yikes lol. probably a good idea. I know my agenda is enw tires. I currently have 2 sizes. bigger in the back. Not sure thats helping the fuel economy. Are you planning on doing the shocks and springs yourself?

 

Keep updating I am watching too. I have not felt that I would have been able to provide much for new input to what you already posted so I didnt say anything. Not much for just chatting most of the time.

Your mileage sounds about right, it is at least what I am getting out of my Z28. I have noticed that the Z has alot more over steer under hard acceleration than my V6 does. I am going to chalk that up to the power first and the suspension second. The V6 does have better suspension tho so I am going to guess that plays a part. The V6 car cant break the tires loose at 40MPH tho the Z28 can if you punch it hard.

I got toyed with by a Hyundai and a Acura today. I dont know why these guys think they can take good 'ol American muscle. The Hyundai was driving off base and his speed was anywhere from 15-40 and never for very long. The driver was too busy chatting with his battle buddy. I get clean road to pass so I do, as I pass he tries to take me (I am in Sarah) No chance I pass him with ease. I get down the road a little and emergency vehicles pass. OK no biggy I pull over and let them by. I get up to another car that is going maybe 5 mph and not accelerating any faster. Again I go to pass when safe and he punches it as I pass too. No joy for this guy either. WTF is it with ricer owners and wanting to race us? Neither of these cars were looking like Tokyo Drift cars they were stock.

Massey

 

The strangest thing I feel when I drive a truck after being in my Camaro for a while is just how high off the ground you are in any truck. It is almost scary!! Oh an the truck cant corner like the Camaro can.

Massey

 

Thanks for the updates. I like hearing about your car issues and how you are resolving them. It seems like you are getting some enjoyment out of your hard work and money.
Your performance issues may just be wear and tear on the engine. The body and suspension have needed alot of care, the engine may be just as tired. A compression test should answer that question.

 

How new are your front tires? If they have uneven tread where that'll cause some wheel shake. I'm not to sure about the shocks causing that problem tho. How is your steering rack? Can't remember if you replaced it or not. But a bad rack will cause wheel shake and well progressively get worse.

 

Steering rack issues sound right.
Have the drive shaft checked for balance.
Dumb question but,
Were the tires dynamically balanced?

 

Crutchfield is WRONG!@!! I am right!!! So are the guys on LS1 tech. I have already done the wiring mod to my factory amp and moved the bass channel to the rear most wires and the full range to the rear seats. You get tweeters or high range and full range at the doors. make sure you use the wires from the 6.5" speakers to power the new ones or all you will get is high range.

Massey

 

Your stereo is set up with 2 sets of wires to each door for the speakers. There is a full range and a high pass. The factory speakers look like a 2 way but they are actually 2 seperate speaks that run on 2 seperate lines. The line that feeds the tweeters has been filtered by a crossover for high pass only, if you hook full range speakers up to this connection you will get poor sound.

If you are going to dump 35K into a 4th gen the thing better be able to wipe your hind parts for you. You can buy 4 really nice ones for that price and prolly have some $$$ left over. You need to find a new mechanic cause you can get a built trans for 5K and installation is only a couple hundred, the LSX engines are less than 10K and the installation is the same as the LS1 so you are looking at another maybe 2K for that... Lets see I am at about 17K for 500HP. The price you have on the diff is about right from my research.

Massey

 

You need to find another mech or make friends with some one close by that loves cars and can help you do this work for a few beers and some BBQ. I would never pay 2K for a trans installation, book calls for 2.5hrs R&I which at $75/hr that is less than $300 with tax. I know this because I have priced getting my rear main seal replaced and the trans shop near me only wants $400 for the whole job including parts. 2K does sound about right for an engine swap so your mech is right on the money there. Why the 4L80E swap? Are you planning on 1K+ HP? The 4L60E can easily handle 600hp built right and it looks like you are going for the built right. 5K gets a 4l60E that will take 600hp. In fact I found several vendors that can supply a 600+ HP 4L60E for less than 5K shipped. Since this would be a drop in you would not have to pay 2K for the install. I would consider flying to you, swapping out the trans and what have you for 2K! ON a garage floor it would take me the better part of the day to do the whole job but with a lift and a trans jack I could have it swapped in a few hours.

Anyway shop around, call vendors, ask others who's trans they are using and find a new mechanic that does not want you to build them a mansion and a pool too!

Massey

 

Oh yea if the diff you are getting already has the mounts for the 4th gen car then swapping it out is only about an hour job with shop tools. Dont pay 2K for that either!

And if you do the engine and trans at the same time the labor for swapping out the engine INCLUDES the trans!

Massey