A few questions. I'm new - please be nice ;)

[IDragRace/Frame]

Okay. I have an 84 that I want to drop a new motor into. I need some opinions on the best options. One I'm thinking about is a crate engine with a turbo. What I want in the end is about 400hp to the wheels. Any better ideas?

[gchemist]

GM has an extensive line of crate motors. I run a ZZ4, production number 1232. It's runs great. Change the cam and add a few smaller upgrades and it will easily pull 400+ HP.

Consider a near stock stout stock setup. Add a miniblower, you'll get 400 easily. How about twin turbo: http://www.turbocustoms.com/index.htm

Consider a new LS1 or LS 6.0 motor with a carb or FI. It can easily make 400 with a few upgrades.

Either way you go, traction will be a problem!! You'll have upgrade your drive line and tires!

Ask yourself what is your budget, time line, experience with engine building and parts availability.

Welcome to the site.

[Albatrossian]

Welcome to the board!
Turbo motors are great, but you need to plan one out before buying the parts. Consider where you're going to place the turbo, where you'll mount the intercooler, whether you're going to run FI or carb, how much boost you'll run and what kind/size of turbo you'll need. You really need to run a forged bottom end with a turbo. Also, what trans are you going to run? What rear?

[dammitmitchell]

and dont forget 1984 is when they started putting catalytic converters on and that's when the state emmisions rules start to begin their downward cycle of sucking!

[sdavid]

A GM crate zz383 will get you real close to your goal. For 400HP to the rear wheels you do not have to have a turbo or blower. You can get that naturally aspirated. Or build a semi-mild small block that has forged internals and spray it with a 100+ shot. You can get a vortec headed 355 to 400hp at the flywheel fairly easy, then spray a 100 shot of Nos on that.

It all depends on what you want or what your use will be.

[old Rusty C10]

i cannot add anything to this conversation except welcome to the board... why not post some pics of your truck when you can?

[westie 666]

Welcome to the site, and please post pics of your truck and progress.

[IDragRace/Frame]

I'll post pics as soon as I get them off the old computer. And I used to be a member here, back in 04 and 05. Forgot my old password though. I went by GRLRACR.

Thanks for the ideas. This is not my daily driver anymore so now I can get a little crazy with it. Ideally, I want to be able to drive it from my house to the nearest city (about a 35 minute drive) for local shows and riding around a little. I also want to be able to drive it to the drag strip, which is about 2 hours away. I've done it before, but the set up now is pretty mild. I'm wanting to put down somewhere in the 12's on the track, but don't know if that's possible with a truck that can be driven that much. Now, this won't be everyday, just when I can find a babysitter, lol.

My husband and I have done a lot of racing, tuning and performance work but it's on Honda and Acura cars. And he doesn't do anything domestic. I've done a lot of work on the hondas too, but want to get back to my roots. My first truck was an 82 silverado, then I moved on to this one. Hung on to it while it sat in the driveway, had two kids, career change and now I can get back to working on it. I miss driving it around. I want to be able to 'hang with the boys' in their little imports, but with my truck.

The tranny I have now is a 700r4. I've already broke three (3rd gear) and am looking to see if there is something better. I like having overdrive. I'm not buying anything until I have it planned out. The engine in there now is decent. It will run 14 seconds all day long on the track. I brought it a few times and it ran good. The a few months later a tranny would go out, so I stopped bringing it, lol.

[gchemist]

You need a stout 700R4. http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700MegaRaptor.htm

My 700R4 is in between level 3 and 4. I have no fear of putting my foot in it. Wow, running 14 already. Well a few more HP will put you in the 13's.

Read this article on a LS 5.3 upgrade: http://www.hotrodlane.cc/77chevytruck/77chevy.htm

Add a small super charger or NO2 and you'll get into the 13's and upper 12's.

[IDragRace/Frame]

Well, my husband is the one trying to talk me into a turbo, but I don't really think that's what I'll do. I'd rather keep it all motor, and maybe add a shot of nitrous at the track.

I'll definitley have to get a transmission from that site you posted. That is awesome. I also have posi track in my truck. Someone told me this was harder on the tranny. Looks like with one of those transmissions I wouldn't have to worry about it.

