Originally Posted by
dbs1
Daily driver type cars will work better (usually) with a little higher cr and less boost, vs lowering the cr and running a bunch of boost.
The price of the 454 sounded pretty good from this end.
You are also prepared I assume for a required roll bar? I had a 6 point in my 67 bbc camaro with swing out bars, which made it just tolerable for daily driving. The requirements for quicker than 10.0 mean more bars and less driveability. I think that's the part where I'd think about the bird you have. Once you put the roll bar in, it's really not a street car anymore (imo).
I would think that with half the $ you'll spend for the lsx.install/tune you could beef up the existing motor, use your existing sc and sandbag at the track most of the night to stay at 11.5. Then get someone you really want to beat for the last run of the evening and lay into it for high 10's. If you go frequently, that program won't last for long, but as a guy whose done it both ways I would NOT cage a car I really wanted to use alot on the street, and conversely, I would not expect to run regularly in the 10's let alone the 9's without the required safety equipment which if done regularly you won't get a choice on anyway.
Once I finished up a very nice 69 I used the 67 almost exclusively for a track only car although it could be driven on the street. The novelty of a track car with track manners and a roll cage used regularly on the street gets old-fast.
It is your car, but you could spend alot less to make it very fast for all venues (street-drag-road course) while saving a ton of $ and remaining a very usable street car. To me, once you've passed the capability to run low 11's you really should have a cage for safety, and at that point you are really running a track car, not a street car. Oh and by the way...I know you expect to have it till you die (which may speed up the process at 10's with no cage) but if you watch ebay you'll see the 1st gen camaros or firebirds that are nothing special going for $15k-$25k, with a similar car that may be equipped even nicer but sporting a roll bar-half that. That's the diff on resale from street car to "race car" which is what it would be considered once you cage it, which I know you'll want to do for safety's sake in the 10's.
Sorry about the lengthy post. I've been down this road. Here is the long and short. You can save $15K using what you have and be a very fast car that will still have great street manners and resale value and one you totally enjoy driving everywhere. You will have something come up that you will need the other $15K for. Trust me-you really will.
