fiream

Well it's been along time since i've posted here, so here goes....


Update:

I did by a 76 Firebird Formula 400, it is doing well. My 83 Firebird craped out on me after being run on low oil for a year, so i ended up driving the 76 as my daily.

New News:

83 Has been incompasitated for 4-5 months now. The 76 is up forsale to fix the 83. The 83 broke a rocker, bend a pushrod, or a hydro lifter is gone, all i know is it is make lots o' noise. and it's not a main bearing. So, I may have someone to buy my 76 very soon. So, heres the big question.

I'm thinking of doing a 2.8 to 3.1 Stroker, here are the stats i'm looking at:

GM 2.8-3.1L Stroker Engine Conversion Kit (need to specify piston size. Available in 020, 030, 040, and 060)(Check availability of 060 before ordering) $495.00

Phase 2 Camshaft & Lifter Kit (MOST POPULAR!) GMV6-CK02 $138.48

Specs:
Type
Manifold Vacuum Duration @ .050" Adv. Duration Lift Lobe Center Intake Exhaust Intake Exhaust Intake Exhaust Intake Exhaust
Phase 2 16-18 204 214 270 280 .420 .443 107 117

PERFORMANCE HEAD PARTS KIT
Includes: Performance Stainless Steel Valves, Performance Valve Springs, Performance Retainers, and Performance Keepers. The Same Parts we use in our Performance Cylinder Heads!!! $299.95

Competition Cams Roller Tip Rocker Arms - 1.6:1 Ratio GMV6-RA2 $159.95

All that for $1093.00 plus shipping

Will this be a good deal?
Will it be worth it?
I used Desktop Dyno to see how much HP i'm' going to get, I went from 107hp to 170.5 hp@5000rpm....
Will i be able to either deck the block or mill the heads to get 9.0 or 9.5:1 compression?
Will I be able to drill the main caps for 4 bolt mains?


Any help will be great guys...

Thanks,
Rob

Dale

iTrader: (12)

If your having to bore, machine, all that, and only get 170hp, do the 3.4l swap, save the boring for later, will be faster, and possibly cheaper. Will end up with more poneys.

Search is fixed, their is alot of talk on here about the 3.4l swap.

fiream

Yeah but i don't have the money to do the 3.4 swap. Have enought to rebuild my current motor and thats it. and maybe some left over for paint. And even if i do the swap i this need 3.4 heads and intake, but i don't want FI, i'm currently Carbed that why i'm sticking with the 2.8 stroker. www.engine-parts.com

MDv6man

Well IMO DON'T SELL THE 76!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sure that 76 Formulas are a rare breed and it has the potential to be a beauty in the future. Plus if you don't want to keep it stock, a 455 will slip in there nicely and soon it will be smog exempt so modding would be easy.

For the 83 -- 1000 bucks to soup up an 83 V6 is a little steep. It would still be choked by the ES2e carb so all of that performance would never be fully recognized. Plus the fact that its an 83 means that the main bearing journals are still the grenade prone smaller ones (ie not good for durability)

My suggestion

Pull the 83 motor and replace the short block with an 85- 89 2.8. If you get an 87 or later, you will need another flywheel. You will also need a universal electric fuel pump so you could still use the carb.

This would give you the larger main bearing journals (more durable) and the better cylinder heads (larger valves).

Later on down the road you could slip the cam and rockers in there. Don't bother with that head stuff --OE is about as good as it gets and if someone says it's High performance --

fiream

Well, it either put the $2000 twards the 83 or i can alway put a downpayment on an 03' Mini Cooper S?

Dale

iTrader: (12)

The 3.4l can be used as carb. Ked is doing it, and many on the s10 board have done it.

In fact, the 3.4l HT block that gm provides, says its for carbed only.

Cost of all that machine work, you can get a used 3.4l block, more power, bigger bearings, more reliable, less work for you.

New cars arnt all their cracked up to be. Car payments, (just got out from mine), higher insurance, theft risk, property taxes. For what?? Smoother ride, and possibly better mpg, and a short warranty?

Your call though.

