Z97LT1

Dave, from what you say regarding your budget and all, it doesnt look like you want to spend thousands on this car. So I'd eschew any new heads or head porting entirely.
If you are looking for a streetable, credible boost in performance, now is the time to do it.
I think that the LT4 Hotcam kit, a set of MAC shorty headers and Y pipe, and a cutout, a Moroso or K&N CAI, and a $50 mail order PCM tune would net you what you are looking for (330 or so rwhp, mid-high 12s at around 110 or so) without touching the heads.
So lets break this down:
Hotcam kit: ~$480 shipped
Headers: ~$500 shipped
CAI: $200 shipped
PCMforless tune: $50
Cutout: ~$50 installed

total:................~$1280 for everything...and you may do better, if you buy the headers and CAI used and cheap here on the for sale forum. Items like those pop up quite often there.

This, in addition to the normal costs of an engine rebuild that you will already be paying...gaskets, fluids, bearings, rings, pistons, machine work, etc.
If you ask me, while its apart, you might as well do it

White Z 4 Show

going by hearsay (not from this board) but LT4 hot cam kit gives you 35-45 more HP (with tuning).....complete LT4 hot cam kit gives you a total of 430 rear wheel HP. I personally plan to get the LT4 hot cam kit (not the complete kit), longtube headers w/custom y pipe, and a nitrous setup. It looks to ME like its the best money/HP ratio possible. Plus the setup flows together. LT4 hot cam kit gives you good HP, long tube headers will help the LT4 do its job and incase it doesn't, the nitrous will be a big bulley and force a little HP. I am guessing the LT4 HC kit will be 35 HP, long tube headers + y pipe will be another 35 HP, and a 100 shot on the nitrous. Stock 275 and I will end in the area of 445? Give or take some HP there but in the area.

LT4 Hot cam kit =$480 plus $500 for the install
Long tube headers + y pip=$700?
Nitrous 100 shot=$FREE from sponsor but normally like $500?

Total of 1700 for a 170 HP....$10/1 HP hahaha

Dr.Mudge

Very close then, except I got more power and more goodies, $2260 for me. This does not however count my $300 headers, or the K&N already on the car, but 1.6 Pro Mags, 58mm TB, all that is in my math.

Mine didn't have a smogger cam, but the HOTCAM should pass if the car is running decently, so even though it has no set of numbers there is really no way to tell that those are anything but stock heads, from the outside. As for the cam, with the young people doing smog checks nowdays, they will probably think your muffler did that. Honestly, after leaving the dyno with my open cutout, some guy asked me what kind of exaust I had...

So, my $2260, my $300 headers and whatever the cutout cost at the time, yada yada 411/385 at the wheels. Too bad the LS1s would do that with just a cam, tune, headers and lid

Dr.Mudge

Not at the rear wheels dude, your thinking of a ported LT1 heads, 383 stroker with good sized cam, not a weenie cam kit and LT4 heads

Dave88LX

$500 for headers?!? I need to look at what types of exhaust setups these cars have.

I know on the Mustangs, I can keep a "long" H/X pipe, and shorty headers, or go w/ long-tube headers and a "shorty" H/X pipe.

With Shortys on these cars, do you still retain the factory Y pipe, and that pipe from driver-passenger side?

How about LT's? I suppose I could just look it up

But man, $500 headers?!? I picked up a set of BBK's unequal shorty's brand new for $160+ shipping

I want something that will give power (of course), unclutter the engine bay a little, and GIVE ME ACCESS TO THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, and of course, not burn wires.

And used This is just a driver, The bulk of my money goes into real cars. My mustangs j/k :ribpoke:

Dr.Mudge

Not on OBD I cars, it may vary on OBD II stuff. Pipe from the drivers side? Thats part of the Y pipe.

If you want cheap, stick to 5.0 Fox bodies, IMO some 4th gen parts really suck price wise. If your not a loyalist I wouldn't get into modding the car at all probably, just get a catback or something

Dave88LX

Yeah I'm an El-Cheapo type of guy I just bought this '97 Formula b/c I got it for a good deal. $5175. Pic in the sig.

Do I have OBD I or II ? So those 2 pieces make up the y-pipe then? cool thx for the info!

Reason I don't want to get involved is I have a 5.8L turbo kit sittin here on my spare room floor, and an '87 Coupe (in the sig) waiting for me in Rhode Island to come down here and get it installed.

I got a good deal on some 351W parts from a buddy in Iowa: '69 Crankshaft, polished rods, New camshaft, pushrods, lifters, balancer, starter, all for $125 shipped

This Formula is the daily for now, but it's hard to resist when I have everything out! I wonder how much money I could get for it in it's current state

Dr.Mudge

96+ is OBD II for almost, if not every car sold in the US. There may have been one stalwart, but I dont recall for sure.

White Z 4 Show

just to clarify, I meant longtube headers ceramic coated.

ur2slow

For what it's worth if any one cares I pulled the numbers in my sig. today on the dyno. The 306 is way more than the hot cam and I am no where near 430rwhp. I'm there at the engine.
Thats with an LT4 + some stuff, Stock heads.

RicocheT

Well theres your problem ur2slow you were on a mustang dyno, those don't go over 350 horses. if that

96LT14u2Nv

not it is not worth the money!!!!
port your stock heads and intake. do a cam and long tubes and u will put down more power and spend far less money

tom95z28

Here you want to spend alot of money on HP go here:

http://www.nelsonracingengines.com/index2.html

ScottZ

There is always a guy who made more with less. I would pay the most attention to the guy with the factory LT4 car. If he's making 360 RWHP with stock LT4 heads, 306 Cam, and bolt-ons, I'd say that's pretty good.

If you don't want to put money in the car, then some clean up of the factory castings and a cam will gain the most hp per dollar, along with typical bolt-ons.

If you are considering an upgrade for the heads, and you don't want to put bigger valves, better springs, port and polish, and milling (to reduce chamber volume) into the stock heads, then $900 is a good deal for the LT4 heads. They come factory with 2.00/1.55 lightweight valves, stout valve springs, 195cc runners, and a 54cc chamber (picks up about a .5 point in compression). They do have a raised port, so running a LT4 intake manifold would work best. So you've got 900 in heads, 200 in the intake, and change for gaskets, bolts, etc. We'll call it 1500. Add the cam of your choice since you would be adding a cam regardless of which path you choose.

By the way, if you figure an 18% drivetrain loss, 360 RWHP is 439 flywheel hp.

Scott

96LT14u2Nv

the hotcam kit is a decent deal for the money but the heads and intake are a joke IMO.