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Old Oct 23, 2012 | 07:21 PM
  #1  
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Default What would you do?

I love the lumpy sound of a cam and who does not want more HP as well ,

Realize FI is the most cost effective and do like the FI wine, but not what I'm after.

Goal is around 420-450 whp. Car is a 2003 6spd vert with 22K miles.

My two options:

Using original motor and adding:
heads 243
cam w/supporting internals (size tbd), but need to pass emissions
intake
Ls6 or fast manifold
Lt headers
clutch
tune

or

Custom motor from X with supporting mods. Not sure who would be a good choice (need advice to start researching), but this allows the ability to sell my stock motor which has 22K miles to offset some of the costs.

Thoughts on cost for each options?

Last edited by 540i 6spd; Oct 23, 2012 at 09:04 PM.
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Old Oct 23, 2012 | 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
I love the lumpy sound of a cam and who does not want more HP as well ,

Realize FI is the most cost effective and do like the FI wine, but not what I'm after.

Goal is around 420-450 Hp. Car is a 2003 6spd vert with 22K miles.

My two options:

Using original motor and adding:
heads 243
cam w/supporting internals (size tbd), but need to pass emissions
intake
Ls6 or fast manifold
Lt headers
clutch
tune

or

Custom motor from X with supporting mods. Not sure who would be a good choice (need advice to start researching), but this allows the ability to sell my stock motor which has 22K miles to offset some of the costs.

Thoughts on cost for each options?
How much you are willing to spend, always dictates what the possibilities are............
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Old Oct 23, 2012 | 08:21 PM
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Originally Posted by lucky131969
How much you are willing to spend, always dictates what the possibilities are............
8-10k
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 12:29 AM
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A&A Supercharger kit. Make 500rwhp and be more fun than you can possibly imagine.

But alas, with what you want, I can't help you. Your goals are too low for my expertise...
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 12:53 AM
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Ouch, then why post?
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
I love the lumpy sound of a cam and who does not want more HP as well ,

Realize FI is the most cost effective and do like the FI wine, but not what I'm after.

Goal is around 420-450 whp. Car is a 2003 6spd vert with 22K miles.

My two options:

Using original motor and adding:
heads 243
cam w/supporting internals (size tbd), but need to pass emissions
intake
Ls6 or fast manifold
Lt headers
clutch
tune

or

Custom motor from X with supporting mods. Not sure who would be a good choice (need advice to start researching), but this allows the ability to sell my stock motor which has 22K miles to offset some of the costs.

Thoughts on cost for each options?
That part about "but need to pass emissions" might be problem with anything but charger. What state are you in?
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 01:38 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
I love the lumpy sound of a cam and who does not want more HP as well ,

Realize FI is the most cost effective and do like the FI wine, but not what I'm after.

Goal is around 420-450 whp. Car is a 2003 6spd vert with 22K miles.

My two options:

Using original motor and adding:
heads 243
cam w/supporting internals (size tbd), but need to pass emissions
intake
Ls6 or fast manifold
Lt headers
clutch
tune

or

Custom motor from X with supporting mods. Not sure who would be a good choice (need advice to start researching), but this allows the ability to sell my stock motor which has 22K miles to offset some of the costs.

Thoughts on cost for each options?
Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
8-10k
This is not meant as a criticism... I'm just curious. Why aren't you interested in a blower?

With your budget you could do a nice blower and all requisite supporting mods and be putting a $hitload of reliable power to the wheels...
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 03:26 PM
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That old school lopey sound generally bad for other stuff (like vacuum for accessories). Forget passing emissions probably.
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 06:02 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by BigGun
That part about "but need to pass emissions" might be problem with anything but charger. What state are you in?
Illinois.
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 06:03 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by 3boystoys
That old school lopey sound generally bad for other stuff (like vacuum for accessories). Forget passing emissions probably.
It's the sound .... If I just want HP, I would go FI.....

Anyone know about emissions in IL?
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 06:07 PM
  #11  
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[QUOTE=cdkcorvette7;1582159422]This is not meant as a criticism... I'm just curious. Why aren't you interested in a blower?

With your budget you could do a nice blower and all requisite supporting mods and be putting a $hitload of reliable power to the wheels...[/QUOTE

Its not that I don't like FI...... I just love the sound of of a cam. I'm ok with leaving some HP and stock like drive ability behind,
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 06:10 PM
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Honestly with your budget, you could do a mild cam as well as a FI kit. You would get at least some of the cam sound as well as insane power from doing both together.
Talk to the shop you plan on going too. Dont tell them your budget or they will try to get it all. Just discuss a build plan and see what they quote. If it all falls into your budget range, go for it.
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Old Oct 24, 2012 | 07:14 PM
  #13  
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Jmho here....

Give me a choice between the rumpity sound of a big overlap motor, or the sound of a supercharged one, and I'll take the blown one any day. When you hear one of them crank up as you're walking along the street, there is nothing else in the world that sounds like that. From in the car, it's just an awesome sound, sorta like the sound of an engine thats actually hitting on all 8, right from idle.

Go find a forum member with a blown car who'll take you for a ride and when you get done, let me know if you don't think that the meanest thing you ever heard. Shouldn't be hard to find one, I think we're the last two guys without! But I'm consider'n it!
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
It's the sound .... If I just want HP, I would go FI.....

Anyone know about emissions in IL?
You just have to pass the OBD test in Illinois. That old lopey cam thing really limits things since they generally only run well in a very small rpm range. Record the noise you like and play it on the stereo.

Last edited by 3boystoys; Oct 25, 2012 at 10:59 AM.
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 11:15 AM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd

Anyone know about emissions in IL?
Specifically??
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 07:21 PM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by lucky131969
Specifically??
Tune + Headers + small cam + after market cats= pass or fail.
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
Tune + Headers + small cam + after market cats= pass or fail.
I meant your specific location...
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by K-Spaz
Jmho here....

Give me a choice between the rumpity sound of a big overlap motor, or the sound of a supercharged one, and I'll take the blown one any day. When you hear one of them crank up as you're walking along the street, there is nothing else in the world that sounds like that. From in the car, it's just an awesome sound, sorta like the sound of an engine thats actually hitting on all 8, right from idle.

Go find a forum member with a blown car who'll take you for a ride and when you get done, let me know if you don't think that the meanest thing you ever heard. Shouldn't be hard to find one, I think we're the last two guys without! But I'm consider'n it!
I'm guessing you haven't driven in a well put together heads / cam car . . .
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted by lucky131969
I meant your specific location...
Northern sub of Chicago- near Gurnee.
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by 540i 6spd
Northern sub of Chicago- near Gurnee.
PM sent.
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