Doward

OMG NO!!! Don't sell the '76!! I mean... ahhh... 400ci engine... *sighs*

No 3.1 will ever duplicate what that 400 sounds like/performs/etc

Doward

/emotion outburst

Seriously, why don't you sell the '83 instead? Get a running 2.8 for like $200, and sell that '83 for about $2k. $2k could make that '76 go a looot faster, and look tons better, IMHO.

SlowCamaro88SC

only prob. is that he'd never get 2k for his car. there is very little demand for v6 f-cars much less pre FI cars. shoot I had to practically give away my '88 for $1000 last year. if you can barely afford to upkeep the'birds then you can't pay for the insurance on a new car like that after the loan and all. right now I'm in the position to buy a 97+ nicer car, and the f-body will be out of the question till I'm 25, cuz If I get one again, it'll be top dog. i.e. a SS camaro, or a firehawk TA, or even a '92 Z/28 Vert w/ a LS-1 and T-56.

but for now I'll have to settle w/ a 97-99 Grand Prix GTP. (hey, stock it'll blow away almost any thirdgen, save for TTA's and Firehawks) and for under $200 I can get a 3.4" SC pully that'll give a 30hp boost..

very moddable car, and very practical.

godsapprentice

You may want to check around with local junk yards. Not sure if there is a place like this where you live, but there is a "you pull it yard" around here. I bought a complete '95 3.4 with 79,000 on it for $125. To me, it made much more sense that dropping a grand on a 2.8. Not to mention the added power.

84TAProject

Are serious? Sorry if you are. But I doubt I would dump 2 grand in a V-6 car either. I actually only have 2200 in my firebird, and its packing a 350 and brand new paint, cause I did the work myself. Maybe pick up a V-8 project? An L69 car could be found, or even an LG4, and be a lot quicker than the stroked 3.1.

I have a 2.8 camaro as a daily driver and a 350 Trans Am as a toy. Id say keep the 2.8 running and dump the money in the 76. I almost got a 79 instead of my 84, but Im glad I didnt, as it only had a 403 olds and I would not have been able to do the work I did to my T/A to it. But youve already got the 76, and the 2.8 wont be fast regardless of what you do to it, and youll be wishing you made your 8 faster. Like I tell people, Ive got 400 hp between my cars, its just one has 3/4 of it.

KED85

This is such a simple decision.
You'll spend gas on the 1976 Formula.
You'll retain your current investment on the 1976 ANYDAY.
FOR A LONG TIME, I drove my 1974 Corvette cause it's strong as ox, while I fixed the 1985 Firebird.
I still drive the old Corvette as I do final details on the 3.4 in the Blazer.
Just found my final smog parts that were sent to me from Indiana by a friend, need to attend to more details on the 3.4 swap in Blazer then off to smog station for legal registration and the Corvette stays put for a long time.
Gotta be kidding thinking of spending any money on that old mill in 83 Firebird.
How is the 83 Firebird carb/distributor/tranmission/suspension?
IF in GREAT SHAPE go find a used runing 60* mill OF ANY SIZE and swap in/over the stuff, hook up electric carter fuel pump & drive the cheap car again. or then sell the completed project to anyone & start in on another later model 3rd gen.
Spend a grand on a bore & this and that?
Who'$ your daddy? Damn wi$h he'd throw $ome my way.
COM'N THINK THIS OUT CLEARLY!
I mean 83's are nice and all, but I'M SURE YA CAN FIND A COMPLETE USED RUNNING CAR FOR LESS THAN THE COST OF THIS ENGINE REBUILD FOR THE 83
COM'N THINK THIS THRU!!
You're saving money every time ya start up the old 1976! So gas is expensive, oh well. Won't be for long.
The carb & 3.4 mills.
Mine seems just great!
I can't await to do all details to make it right enough for smog. Sure felt wonderful to drive that Blazer, even for the first slow test run. I felt the torque of 200 foot pounds as I climb local hill. I never felt that with a 2.8, ever! Where's my locomotive to pull with my Blazer tow hitch!
COM'N ON THINK THIS THRU!