My 1995 LT1 6 speed Corvette

Build Log

I've owned my car for over 10 years, I've been autoxing it as long as I've owned it.

I started off in stock class, and then switched to BSP(SCCA) and GroupII(NCCC).

I've decided to step things up a bit with a complete suspension rebuild and going to forced induction.

more parts arrive

Adjustable a-arms	adjustable vs stock
Del-A-Lum bushing for the bottom a-arms	Front Swaybar links	Rear Swaybar links

the LT1 intake is back from the porter

some thought you needed an LT4 intake to run the AFR195's

you don't, at least the CNC versions you don't

Not problem at all, no welding required

It actually flowed BETTER with the intake on.

Xmas comes early for me

custom 31 spline stub axles and corresponding bearings to get all that power to the ground.

summersbrothersracing.com

Rod ends for the rear suspension

05/28/2009

More toys for the car

I'm buying some HardbarUSA/LEMD Penske 8100 double adjustable shocks.

I know their good shocks as they used to be on Gary's (Hardbar) car.

Right now they are setup for a C5/6, I'll be converting them over for my use.

04/26/2009

Shortblock's done!

-----Original Message-----

From: Brad Lagman

To: swiftwood@aol.com

Sent: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 5:17 pm

Subject: Engine

Hey Brian

Thanks for your business!

This engine came out really good I think you will like it

I was explaining the whole main cap issue with you

When people normally convert a 2-bolt block to a 4-bolt they normally use a stepped cap to fit in the stock 2-bolt registers

The problem with that is you have to have a .002-.005 air gap under the ends where the extra bolts go through so you are definitely

Flexing the cap the way we do it is that we machine a whole new register in the block so you have the bottom of the main cap completely flat now you have full contact with the block not just the step.

This way is harder to do (if you do not have a cnc machine) that’s why most shops use the step cap they just bolt them on and drill it with a drill bushing and tap it. I am not knocking that way, hell I used to do the same thing. Now we have a better way of doing it so we pass that on to our customers. Our shop is outfitted with the latest in machinery. I pride myself in having the best equipment available. So we can build a better engine for you.

Thanks again

Brad

BTW normally you hit the water jackets when you do his he didn't

Drainbacks for the AFR's

BTW He couldn't make the S.C.A.T. crank balance with the 5.7 rods so he went ahead an upgraded me to a Lunati crank no charge.

You can see the heavy metal it took to balance it.

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 More info

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Brad Lagman 
    To: swiftwood@aol.com
    Sent: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 6:38 pm
    Subject: RE: They want to know how long to build a motor

    Hey Brian

    I decided to machine another 3/16 key in the crank 180 deg from the orig

    This way you have 2 keys holding that hub

    That will be much stonger that way especially in a boost situation

    Thanks

    Brad

04/14/2009

I got some pics from my machinist of the block being worked on.

-----Original Message-----
From: brad 
To: swiftwood@aol.com
Sent: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 3:46 pm
Subject: Re: LT1 383 shortblock for a blower

Hey brian
i am working on a new program for the main caps on your block
instead of using  a stepped cap like everyone else
i want to use a flat cap that way you would get a better register in the block
its taking a little longer than i expected but the result will be far greater
Thanks
Brad

03/06/2009

Well I just made by shortblock builder happy.

I got the final specs for my engine, so I just gave him my credit card # :)

Going with a 9:1 compression, which may seem a little low, but my tuner thinks I may max out the S-trim, so that will leave me room to send it back and have it rebuilt as a T-trim.

Going with a 5.7 rod, and not a 6, for the dwell time at the top.

I am going with an internal balance on this, so a zero balance flywheel.

With that in mind I'm getting the McLeod street twin clutch with the detachable weights.

It will be a custom Nitrous/Blower cam 220/236 duration.

Here's the shop I'm using http://qmpracing.com/

It turns out a stock LT1 intake will work with the new AFR's So I'm just going to use the spare one I have

10/03/2008, 12:34 AM

I was real happy to see the UPS guy today...

The BLOWER!

The BOV (blow off valve)

intake tube

Upgraded drive to prevent belt slipage

My new AFR Eliminators.

These things are a work of art!

Special valves

Killer springs. I also got Titanium retainers.

I forgot just how big 3in pipes really are

New MSD Opti

I took advantage of a group purchase on the forum, and picked myself up a new MSD opti.

Ron got me a real good deal on a B&B 3in exhaust for the car

Spares heads, intake and misc parts

While I was out on a contract in Denver, there was a forum member selling off some spare parts.

I bought them and started having a friend port them out, but in the end it was cheaper and better performance wise to just to go with a set of new AFR Eliminators.

valve covers	spare intake	Bored out throttle body
heads & intake	valves on heads
Porting work

Exotic muscle coated headers

11-15-2007, 02:39 PM

Well, I'm going to try this forced induction thing a try, I just bought this puppy last night, of course it bumps me into SSM.

