Street car to stocker....how much?
 

A couple months ago I picked up a 96 Z/28 LT1 6sp man 114K miles. Like most of these cars it has been pretty neglected. But the little LT1 is actually pretty strong, and with the 6sp man the WOO HOO! factor is pretty high. The plan is to get some things straightened out,and some cosmetics. So far just getting the EGR system and cooling fans back on line. Have some fun with it, and sell it to some kid. Problem is, sometimes I look at it and see C/SA on it. So that got me to thinking. .how much would it cost to make this thing a legal stocker capable of going say 5-7 under? Or what about crate motor stocker? Or maybe pure stocker?

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Get a 55 gallon barrel and start filling it with $20 bills

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

If you really want to take the plunge buy a car already sorted out and running. You will find in nearly every case you saved money (a bunch) vs building from scratch.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

In 1997 I first did my LT1 Formula. I spent $18,000.00. I did everything myself including welding in the frame connectors and roll bar
The only things the motor got back then was cam and headers.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

$40,000.00, it really is a lot cheaper to buy one already done.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Pure Stock would be the cheapest to build, so
that wouldn't be a bad thing to do.
Depends on what you can afford to do as well.
To make it a Stocker, i would agree with the others
and buy a car ready to go.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I also agree buying turn key - ready to race is a better way to go.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

For a competitive LT-1 stocker,$70000 ask me how I know?

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

You can find lt1 cars for sale between 20-30. On a very cheap build I would say you would easily spend in the 20s.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

And maybe two or three years before you will be competitive at a division level.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I have one of those with C/SA on it and it's for sale too !
Come on down !

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Everett, I've built two stockers in my life, one in the late 70's early 80's cost was affordable but now building a competitive car will cost $10k to $20k building it all yourself, I bought an engine and tranny plus torque convertor used a quality piece(Bud Rowe Engine) and I still came close to $25k with paint, tires and wheels. You can run in IHRA pure stock for a lot less money. Listen to Pete he just sold his beauty not long ago or buy the best car available from Bernie Cunningham if it's still available, a real nice piece. Too bad NHRA has let stock eliminator get out of hand but they never cared much for sportsman racers. Better to Bracket racing. If you really want to know a no B.S. information get ahold of Woodro Josey on Facebook, he knows what you'll need to make an LT1 run. Good luck. I'm staying below O/SA.Claude R.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

You have a PM

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Thanks guys. ...dream crushed...LOLOL but it's still a fun street car. Maybe I'll run it at a muscle car challenge.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Search "Under the Index for Under a Grand."

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Oh no, no no. You have to do a big wheelie in a 10 second car to be able to win anything.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I will guess 75000$ to get started and when you try to sell maybe 20k if extremely fast.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Most of your daydream time. You can win and or go fast with something built in your backyard.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It does take research, some shoe leather and a few skinned knuckles but it can be done if you'll take the time.
The "Personal Satisfaction Meter" goes way up too!

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Go Pure Stock...
Quicker cars are Corvette, GTO, Mustang, Camaros mid 11s and 12's
Or a heavy car like my Impala SS high 12's low 13's

I can drive mine on the street by putting the street tires back on..
In fact drove the car to all the races changing tires to go racing.

Just has to be 2005 or older.
Some people have barn finds that are in great condition.

Figure about $25k - $ 30k including purchasing the car.

The real cost of racing is getting to the track and home.
Tow vehicle, trailer, motel, food, frustration :o

Wonder how much it cost to go 9.96 in D/SA...damn !

Dan

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Forget what they all said, build the car you want to have............Don't keep track of the $$$ and don't tell the wife what anything cost.
Then have fun!

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I completely agree. I started my 67 cuda project trying to build it on a budget, a real tight budget. But taking on this project is forcing me to do mechanic work, I have never done before. It has become not only a fun project but a learning experience. I dedicate about $500 to $600 a month to it. If it takes two to three years to do, and it is done right, i can be proud that I created this car.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I am with these guys. Half the fun is setting goals and learning new tricks.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I did that....had to convince her that the tax benefits with our LLC paid for everything. "Why pay the government when we can build a race car and advertise our business." About 100k later she figured it out.......I still have cast iron skillet scars on my head...lol

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I had pretty much quit working on it because the dealer dropped the ball getting my registration and title transfer done. Looks like that's straightened out now. I still have to replace the window motors and a couple cosmetic issues. After it's done if I can't sell it for at least what I have in it,or trade it for something cool, I may go for it. Maybe the first year,just do the rearend, suspension, wiring,wheels, tires,etc . The pure stock deal sounds fun for now but I'm worried if the rearend will survive.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

how about in the beginning just build it into a nice bracket car and let it evolve

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

multiple post

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Yep that's kinda what I meant. Cal tracs 9" slicks etc. Stocker with a bracket motor

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

The pure stock deal is not hard to do at all. Depending on weight if im not mistaken an lt1 fbody can run D/PS. With a very small amount of work you should be able to run under that index to at least get you out there and racing. There are very few pure stockers in our area anyway so a heads up is a pretty slim chance. You really wont need to mess with the suspension too much to make it work, and the stock 10 bolt is a lot stronger than people give it credit for.

Holler if you have any questions, i've looked at about every option you are currently looking at in the last year with mine. I haven't spent a ton of money on mine and i've qualified mid pack at each race so far being 150 pounds heavy in C/PS.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

For Pure Stock yes it will and can get beefed up parts.
Go to /www.z28.com/forums or similar forum.
They have good advice on what to do to beef up the rear.

Bullet Cams have the right Cam and Springs.
In fact have a IHRA approved LT1 Bullet Cam and Lifters if interested.
Also a Rebuilt to New Yank 3800SS Converter that feels street like for the 4L60E trans.

Got my Impala SS to a 12.88 on a Dense Cold Air Day
Lots of 13.30's otherwise at 4300lb.

Advantage to Pure Stock.
You can drive it one the street for fun and runs.
Avoid adding a roll bar and using $12/gallon race fuel.

Sunoco 93 Octane, a Tune, Gears, DOT Stickies will get you under the index.

Vigilante, Yank or Edge converter will get you well under the Index.

If you are interested going Pure Stock, send me your mailing address and will send a Pure Stock Challenge Decal

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

Before I went too far with Pure Stock, you may want to sit in on a board meeting with IHRA about its future.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

IHRA is here to stay..!

D

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

You think the stock 10 bolt will live behind the 6 speed manual? I'm dying to dump the clutch off the starting line with 9" radials. Do you know what the index is for D/PS?
Congrats on your win in the pure stocker JLJ

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

OK I think I found it D/PS 13:10 according to the car magazines back in 96,this car was in the 14:20 range. Sooo with a tune on the stock computer, some gear,radial DOT,s ...thinking about it

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

I have a legal NHRA L/SA car that runs .50 under, that I will sell for $10,000. car is fresh, and mostly has 1/8th mile passes on it, just ran 7.80's in the 1/8th last weekend. hard to build a car for that kind of money.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

BTW...if you are running stock exhaust manifolds you can run open Exhaust.
If you have Headers you need a full Muffler Exhaust System.
Headers do help even full exhaust system.

D

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

That is a greal price, I already own a NHRA legal K-L stocker, I'm just tossing around some ideas as what to do with this Camaro. The pure stock deal is starting to sound fun and I can keep it street legal.

Re: Street car to stocker....how much?
 

If you are from Texas...ping TarHeal...
May have a few parts for sale and advice.

D