The $15k thread
 

Suppose you had $15k to spend on your f-body. It is a late 4th gen, you cannot reuse any of your drive train and this would be your everyday driver. So considering this you want something very reliable not too intense for every day driving take mpg into consideration on this build. This will not be a shop task so you can throw labor costs out the door. So what are we looking at here; engine, trans, rear, spark/fuel.... There is also an extra $5k window if necessary. Also include companies to purchase from.

8k for a built motor
4k for a fab 9
500 for a pst shaft
2500 for a built t56



then youll need like 2-3k more for random goodies, like tires, bolt ons and such.

~7K for LS3 crate motor
~1k for bolt-ons
~1k for fuel pump/injectors
~2.5k for a 9"
~3K for a built 4L80E
~500 to tune everything

Free: some weight reduction.

In that budget you can throw in some NItto DR's since their cheap. So for ~15K, you get an 11 second street machine that should get in the low 20 mpg hwy.

I would do something similar to NJNETSFAN, built auto and a 9" rear. or you could always just use a t56 if you want. It should be able to handle a boosted motor. A mildly cammed turbo will let you keep semi good MPGs, while also providing a ton of power and upgrade potential down the road

3-5k -
Used/ebay Iron 6.0...these motors are getting cheap
full rebuild
forged pistons/good rods
L92 heads - factory 300+ CFMs
custom, but not crazy, boost cam to keep the fuel cost down and driveability up

2-3k
intake manifold
throttle body
fuel system upgrade
intercooler and piping(if needed)

5k
trans/rear

3-the restk
Custom made turbo manifolds/turbos or a giant supercharger....user choice :)
tuning
stuff you realize you need later on down the road




Edit: Why is everyone talking about motors at 6:00 am?

LS7 - $14,1xx.xx
Headers

That pretty much covers the 15k.

572 deluxe
built TH400
moser 9in

yea thats about it... your 5k window will cover motor mounts, linkages and DS...and BTW fuel economy is for tree huggers, every time I look at my car 10 baby seals die

Smaller displacement SBC of your choice, LT1, SBC, LS1 etc... 355 with stock crank, new rods, and pistons. Maybe 4k there.

Single turbo kit 7k.
CPT built A4, 2k
Rear end of choice, 3k

Thats around 16k, so you have like 4k to finish it up.

I think its a little to low of a budget to want to go beyond stock on everything in the drivetrain at once.

buy an ss for about 10k then 2k in random mods (shifter, cam, sfc, phb, lca, rims, tires, headers, y pipe, cat back, intake) and the remaining 3k in to an ok daily driver.....

in justins words


''nittos are just street tires that wear fast'' :lol:

youll break every rear you touch with that

any type of gen 1 or gen 2 motor you build will be horrible on gas.

Nah-ah. No hard launches, sticky tires and drive it like a commuter would and that rear will hold.

I would part out that car and with the money put it on a good down payment on the 5th Gen Camaro.

But if that's not your cup of tea, then:

427 ShortBlock from Lingenfelter or Katech 7K at the most
L92 Heads 1200
Matching intake with 90 mm TB 700
Rear end 3k
Trans 2K
Misc (extention harnesses,tune, exhaust) 1K

$2 worth of air fresheners and $14,998 on hookers

Might be better than dumping $15k into a DD 4th gen. :rofl:

LS3- 7k
Trans-2k
Rear-3k
on my thirdgen :)

3k for bolt ons and such

ya tru a 15k 4th gen dont sound like a DD

How would Justin know...I mean when was the last time he made a pass down the 1/4 in an f-body?:loser:

How?

Theres nothing horribly different than a GenIII and SBC.... built well and a person without a lead foot could see some nice numbers, both mpg and HP.

Basically this, but building a destroked 9000RPM 302 engine.

gen III has a revised firing order. fuel injection, coil over plugs, 8 coils and is highly much more efficient than a carb would be. tpi wasnt also known to get very good gas mileage stock let alone modded. gen 1 motors also used inefficient points style ignition.

Well ok, but we are talking lots o money here.... its completely doable to run coil per cylinder with most aftermarket computers. Revised firing order is eh, but its more to even the loading on the mains than make power. And carb? Pft:rofl:.

Look at that pile of stupid. Like with $15k you'd build an engine with points or factory TPI. The gen3/4s have a weight when aluminum, but the true advantage is the heads.

I like how not a single person has mentioned a K-member, A-arms, Torque arm, LCAs, SFCs, etc.....how is anyone planning on controlling these beastly motors that they are building?

I would start with full suspension, geared toward the type of driving I would be doing, then build the drivetrain from the back to the front. Good rear, aftermarket driveshaft, built trans, then worry about an engine with what money you have leftover.

- Justin

First of all, you should jump off a bridge for spending 7 grand on an LS3.

If I HAD to keep the 4th gen, swap out the LS1 and get an LQ9 aluminum 6.0 out of an esclade for 2-3 grand? Buy the L92 heads for under a grand.

In the real world, Id sell the 4th gen for 8 grand, take the 23k as a down payment on a 2010 Camaro 1SS/RS in victory red cyber gray rally stripes, auto, Boston Accoustics system, aaaaaand I think that wraps it up.

LS2+6spd from GTO/CTS-V and a 12bolt with 4.10's

Should be enough left to drop on a few suspension goodies and call it a day :)

400hp, .5:1 overdrive, and good handling. That is a formula for a fun and reliable daily driver.