Hi guys! Thanks again for all the help and encouragement! The Camaro should go into my shop this weekend for disassembly, so I can see what I'm working with.

As far as the engine goes, I've researched, and looked, and shopped, and I think I've come up with potentially the answer. The LQ4, or iron block 6.0L that has been suggested. I have seen complete motors for $1500 +/- $200, all accessories and wiring, etc. included. This is a truck motor, they make around 300/370 stock. Mild cams can get them up to 480/450 with the stock iron heads! If I have the budget, the L92/L76 combo ($1000) can put these things out to 550/470 range! That's being completely streetable, with good mileage. They'll rev out to 6800 RPM, too! Should make generous use of that T56!

So I think I've settled on going that route, as it seems to be the best budget/power option for this project. They aren't much heavier than the aluminum LS motors, either, esp. with an aluminum head swap.

So now it's just finding a deal on a complete LQ4 sometime in the next year, or so. The sooner the better, as far as fabrication goes, but I have some time before I need it.

Again, thanks to everyone! The upcoming long weekend should give me a chance to get the website up and posted, so I can chronicle the entire process starting with getting a non running car up the grade into my shop. :lol:

:lateral: FTW!

This has to be my favorite forum I've ever been to!

Wish granted!!!! Everything will be posted!

OH!

I almost forgot. Interior, paint, etc. are exempt from the budget, so anything I do for paint, or interior bits (basically, anything not functional to make it faster or work, like gauges) will not be counted against the $12K limit, so that gives me a little more flexibility.

I can't remember
 

but I am sure someone here does. In my Denali it is the 6.0 motor with aluminum heads. Maybe called a LQ9 motor. That set of heads are the same as the LS6 head except the chambers are larger thus lower compression. Great head for a boosted application.

Hop on www.ls1tech.com and go to the for sale section. lots of good parts there.

Yep, that's the LQ9. Originally, the distinction was the LQ4 had Iron heads. They later went to an aluminum head in the LQ4

GREAT THREAD. I will definately watch this to see what happens. Good luck to your friend with the M3, hes going to need it. I hope you wax the track with his a$$.

i'm pretty sure the lq9 from the escalade etc needs higher octane than an lq4 as it is higher compression,

Yep, this is true!

Outrunning European cars
 

Hi All; Been lurking here for a week or so and just saw this thread. American cars can be made to outrun most sports cars (until you reach the Mega ones ie; Farrari, Maserati, etc.). The old 76 Trans Ams like The Smoky and the Bandit car, a Camaro clone, (the dash had a plaque that said "Radial Tuned Suspension" would outrun most Porches, Jags, Mercedes 450s, etc right out off the dealers lot. You might want to look into what thier specs were. I've built numerus (Camaros, Grand prixs, Impalas, Trans Ams, etc) over the years (I'm 65)that would blow the doors off most high dollar road cars. My ride right now is a sleeper '00 S10 Xtreme with a LS1, le1 discs, Ford 8.8 3.73 posi rear w/ discs, and numerous other mods to the suspensions. Other than the cost I've got about $9.000 in it. Heres some pictures. A friend of mine has a '90 Porche 911 and I eat him alive going thru the Blue Ridge Parkway.....Jim

i think this is a cool project and you may even beat the beemer if its a long track but where will the pleasure come from when you beat "the puny 2.5l" with a 6ltr+ motor? another post said that the smoky /bandit style transams would smoke them straight off the lot but 6.6ltr compared to most sub 3 ltr, come on!! great till the first corner then its all over, the europeans realised years ago that a near 50/50 weight bias was far more important than just dropping in a massive motor, even in the sixties there were ford falcons with289's getting whupped on tracks by 1.3 ltr mini coopers , there is probably not much weight difference between the beemer and camaro so should the camaro keep a full interior too? please dont think i am trying to start an argument here as i am not, i would much rather have the camaro , i just think it strange that everyone thinks the best idea is to throw the biggest motor at it and hope for long straights, its a massive prop to german engineering that it will take a bigass engine to beat their little one!(no, i am not german!!lol) i remember seeing on tv an m5 fourdoorsedan annihilating an 03 vette round a formula 1 track, americas best handling sports car getting owned by a 5 seater sedan! but the 07 would do better though, as its a 427! an even bigger motor to make up for a lack of balance.