no change), Dana 44

 

I think you may need more injector... and a better chip. Marcho can burn you a nice one.

how many miles are on the engine?

more accurately, how many miles on the tranny? the 700R4 is not noted for its strength.

that strikes me as being a lot of lift with 1.6:1 rockers...

 

Ok here's the break-down :
Sounds like WAAAAY too much to spend to get in the 12's..
To tell the truth with all thos emods, a well adjusted L98 350 SHOULD be in the LOW 12's HIGH 11's with traction...

Good luck though..

 

Been there,,,,,,, added this up!

Budgetarily the cost of parts alone is @ $3500-$4000

 

1. I don't like the Crane rockers, just don;t like the design, go with Comp Cams or Crower

2. I doubt that setup would need a 58mm throttle body, go with something more like a 52 or a 54 ASM unit

3. I would get at least 24# injectors

4. Does Hypertech do custom programming/burning? If not I would have someone burn a custom chip for you

5. A 3000rpm stall converter may be a little much for the street, but I've never driven one so maybe I am wrong...might want to go more in line of a 2800

6. Why change the rear from a D36 to a D44 an not get a better gear ratio while your at it...say a 3.54 or 3.73?

 

Great. This is all great.. Thank you.. My engine currently has 62k on it. The transmission is horrible.. Sometimes it seems I never shift into third at full throttle.. So, it will be rebuilt when all is said and done..

Otherwise, I do actually have the SuperRam intake in there. That's almost $1500 alone. Right? On a few of those lines, there's actually 2 or 3 different mods - all in that one line..

I'd like to put together an easy list of mods that someone can rely on to get great performance out of their L98, how to do it, what order to do it in, and how much the cost for parts and installation would be. The reason is, this is exactly what I need to know and I bet many others new to the Corvette world like to know..

I recently got a ride in an '02 Z06 and I really loved it. Great ride, handling, power - comfort inside the car.. It was a real pleasure.. But, if I'm going to get a new car, it's going to be a luxury car. I don't think a Corvette is meant to be driven every day. Bumps in the road alone wear on the car too much because of the tight suspension. To be honest with you - and maybe I'm totally crazy - but I like my '87 enough to keep it instead of upgrading.. I think spending $10000.00 on my own car will make it fast enough for a car I can't get over how good it looks...


[Modified by Sal Collaziano, 9:24 PM 10/7/2002]

 

The new Corvette IS a luxury car!! :D

 

I hear ya - it certainly does feel like it. But, I'm going for something with more than 2 seats. Don't laugh but I'm liking the new Hyundai Sonata.. I think it looks really nice and I wont have to worry about any major repairs for 10 years. That leaves me 10 years to play with my Vette. :) For $20k, the Sonata (to me) is a very nice deal...

 

Sal, no Hyundai at any price is a good deal. :U

 

1. AFR heads new should run ~$1300 you dont need to get them ported just make sure you have the correct springs installed for that big ole lpe cam.

2. lpe cam ~$300

3. Save some money and get the holley 58mm throttle body (and yes you need the 58 mm throttle body for the super ram to work properly. dont let anyone else tell you otherwise) and try and get the super ram setup used....used your looking ~$1200 with the throttle body

4. injectors are fine

5. get a walbro fuel pump...save some money there too

6. Get hooker 2149 headers for ~$450 ****make sure you get the L98 angle AFR heads for spark plug clearance....once again, L98 angle plugs...there are angle, straight, and L98 angle afr plug heads

7. you will need a custom chip for this to work...so the hypertech wont cut it. put the car on a chassy dyno for best results

8. ignition choice is fine

9. tranny and torque converter are fine (mabey wanna get a lock up if you plan on driving every day)

10. stick with the 3.07 gear ratio for the super ram setup. Anything higher will not make you faster.

 

Sal,

Must your daily driver be luxury type? We just got a new 2002 Taurus SE for $15,763... power windows/locks/mirrors/driver seat, V6, CD player, excellent crash rating from the insurance highway institute and very low insurance premiums (helps offset the 'Vette's higher premiums). I agree the Sonata's seem nice but Hyundai resale isn't that great is it? (Flame suit on for buying a Ford)

FWIW, here's a cool car test site:
http://www.nctd.com (new car test drive .com)

 

I just happen to love the look of the Sonata.. And, I'd like to be as close to a luxury car as I can. Before my Vette I had a bunch of Caddy's, an LSC and an ETC.. The Vette is my first sports since the early 90s!

Thanks to those who've added more information. I appreciate it!

 

219 and SR you can get cheaper from somebody else, but LPE lists the prices on the website.

I would go with 1 3/4" headers IF youre planning on any future mods past that in the near future. ESPECIALLY if youre going 383+.

AFR 190s, price is on their website in a pdf file, i doubt you could get them much cheaper from a vendor.

I would go with Ford SVO #24 injectors. DO NOT buy ACCEL injectors.

NEVER EVER use a hypertech dude, get that thing custom tuned by a speed shop near you or have Ed Wright do it. ($350 for Ed, similar range for anyone else)

3000 stall is a little on the high side, IMO. Unless youre just gonna drag race it.

 

Thank you.. I'd like to car to be smooth enough to be a daily driver in the Spring/Summer/Fall... :)

 

For that kind of $$$$ you could buy an ATI Procharger kit (8psi intercooled) and FMS 24# injectors, bolt it on over the weekend. By Monday you'll have a very driveable engine with waaaaaaay more horsepower/torque than with the rest of those parts.

Just offering an alternative :jester because that's exactly what I did several years back...

 

Thanks.. What were your results? And what year was your car?

 

Mine's an 89.

One caveat with a blower on higher mileage engines: within a couple years you will be rebuilding (a great time to go 383/396). That being said, here's my recipe: 8/10psi intercooled Procharger, CompCams 1.6 roller-tip rockers, Hooker 1-3/4" headers, and 24# injectors. This is good for 400- 425hp. I never dyno'd mine while it was a 350, but the seat-o-the-pants meter and melting rear tires gave it two thumbs up!

See below for my current setup...