:D

qwiketz;

Hi guys. I have a vortech supercharger kit for sale that fits 92-96 vettes with the lt1 or lt4 engine. It is a bolt on kit and you are able to retain your ac and all of the accessories. It uses the S trim compressor which is CARB legal. Price is $2250 and has been dropped from $2600.

The kit is highly upgraded. If you’re serious about getting a kit that works out the gate, this is it. You will not have to worry about belt slip or bleeding off boost from leaky bypass valves with this kit. The upgrades are:

- vortech mini race bypass valve (approx $250)

- 7 rib upgrade from 6 ribs

- Bracket modified for dual idler pullies which give more belt wrap ($750)

- Brand new tensioners (cost $110 from ford)

- Larger diameter inlet tubing (4” compared to 3”)

- Homemade anit rotation valve(better directs the air flow to the compressor)

- Discharge tube is drilled for dual alcohol injection nozzles

- Huge k&n air filter

All of these things are things that you’d want to do if you want to get good power out of the vortech kit. The stock kit is prone to belt slip and the stock kit doesn’t allow easy belt changes. The stock kit requires about 3-4 hours to change the blower belt and with this kit, it can be done in 15 minutes. I was getting belt slip at 6 psi with the stock setup and the new setup included here allowed for 10 psi of boost reliably and without slip. I have the kit instructions and all the little bolts bagged up.

To complete the kit, you’ll need a 255lph in tank fuel pump ($75), spark plugs a heat range colder and gapped tighter, bigger fuel injectors, and a tune to handle the spark needs and fuel needs. If you need injectors, I can offer to sell the injectors on my car which are 38’s. I’m pulling them off to install 60’s.

If you’re looking for a night and day performance difference, then this is it. This kit will reliably work on pump gas with alcohol injection and make excellent power. Even on junky 91 octance California gas, I never had a problem with detonation.

With all this work done to the kit, you’re probably asking why I’m selling it. Well, I’m selling it because I just upgraded to a vortech ysi compressor with custom bracketry and discharge tubing. Let me know if you have any questions, technical or otherwise. I can be reached at russriggs@yahoo.com. The kit is in CA and if you're local, you're more then welcome to come by and check everything out. Here's some pics of everything:

Not pictured is the polished discharge tube that connects the blower to the throttle body.

Also not shown is the polished bypass valve.

everything installed	the head unit	more parts of the kit
here's everything else.	intake elbow	here's the bracket with dual idler pullies. the tensioner pictured has been replaced since this photo was taken

Electric water pump install.

I did this when I replaced my cap & rotor on the opti.

Great at autocrosses, drag racing and around town, but I'm seeing the temps climb at the track, so I'll probably go back to a mechanical pump for the blower build.

In storage for a year.

I took a contract in SoCal, which then turned into a trip overseas. So my car sat in storage for a year until I was ready to come back and get it.

Racing radiator

I replaced my stock radiator with a BeCool aluminum racing radiator when I blew out BOTH of the stock plastic side tanks and a HPDE @ Waterford Hills.

Big Meats for the car

These made the biggest difference!

335/18 front, 335/17 rear tires on 18x12 front, 17x12 rear CCW forged wheels

The bigger diameter wheels on the front were to get them to clear the a-arms. by sticking with 17in wheels in the rear, I have a taller sidewall which is better for putting power down.

2000 Swaybar upgrade

I switched from the base sawbars to the Z07 bars

Shock upgrade

I installed QA1 12 position shocks on the car

These worked really great. I could stiffen them up for autocrossing, lower them back down for the street, or really lower them for drag racing. All w/o so much as removing a tire.

Harness bar

If anything, my trip to Road America showed me how much I needed a harness and bar in the car.

I went with a Hardbar harness bar, and TeamTech Harness 6pt harness.

A 6pt is the way to go, as the subbelts can simply be run the the stock hardpoints that also hold the lap belts.

This bar not only provided great mounting points for the harness, but also stiffened up the car considerably.

HardbarUSA.com

Muffler elimininator & Mud flaps. after I hit the wall @ Road America, my muffler tips were bashed up. Went with the muffler eliminators (straight pipes) took some weigh off the car. The car made the same rwhp, so that just shows how well the stock system is designed. For sound check out my videos section.

Throttle body bypass

Took some heat off the throttle body.

I've been driving the car all year long, no ill effects.

Open air filter element 7 tune.

Did a dyno day down in Dallas, baseline run was 276rwhp

Cut the air cleaner lid and had the chip retuned, at the end of the day it made 285hp.

Back when it was stock

Bought it down when I lived just outside of Dallas, TX

Sweaky clean engine