1996 Camaro Z28 LT1 Project

[nascarnate326]

I have to agree with Brian. Buying a kit makes things so much easier, and you know the parts work together.

[alone_and_insane]

I guess I really need to sit down and figure out what my budget really is for all this. $1300 for just the cam kit seems rather expensive. Nate, how much did your engine rebuild run you?

[JoeliusZ28]

I guess I really need to sit down and figure out what my budget really is for all this. $1300 for just the cam kit seems rather expensive. Nate, how much did your engine rebuild run you?

I couldnt beat the price of the kit buying things individually unless I was cutting corners, might as well have the better cam.

[alone_and_insane]

What kind of thing would you call "cutting corners?"

[meissen]

I couldnt beat the price of the kit buying things individually unless I was cutting corners, might as well have the better cam.

I agree. Peter, as a comparison here's my entire spreadsheet of all the money I spent during my LT1 swap:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...VE&usp=sharing

I have it filtered right now by whether it would have been included in the AI cam kit - and I have two I said "Not included in AI cam kit but buy anyway" or something to that effect.

Anyway -- the sum of all the items I marked "included in AI cam kit" comes to $1218 if you were to buy it all separately from SummitRacing. AI's cam kit comes with a valve seal installer tool and a pushrod length checker tool - both of which I didn't have when I did my cam, so those are extras.

I just realized one of the two items I have marked as "not included but would buy" is head bolts -- you'll need new head bolts either way if the engine is being totally rebuilt, so ignore that. But the one I wanted to point out is I would buy the LS7 lifters no matter what you go with so you have brand new lifters.

[alone_and_insane]

iirc from reading Nate's thread, aren't LS7 lifters the standard replacement for LT1 lifters now?

[meissen]

Yeah they are - what I was moreso meaning is to buy new lifters and don't rely on the ones that are still in the car. That way you have the peace of mind that they're new.

[alone_and_insane]

These lifters went in early last fall. Like I said a couple posts above, I doubt they even have 1000 miles on them. Thanks for the spreadsheet, though. That will certainly be helpful. Unfortunately, it seems that none of those part numbers are still in use

[alone_and_insane]

Right now, a quick pricing estimation puts me a little over $4k buying parts individually, $4200 going with the AI kit. That includes a tubular k-member, complete rebuild, 3200 stall converter, and renting a storage unit for 4 months, plus some extra for painting an engine bay. These are rather rough, preliminary estimates.

Also, about how much will it cost for repainting the engine bay? I really have no idea.

[Darren]

Right now, a quick pricing estimation puts me a little over $4k buying parts individually, $4200 going with the AI kit. That includes a tubular k-member, complete rebuild, 3200 stall converter, and renting a storage unit for 4 months, plus some extra for painting an engine bay. These are rather rough, preliminary estimates.

Also, about how much will it cost for repainting the engine bay? I really have no idea.

Ok no divide that by 2 and add that amount to your original estimate and if your still ok with that then move forward!

Engine bay painting, I was told it would be cheap and easy, I now laugh at that statement.

[meissen]

If you're going with a CC503 comparably sized cam, get a 3600 stall.

[alone_and_insane]

If you're going with a CC503 comparably sized cam, get a 3600 stall.

por que?

[meissen]

3200 is barely anything, I mean it's still more than stock but it'd be a lot more fun with 3600.

[alone_and_insane]

First 2500-2800 is barely anything, now 3200 is barely anything? Where does it end??? I guess I'd like to err more on the side of being lower. Like I said before, two different transmission shops drilled it into my head that that high of a stall is idiotic. Guess I still haven't gotten over that.

Where would be a good place to look for one of these converters? I saw some on ebay for around $400, and I saw Yank converters online upwards of $700 (!)

[Lucky SOB]

[MENTION=715]DRYSUMP[/MENTION] for engine bay painting price. I know it was under $1k though. But we did all of the prep work including stripping all the lines, wires, etc out of the way. We then sanded the entire bay up to 600 grit I think. Kolin will remember better than I.