Upgrade Suggestions

[Iceslim0]

Looking for some suggestions on this new trans am I got. It's a 1994 trans am LT1 with 129,000 miles no t-tops. Windows work good, interior is almost perfect. Brand new BF Goodrich G-Force Supersport tires. Replaced plugs and wires last week, put new timing belt, new back brakes, new fuel filter.

Current Upgrades:
Arizona Speed and Marine Throttle Body
Arizona Speed and Marine Cold Air Intake
Bilstein Shocks
Strut Tower Brace
Hotchkis Swaybars
Aftermarket Springs Of Some Kind
Aftermarket Spoiler
Aftermarket headers that my mechanic proclaimed as 'junk'
Ignition box I believe it's procomp

Upgrades I'm Considering:
10-point roll cage - just for fun
New Exhaust
New Headers
Battery Relocation
Ram Air Hood
Larger Front Disc Brakes
Subframe Connectors
Torque Arm
Tunnel Brace
Driveshaft Safety Loop
Control Arm Relocators
As soon as I finish getting my degree, I'm planning on treating myself to a new crate engine.

I'm new to the whole performance upgrading arena and am looking for some suggestions. I've been driving a firebird for 2 years and just picked up this trans am. Anything that you guys can suggest that will help me make some decisions would be greatly appreciated. I'll take some pictures tonight and put them up in here so you guys can check it out further.

[Z Ya Later]

Brand new BF Goodrich G-Force Supersport tires.

I find it odd that you have a tire that BF Goodrich doesn't make. Are you referring to the g-Force Sport's?

...put new timing belt...

How do you put a timing belt on a car that came with a timing chain setup? Are you referring to the serpentine belt?

Aftermarket headers that my mechanic proclaimed as 'junk'

What kind of headers are they? Are they rusted or falling apart? Why did he call them junk?

Upgrades I'm Considering:
10-point roll cage - just for fun

Kinda pointless unless you're going to get heavy into road-racing or Auto-crossing.

New Exhaust
New Headers
Battery Relocation
Ram Air Hood
Larger Front Disc Brakes
Subframe Connectors
Torque Arm
Control Arm Relocators

Ok, what's your budget for all this? What do you plan on turning the car into? Is it still going to be a daily driver?

Tunnel Brace
Driveshaft Safety Loop

These will be the same part, since the DS loop is mounted to the tunnel brace. Example (courtesy of SLP)...



In fact, depending on the torque arm you chose, it will relocate the front mount to the tunnel brace location and have a DS loop built-in. Example (courtesy of Spohn)...

As soon as I finish getting my degree, I'm planning on treating myself to a new crate engine.

Why? With the money you'll spend on a crate motor (which will be another LT1 anyways since SBC motors don't drop in without modifications and LSx motors require a lot of work) you can work your LT1 into a monster.

Just as a quick-and-dirty answer to your question...

Exhaust - SLP Loudmouth II
Headers - AS&M Headers (assuming you don't have strict emissions laws)
Battery Relocation Kit - any will work
Ram Air Hood - depends on what look you want
Front Brakes - depends on current wheels and possible aftermarket wheel choices
Subframe Connectors - SLP Bolt-on SFCs (can be welded on after installation)
Torque Arm/Tunnel Brace/DS Loop - Spohn Adj. Torque Arm with front DS loop
LCA Relocation Brackets - Spohn LCA Reloc. Brackets

[Injuneer]

put new timing belt - we'll assume you meant "chain"

Arizona Speed and Marine Throttle Body - what size? have you bypassed the coolant?
Arizona Speed and Marine Cold Air Intake - OK
Bilstein Shocks - OK
Strut Tower Brace - "shock" tower brace - no struts
Hotchkis Swaybars - sizes?
Aftermarket Springs Of Some Kind - lowered?
Aftermarket Spoiler
Aftermarket headers that my mechanic proclaimed as 'junk'
Ignition box I believe it's procomp - never heard of it

Upgrades I'm Considering:
10-point roll cage - just for fun - huge waste of money and addition of uneeded weight. A major safety hazard on a 'street' driven car
New Exhaust - good idea
New Headers - good idea
Battery Relocation - Questionable value on anything but a dedicated track car. Wired correctly, you'll add unneeded weight.
Ram Air Hood - not much bang for the buck, but I like the looks
Larger Front Disc Brakes - stock brakes are really not bad. LS1's are a cheap upgrade
Subframe Connectors - good idea
Torque Arm - what you need depends on how far you plan to take the HP. For what you have now, questionable value
Tunnel Brace - get a TA with a body mount for the front, like the Spohn, and kill three birds with one stone
Driveshaft Safety Loop - third bird
Control Arm Relocators - good idea

Consider:
-upgraded wheels and tires. Best overall handling and traction improvement, look good too
-rear lower control arms
-adjustable panhard rod
-higher numerical gear ratio
-custom PCM programming
-1.6 roller rockers
-160* thermostat

What tranny? Is it healthy? If an A4 consider a high stall converter and a shift kit. If its an M6, is it ready for a clutch?

