Originally Posted by
J@meson
I sugest the 5.3 due to the lack of cost to aquire one. The LS1's are treated like there made of gold on the resale market. Altho you said the swaps comming out of a 98 formula, so I assume your going with a LS1. The T56 in that car is not a viper spec trans jus a regular run of the mill T56 and factory ones handle about 450lb/ft (factory rating as a stock LS1 can trash one) whats working against you is using a heavy car but then again Gto's are as well and they make due. Just dont abuse the trans with powershifts and hard launching and you will be ok.
A lot of the time depending on what you end up getting, by the time you piece together a complete setup, especially if you are wanting a T56, you'll end up spending more for a 5.3/6.0 after getting everything.
As far as the T56 goes the factory rating is usually referred to as underrated, and im not quite sure how you figure a stock LS1 is capable of breaking one, capable of damaging one with an idiot driving sure, however actual strength, no. However you are right him using a heavy caprice wont help things.
StealthMode, I'd likely go with a set of valve springs, and chances are you'll probably end up with a cam with more lift than that, typically even the mild LS1 cams end up in the 560's for lift, heck mine is
224/230@050 and .581/.589, the stock rocker arms are 1.7 ratio, so dont bother planning to swap those, and with a lot of the cams around going to a higher ratio isnt recommended due to the ramp rates.
texas-speed has PAC singles for under $200, couple them with something mild like a TSP or thunder cam in the 220-224 range, and im sure you wont be disappointed. The LS6 manifold would still be a good idea, I just would spend the heads money on an actual cam if its coming down to one or the other.
You shouldnt have to fab up a crossmember, just figure on building some brackets to bolt to your existing crossmember and to the LS1's engine mounts.