Hi all. I am a Dodge man but want to buy a car to bracket race and unfortunately dodge doesn't make an affordable v-8 car. Racing my truck is fun but a car would be better. I was looking at the 4th gen Camaros as an alternative with an Auto Trans. They look good and Chevy knows how to put down some good power. I was wondering if I could get some help from you guys in selecting the best combo.

Which engine models are available in V-8's?
Which rear end gears are available?
How fast(1/4 mile) is a stock Camaro and how fast could I expect to go with basic bolt on's? CAI, Programmer, Exhaust.
Which CAI, programmer and exhaust is good/affordable?
How much would a stock V-8, Auto be with about 80k miles?

Any other info you guys could supply that I forgot to ask about would be appreciated. Anything I should look out for when buying a used Camaro with about 80K miles. Hopefully with your help I can be a part-time Chevy guy by this summer.

 

well the V8 is offered in the LT1 from 93-97 and the LS1 from 98-02 its a 350 same engine as the corvette

 

is there a horse power difference between the Lt1 and LS1? Also what is the difference between a z28 and an SS?

 

Definitely big differences between LT1s and LS1s....

LS1 is the way you would want to go if you want fast and affordable. Huge aftermarket support for the LS1. Get the suspension set up and slicks and low 12s should be a breeze.

 

Thanks guys. Is there a power difference between a z28 and an ss? My goal is to get into the high 10's to mid 11's. It doesn't seem like it would take too much to achieve 11's. Which programmer, headers, muffler, intake is the best to use? I see some stock camaro's(V8 auto) with 80k miles on Craigslsit for about $6500. Is that a good deal? You guys are really helping, thanks alot.

 

Which engine models are available in V-8's?
Z28/SS come with a 350 CID LT1 or a 346 CID LS1. No it's not a 350.

Which rear end gears are available?
Whatever gears you put in it... But stock can be 2.73, 3.08, 3.23, and 3.42.

How fast(1/4 mile) is a stock Camaro and how fast could I expect to go with basic bolt on's? CAI, Programmer, Exhaust.
You don't use a programmer for 96+ cars. They are "tuned". Stock times will be a better baseline for you.

93-97 roughly 14 seconds. Can range from 13.9 (freak) to 14.5 or so.

98-02 roughly 13 seconds. Ranges from 12.9-13.4 usually

Which CAI, programmer and exhaust is good/affordable?
Do you want affordable or good? Programmers are a waste of money.

Do a little research honestly. CAIs aren't commonly seen on the 98+ cars since they already came with a CAI of sorts. You usually see lids and scoops designed to pick up the coolest air possible. Each intake, no matter what year, has good reviews and bad ones. Every brand has a fan boy to tell you it's awesome. Every brand also has a hater to tell you it sucks.

Exhaust is the exact same. Borla/Corsa/GMMG are generally considered the cream of the crop.

How much would a stock V-8, Auto be with about 80k miles?
That depends on the year. Go look on NADA lol.

 

Evilkal, thanks! Looks like I need an LS1 with 3.42 gears until I upgrade them. Is there a decal on the car that indicates what gears it has? Just so I understand, you're saying a Superchips, Diablo or Hypertech will do nothing for these cars and that they come tuned for max performance?

 

That is not it, just that the fuel injection is almost maxed on the LS1. Bolt ons are the only steady increase towards power. You can do piggy backs and such which are better than 'chips'. But if you just want to make it a 1/4 car, you can even go with 4.10s. And do cams, headers, test pipe, CAI, and whatever shot of NOS that you want and 11s should not be that hard.

 

There should be a code on the door jam that tells you which gears you have. I also believe there is a sticky in the 4th gen section that will tell you where to find it and what the code means.

Replace the 10 bolt rear end if you want to drive the car hard. It isn't uncommon to see them fail under normal power and easy driving. My WS6 already had issues at 41k miles (and it wasn't beat on at all, driven by a middle aged woman before me). A 9" rear end is your best bet.

 

NOS+SLICKS on a bone stock LS1= FUN!