I skipped engine mods since you're leaning to a "crate" motor. Actually rebuilding your current engine, stroker crank and a good port job on your stock heads, with a well matched cam will give you a huge HP increase without the cost of the "crate".

Decide what your long term goal is... springs, shocks, sway bars, upgraded brakes, lowering, etc are great for a street car that you want to handle very well. But some of those items can work against straight line traction if you're interested in drag racing. It is possible to do both, but it takes a lot of careful selection of parts.

[Z Ya Later]

Yes, yes, to Fred you listen

[Iceslim0]

yikes, enough criticizm already! This is just what I was told was on it when I bought it.

[Z Ya Later]

Nobody is criticizing you, we're getting a bearing on the car. Also, you may want to make a sig. with your car's info...makes it easier to help

[Iceslim0]

I wanted to get a new motor since this one will probably have 150000 miles on it when I get around to dropping the new block. I want to put a supercharger and I was thinking putting a supercharger on this motor wasn't a great idea

I'll go through stuff tonight and try to answer the other questions

I think the TB is 52mm and not sure about the coolant
Yes I have the tires that you had mentioned
nor really too sure about the headers but they look really rusted
not sure about the swaybars
shocks are lowered
trasmission has 2200 miles on it and is high performance automatic
I didn't know you put shift kits on auto but he said there was one
I'll post a pic of the ignition box tonight
Has tuned new tuned PCM but I don't know the mods. I have the stock one in the trunk.

Also could you get me a link or something to where I could pick up that torque arm with a safety loop.

I'm not really sure what I want to do with it. I love trans ams and I've always just wanted a really mean one and I'm setting out to make it so. I don't really know if this is a realistic goal but in like 5 or 6 years I'd like to get it up around 800+ horses. As far as funding, I have a reasonable amount but not enough to go blowing on wasteful upgrades.

[Z Ya Later]

LT1s will go well past the 200K mile mark and still run strong (some even have 300+k and still running strong). It would be a much better idea to build up your current motor than to get a crate LT1. Last I checked, crate LT1s were around $5500 plus shipping...imagine what you can do to your current motor for $5500 .

[Iceslim0]

If I rebuilt my current LT1 and put like a stroker kit on it or something would it be safe to put in a forced induction system?

[Z Ya Later]

No reason why it wouldn't be. Heck, depending on how much boost you run the blower at, you could strap it on to the motor right now. However, the motor wouldn't be able to handle a whole lot of boost (only around 4-6 PSI I believe). Rebuild your LT1...you'll get much better performance out of it, it will be built how you want it and not factory spec and, depending on what you have done, it will be a little cheaper .

[Iceslim0]

What exactly does rebuilding a motor entail? how much work and money does it cost to make it nice? Should I be more concerned about replacing everything else for now and then rebuild the motor after everything else is good?

[Z Ya Later]

It is exactly what it sounds like. You tear the motor down and rebuild it. In perfect conditions, everything is replaced except for the intake & exhaust manifolds, heads, crank and block. However, the motor is being radically altered (stroker, etc.), then the crank is also changed (possibly the heads as well if they aren't P&P-ed).

[Iceslim0]

alright that sounds like a cost worthy upgrade. I have a question. I installed an 800 watt amp in it, does that cut power?

[Z Ya Later]

Depends on the draw of the amp. You might want to consider getting a stronger alternator if you're going to upgrade your stereo that much.

[Iceslim0]

okay here is some pictures and what not. They're not real high quality.

SWAYBAR:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...m0/swaybar.jpg

ENGINE RIGHT:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...m0/engine1.jpg

ENGINE RIGHT:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...m0/engine2.jpg

THROTTLE BODY:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...rottlebody.jpg

IGNITION BOX:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...gnitionbox.jpg

BODY FRONT:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...ndbrian018.jpg

BODY SIDE:
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b8...ndbrian019.jpg