Ok basically here's what my budget allows me to do this year:
MGW shifter
MM Lower control arms
Steeda udp's
plus installation costs
Now the hard part.... long tube headers or VT stage 2 cams with manley springs and a new custom dyno tune?
I think cams are a better choice, but some told e that i should do things one step at a time and they said skipping headers straight for cams was bad for the car setup. I think they're stupid what u guys think?

 

Normally people go with the long tubes before they get cams. That way when the exhaust vavle opens you are albe to release the exhaust with less restriction and backpressure. I would go with headers next. Then cams. That way when you do get the cam you will get more power out of it and it will show up on the dyno!

 

forget the other stuff and do both...

unless you really need the A-arms

 

Its called supporting mods. Do headers first.

 

O i forgot to ask you... u need to put a pick of your flame throwers up! LOL. That Rocks!

 

I agree about the supporting mods because if you do headers, why not do a tubular k frame and A arms?

 

Yes that would be nice and all, but i can't afford a $600 install along with $400 headers longtubes are outta my budget. So ya'll are sayin i won't see gains if i do cams with no headers???? The installation cost of headers is just to much for me.

 

Yes that would be nice and all, but i can't afford a $600 install along with $400 headers longtubes are outta my budget. So ya'll are sayin i won't see gains if i do cams with no headers???? The installation cost of headers is just to much for me. What if i went with shorty or equal length headers instead?

 

Go get your buddy with more mechanical skill and do it yourself. If i can do it, anybody can. I took my time(almost a week)and the install only cost me buying lunch and beer for my friend. You can get more mods by doing the install yourself.

Dont get me wrong, it was PITA.
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well if you are really looking for gains right there and then then do the cams. But heades will acompany the cams better than the stock ones will. You will probably have to get a new dyno tune if you were to do the cams first. We are not saying it wont work. YOu can anything you want to. With headers you dont pick up a huge gain until you get cams so....Your choice.

 

i got cams first....but i got 1 hell of a deal on em.....couldnt pass up the lope......but headers are next

 

Save yourself LOTS of money, and do ALL the installs yourself. Headers, pulleys, shifter, all not difficult installs, the headers are just time consuming. You can afford to buy another part for the money youll save in labor...

 

i lack the skills, tools, an dpatience required to do the installs on anything! LOL Well let me ask you this, if i don't do the headers and do the cams and springs with a custom dyno tune will it be ok for the car (safe). Also if i do cams with my current mods plus udp's and a new dyno tune what kinda hp and trque numbers (range) am i lookin at? Then the exact same question plus headers. I talked to my local shop and they said they will not install mac headers because of bad experiences so what lt headers would ya'll recommend?

 

You will be fine doing the Cam's first.You just won't get the full potential out of them untill you get the LT's.

 

Im sorry, but you're making no sence at all Blue Thunder. You need to think about all of this first.

You say $400 for headers plus another $600 for just install is out of your budget. How much do you think a shop will charge to install cams and springs? I can tell you right now itll be more then $600. Plus the cams ALONE are around $550- $600. Then you have to add on the springs which is at least another $200. When its all said and done, you're looking at AT LEAST 1k for cams and springs including install. But it doesnt stop there. Youll HAVE to get the car DYNO tuned after installing the cams. So thatll be at least another $150. So total for the cams itll cost you around $1500 ($550 cams, $200 springs, $600 labor, $150 tune) and thats on the low side.

Then you have to think about how much power youll gain with the cams vs. the headers compared to prices. I highly doubt youll gain much more from cams and tune then you would from just LT's because you have ZERO supporting mods for the cams besides the gears.

What bad expirence has your shop run into with Mac LT's? There might of been some oil consumption issues, but I think that was more with the 4v. Those issues are fixed now and I havent heard of any problems with them. Im running them on my GT and I love them.

 

Speaking from experience on paying a professional to do the cams, you are talking from 1700 to 2000k. Cams is the only install i wouldnt attempt.

 

What makes it so hard to install cams yourself? Is it the bearing tolerances? It seems like it would be easier to do than on pushrod engines.

 

Ok well after thinking it over and talking to my local performance shop i have decided to do cams at a later date and finish ALL the other basic boltons. Here's my plan for this year performance wise:
BBK Longtube ceramic headers
MGW shifter
Steeda UDP's
MM Lower control arms
two BFG drag radials for the rear
MAYBE a cold air intake and a new TB
Am i forgetting any other basic mods that will gimme some power or performance gains? I feel as though i'm forgetting something. Cams will come later.

 

I will have a pair of stage 2 n/a cams for sale shortly, if intrested. Im not in a big hurry to sell them but if you are interested I will keep you posted.

 

used cams?

you can't do that...

once you match up cams to a valve train... the cam can't be switched to another motor... the cam/cams will grind flat... well at least thats what I was taught on OHV engines

same goes for bearings

 

Thats not true.

 

yeah.. people use used cams ALL the time

 

Well hey if i can save money on some lightly used good quality VT stage II's then why not??? Sounds like a good deal. PM sent!

 

Yeah you can use used cams...They dont adjust to the car, or anything like that.

 

I have been told they have to sit in oil... or risk carroding/rusting... so shipping might get messy and you might have to go UPS (i assume you can ship oil UPS)

 

used cams have to sit in oil?????

i have slighlty used VT cams at home waiting for install ive neva heard of them having to sit in oil....

 

Oil is there to prevent rusting. Even on OHV engines you can use used cams. Having to buy new lifters and cams only applies to flat tappet camshafts since the lifter and cam wear together. On roller versions, you can get away w/ using used pieces.

 

ya i kno the oil is there to prevent rusting but i have a set of cams sittin at my house waiting for install between thanksgiving and christmas....should they be sittin in oil in the garage or are they fine in my house........there used if that matters

 

When the cams are in your engine they arent sitting in a pool of oil.

 

They aren't sitting in oil but they are coated in it. You may want to coat them w/ oil to be on the safe side.