a 3800 automatic with T tops. and seeing great builds on here like infernos and merlins confirms that yes it can in fact be done. the 3800 is a awesome v6. and for the year it has 4 bolt mains and a really sturdy block. truely a rock solid platform. in my build though im starting with a donor block outside of the car. the mill thats in the car has 137,000 miles and has no buisness with a M90.and doing a build like this means little downtime for the car. i know they make a intercooler thats only a inch thick...but for guys with F-bodies thats a inch we dont have. unless we space the K member with the frame and likewise for the tranny crossmember. for the torque arm i guess get one that mounts to the frame. were only looking for a inch here. now in the build itself heres what i plan on doing...


L67 bottom end with forged rods
9.5:1 pistons(if intercooling can be done) 8.5:1 if not
4340 crank
high volume oil pump
double roller timing chain
ARP main studs
SFI approved balancer
billet flexplate
high flow heads(zzp or intense...maybe abbott racing)
XPZ cam
ported/milled LIM
thrasher billit fuel rails
FFF longtube headers

im sure i forgot some stuff but i want 430hp. i know i can get it. give me some input!

 

You won't even get an inch clearance for that intercooler for an M90. I hope you understand all the work involved in fabricating the intake around to the front of the car.

Don't go with ZZP or Intense heads. Abbott is cheaper and flow just as well. Talk to Forced_Firebird on FTV6 and he may be able to do some 3800 heads for ya. Switching out pistons will only give you more pointless work but to each his own.

I'm gonna make this simple. You're not getting 430hp out of an M90 build without an intercooler. There is no room for an intercooler on the M90 in our cars no matter what you try to do up there. Go with a turbo build and save yourself the headache if you just want a power number.

But if you like the challenge and want to be one of the few people who've stacked an M90 on top of their L36 then by all means give it a go. Don't expect 430hp though... You'll grenade it before you get there without an intercooler and some epic tuning.

 

i almost got a plan figured out for the intercooler...but thats later, right now im focusing on bare bones here. essential hardware setup only. but on the intercooler i figured that if you space the K member and trans crossmember youe would raise the nose up...so you would have to A. get spring spacers in the rear or B. get lowering springs in the front and bring it back to stock height.