Hello, I'v got a 1980 Chevy camaro that I want to rip apart and make a nice street strip car. I want it realatively streetable but more importantly as fast in the quarter as possible. Right now its got a 400 small block out of a 72 malibu, with a lunati cam an lifter set (lobes unknown), a 8.5 inch posi rear with 3.73's and a 3 speed turbo 350. Im prett good with my hands, and I can take apart and re-build the engine no problem. What I need help with is all the particulars like what my cam should be, intake height, how to get good compression, ect.

What Id like to know:

-Rip apart the engine replace the cam with a big one that gives me the best all around preformance. I want a real nice launch but dont want to sacrifice speed down the track. What cam and lifters should I use?
-Id like and intake and carbeurator to complement the cam nicely. I think Id like a nice hi rise edelbrock or similar, what intake/carb combo would complement the cam I need?
-I like the sound of an M22 4 speed. My dads corvette has one and I like how it shifts. I'v heard good things aobut the 700R4's in track application but dont know if its streetable and the cost. What tranny would work the best?
-I like the rearend I have in it (posi 3.73) I think its a good weekend warrior gear set but I dont know if itll give me max preformance with a new built engine. What rearend would be best (or just leave it)? *I'd like to stray from the ford 9 inch, id like to keep it GM and aftermarket.
-I want a trunk fuel cell 10-15gal if possible, any suggestions?
-I have 10inch rims for the rear and im looking for the skinnier versions of those (60-70's cragers) for the fronts, what tires are legal and cost effective for street/strip?
-I have purple hornies for an exhaust that are straight from the headers and sound great and obviuosly give great airflow, are there any others that give better flow?

***I think this is everything, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE answer all so that I can get an idea of a singular car not a hodgepodge of different ideas. If theres anything else you think I may need just put it at the end of your response.

Thanks for your help!

 

Lots of choices! I would suggest you consider a cylinder head change also if you're planning more strip than street. I'd look at one of the packages from edelbrock that includes heads, cam, lifters, intaake and carb, if you're unsure of what to purchase to make it all work well together.
If I were building a 400 SBC I'd start with a pair of AFR heads with 195 runners. If your engine came from a '72 it's most likely a 8.5:1 compression, and I'd want to install new pistons to get it up around 9.5 or 10:1 cr.
If you stay with an automatic the cam choice will be different than the M22 4 speed. You need lots of lowend torque, and a fairly high stall speed if you use the auto, but if you go to the 4 speed you can be more radical in your cam choice. So you need to choose which trans first, then a cam can be selected. I'd choose a cam with around 270 to 280 duration, and around .488-.500 lift for the automatic. You can bump the duration a bit longer with a stick. I'd also go with around 108-110 LSA. The TH350 can be built to race configuration and hold up as well or better than the 700R4, and you don't need overdrive on the strip. I'd go with around a 2500-2800 stall converter with whatever automatic you choose.
For an intake I'd condsider one of the air gap single plane manifolds. If it was 50/50 street/strip I'd go dual plane, but since you're planning more strip go single plane. For a carb I'd go with a Holley 750 double pumper for strip use. I'd do the same, but a vacuum sec. carb if it was more street use.
If your 10 bolt is a posi already, the only change I'd make is the C clip eliminator kit. If you're planning on running any big rubber in the rear I'd swap out the axles to a pair of Moser axle shafts, and install the clip kit at that time.
As for front rubber I wouldn't waste my time with most of the front runner tires sold by hi perormance tire companies. I'd just get a pair of 165/75/15 or 185/75/15 radials and put them on 3.5"-4.5" rims. They will work great on the track, and better on the street. Which you choose depends on whether you want a better street, or better strip tire. The skinnier ones will be less resistance on the strip, but wider will handle the weight on the street better. Be prepared to pay huge dollars for those skinny Cragar SS wheels! Cragar SS in 3.5"x15" are selling for about $1,000 a pair used around here. A pair of 4.5"x15" will not be as cool, but the price will be less than half, even for new!
Fuel cells are a tough chice because there are so many good ones. I'm running a plastic cell in a 15 gallon, but I got it from a buddy cheap. I'd have gone aluminum if I bought new. My neighbor just got a nice aluminum 15 gal. off Ebay for just over $100 and it's got the GM sending unit in it too. It's a screw on cap, and not quick release, but the screw on cap actually works better. The quick release caps take time to loosen up, and will need a screwdriver to help open them for the first few months or a year. Get a 15-16 gal., or you'll get tired of stopping for gas all the time! My gasser gets 16.5 mpg on the road, and I can actually take a trip with my 15 gal. tank! I've got friends with 10 gal. tanks that get less than 10mpg and they can't even make an evening of cruising without refueling to go home.

 

PS-Before you order any cam, be sure to disassemble the engine and get the numbers off the Lunati. It might be a good one you can use. Should be on the end under the cam gear.