Someone also pointed me to a kit like this to put on the motor I have now, http://store.summitracing.com/partde...2&autoview=sku but I'm not sure if that's the best way to get what I want.

[gchemist]

Slap one of these on and you're almost good to go with an LS motor. Mounting brackets and headers are readily available now.Don't worry about the harness stuff. An aftermarket ignition setup like picture above is all you need. If you want all motor over 400 HP, use 6.0 or 8.4 BB.

[Albatrossian]

400hp at the wheels will be about 500hp at the flywheel. A turbo or nitrous will get you there. I would rather have a turbo because you can drive it anywhere you want and just get into boost when you want to. There's plenty of room under the hood for a turbo and intercooler. With a forged bottom end, FI and Vortec heads you can easily get 600hp at the flywheel. Just remember, a squarebody weighs a lot more than a Honda. =)

[OrangeAnimal]

I wouldn't turbo it. I have built a few turbo cars and drive a 08 Subaru STi. With lots of goodies, let's just say it's stupid fast. It has drawbacks too though. It's will take a serious transmission and drivetrain to keep it together. Since the power comes all at once it tends to snap things at the worst possible time.

I built a turbo honda and it was a pain in the ass and took alot of work to get the tuning right and always broke stuff. The engine was never a problem but the tranny, axles, engine mounts, and chassis were always suffering from some sort of failure.

It's that rubber band snap of the engine that makes it fun but also make it a headache. Tuning a turbo'd engine is not easy and takes alot of patience to get it right. Read up before you attempt it. Good luck.

[dammitmitchell]

i love you orange.. im a subie fanatic !
love those and my chevys!

well if you are gonna do forced induction why not just put a descent supercharger on it?
and you can mounter and intercooler plate one it...

remember this is good old american power..
you DONT NEED forced induction to have fun.. like you do with imports =-)
and weight isnt nearly as big of an issue for a quick daily driver =-)

[IDragRace/Frame]

I think I'm going to stick with the good ol American horsepower, lol. No forced induction. Maybe a shot of nitrous at the track, but that's it. I'd rather no even use that. I'm a fan of natural aspiration.

Weight on these hondas is an issue, but it's more like the lack of weight. My last honda I raced on the track weighed in at 1850lbs, with me in it. Put 300hp in there and you can fly. 300 horsepower in a 5000lb square hunk of steel and you don't move to fast, lol. But I love my square hunk of steel more, so I'm going to do this right.

[gchemist]

YouTube - ZZ4 with no traction

Nothing but motor is always fun!!

[AceX]

Some people here know my personal preference on this issue, and my reasons for it. I already have a motor and am in the planning stages.

I'm swapping in a 6.2L with a 6L80E transmission from an '07 Escalade ESV into my truck. 400+ hp from the factory, with all the reliability and emissions. Take away the EGR crap, swap the cam and intake, and you'll be well on your way to 500 crank hp on 91 octane.

You can even go more extreme and supercharge it (although I know that isn't really what you want to do) and grab nearly 600 ponies.

Since you have been racing cars for so long, you already know the benefits of a good rear suspension and the proper tires. Having that will subtract alot of time from that ET slip. I'm not sure how well the rear end will hold up to it though.

[GirlRacer]

Hey guys, I remembered my old password!! It's me, IDragRace/Frame. I'm now only going to use my old, original user name. Sorry for the confussion.

Okay, I've been thinking about what I really want to do with the truck, what my budget is right now, and where I want the truck to end up. I think I'm going to stick with the engine I have, swap out some internals and get it ready to handle a 100 shot of Nitrous Express. Then I'm going to focus on the body and interior (my favorite parts anyway). Once I have the paint on and the interior done, then I will go for a big boy big block and drop it in, leaving it naturally aspirated. I think I may be satisfied with that. Maybe. Thanks for all the great ideas. This gives me a lot to think about, and a lot of options. I remember why I loved this place so much.

Oh, and that's my truck in my avatar. Still looks like that, for now.

[gchemist]

I thought you looked familiar!!