Power and Efficiency

[carguykeith]

The platform isn't for everybody, but you could do what you're after EASY with a G-body. I've got right at $20k in my build and literally half of that is in the oddball motor i went with. You could easily have a 600hp turbo LS1 T-56 combo for what I have in my motor and it would give you high 20's all day long...

[robotix]

Thank you, everybody! This is quite a bit of information to mull over for the time being. If I come across any more questions (and if I decide to go with a pro touring route, I certainly will) I'll know where to go!

Thanks again!

[Brian Duffee]

Thank you, everybody! This is quite a bit of information to mull over for the time being. If I come across any more questions (and if I decide to go with a pro touring route, I certainly will) I'll know where to go!

Thanks again!

fuel injection does not automatically mean good fuel mileage. On any older car you choose to purchase, you can optimize fuel milage with vacuum timing advance and correcting the air/fuel ratio at cruise using a wide band sensor. A lot of the efficiency in newer engines is due to improved combustion via quench, high swirl chambers, and variable valve/cam timing. My two cents is to keep it simple (for budget and time reasons) and go with a carb and have the cool car you'd like to drive. Brian

[robotix]

fuel injection does not automatically mean good fuel mileage. On any older car you choose to purchase, you can optimize fuel milage with vacuum timing advance and correcting the air/fuel ratio at cruise using a wide band sensor. A lot of the efficiency in newer engines is due to improved combustion via quench, high swirl chambers, and variable valve/cam timing. My two cents is to keep it simple (for budget and time reasons) and go with a carb and have the cool car you'd like to drive. Brian

That's kind of what I'm starting to think, really.. Even if I only had 8 miles to the gallon (Not likely to have such a low reading the way I drive), I drive less than 5k miles a year. Significantly less, really. But even 5k miles at 3.50 per gallon would cost, what, 2 grand a year? Insurance wouldn't be bad. Compare that to a 31k GT500 Convertible (I'm 18, Insurance would be worthy of a heart attack if I could pay for one after paying the insurance bill), and really year by year that gas wouldn't effect me as much.

Perhaps I should just keep the engine it came in, work it over a little, rebuild it, and just worry about better brakes, suspension and the like to save myself a lot of time and trouble.
I DO love the classic muscle cars.. And I LOVE the sound. I go to every car show I can.. That sound is addicting!

[ljfran2383]

With that kind of budget, I would buy a running muscle car, and PUT THE REST IN THE BANK FOR PARTS. I am a college senior, made it all the way through with my chevelle, but between upgrades as I go and parts for broken stuff, It added up. And that was a car that was "reliable" compared to most. Seriously, put the extra in the bank.

You will have a much better idea and can make a much much better plan once you have the car, and, no offence, you don't sound super-experienced, so I would not try to bite off a big project to finish in 6 months. Waiting for parts and waiting to make up your mind and figure stuff out can eat up that time. Trust me. I am trying to get my car together before next semester. My heater core gave out, so I am freshing up the interior, carpet, sound deadner, rust treating, doing some wire manangment, and relocating the battery, and reapolsteing the seat. and here I am, a week and a half out waiting on parts.

So, step 1. get running car,
then fix bugs (there will be, no matter what previous owner says)
then do a few projects to make it more street fiendly, but dont undertake anything massive.
enjoy, and wait until after college to do an all out build.

Good luck man! keep us posted

[Nessumsar]

With that kind of budget, I would buy a running muscle car, and PUT THE REST IN THE BANK FOR PARTS. I am a college senior, made it all the way through with my chevelle, but between upgrades as I go and parts for broken stuff, It added up. And that was a car that was "reliable" compared to most. Seriously, put the extra in the bank.

You will have a much better idea and can make a much much better plan once you have the car, and, no offence, you don't sound super-experienced, so I would not try to bite off a big project to finish in 6 months. Waiting for parts and waiting to make up your mind and figure stuff out can eat up that time. Trust me. I am trying to get my car together before next semester. My heater core gave out, so I am freshing up the interior, carpet, sound deadner, rust treating, doing some wire manangment, and relocating the battery, and reapolsteing the seat. and here I am, a week and a half out waiting on parts.

So, step 1. get running car,
then fix bugs (there will be, no matter what previous owner says)
then do a few projects to make it more street fiendly, but dont undertake anything massive.
enjoy, and wait until after college to do an all out build.

Good luck man! keep us posted

Hit the nail on the head.

After getting the car running solid, take a grand or two and buy some easy performance bits. Like a set of lowering springs (front/rear), sway bar(s), good shocks, better brake pads/shoes (Hawk HPS for example), and some wheels and tires; and all of those parts can be installed on the weekends without taking the car out of commission. With those few items, you'll have a car that rides/handles well, stops better, and looks nice.

Edit: You could also do some simple engine upgrades that should improve both power and economy. A dual-plane intake (RPM Airgap), a vacuum-secondaries carb, HEI distributor, and headers/exhaust; all of those pieces can be installed on the weekend as well.

[robotix]

With that kind of budget, I would buy a running muscle car, and PUT THE REST IN THE BANK FOR PARTS. I am a college senior, made it all the way through with my chevelle, but between upgrades as I go and parts for broken stuff, It added up. And that was a car that was "reliable" compared to most. Seriously, put the extra in the bank.

You will have a much better idea and can make a much much better plan once you have the car, and, no offence, you don't sound super-experienced, so I would not try to bite off a big project to finish in 6 months. Waiting for parts and waiting to make up your mind and figure stuff out can eat up that time. Trust me. I am trying to get my car together before next semester. My heater core gave out, so I am freshing up the interior, carpet, sound deadner, rust treating, doing some wire manangment, and relocating the battery, and reapolsteing the seat. and here I am, a week and a half out waiting on parts.

So, step 1. get running car,
then fix bugs (there will be, no matter what previous owner says)
then do a few projects to make it more street fiendly, but dont undertake anything massive.
enjoy, and wait until after college to do an all out build.

Good luck man! keep us posted

Hmm.. This is a very good point.

Hit the nail on the head.

After getting the car running solid, take a grand or two and buy some easy performance bits. Like a set of lowering springs (front/rear), sway bar(s), good shocks, better brake pads/shoes (Hawk HPS for example), and some wheels and tires; and all of those parts can be installed on the weekends without taking the car out of commission. With those few items, you'll have a car that rides/handles well, stops better, and looks nice.

Edit: You could also do some simple engine upgrades that should improve both power and economy. A dual-plane intake (RPM Airgap), a vacuum-secondaries carb, HEI distributor, and headers/exhaust; all of those pieces can be installed on the weekend as well.

Weekend projects.. That sounds much better than riding a bicycle to school in the mean time. lol!
If I find the right car at the right time, I'll be sure to keep you guys posted!