Stock 2002 camaro ss looking to spend about 8 grand

[Parsnips]

Hello people I am a new member to this site and amazed about all the great help people receive on this site just from reading some forums and I have been interested in spending about 6-8 grand on
My stock 2002 ss. I was hoping to get some good ideas . I have already fell in love with a ss on YouTube and the only info I have on the car is that it has a futral f14 cam, ls6 intake, fuddle 3200 stall and Texas speed true duals. I have no head info or anything
Else and was actually hoping that the owner of this vehicle would see my post and give me some more info or if anyone else has some good ideas for me. I am looking for a good setup for about 6-8 grand and I am not much of a mechanic so any info or ideas I receive will just be passed on to my mechanic to order the parts as he is very busy and don't really have the time to help me decide what I want just the time to build so any badass setup ideas for 6-8 grand will be greatly appreciated and hopefully noone falls asleep reading this post

[cammed goat]

I am probably the only one who will post this...but my vote is for a Moser rear end first. All the power of the cam, headers and any other engine mods won't mean a damn thing if that stock rear in that car goes KABOOM!!

[tatertot91]

Rich is right. Look into upgrading that rear, if you're planning on making that much power and putting it to the ground there's almost no denying that stock 10 bolt rear end will shatter. Also if you dont have them get a set of subframe connectors so your body doesn't twist itself into a pretzel.

[redbird555]

I would hold off on getting the rear end for a bit auto's even with a cam and bolt ons tend not to tear up rear ends as much, certainly much better than 6 speed cars your stall is pretty small so it would'nt shock the rear end hard either. There are plenty of people on here and other boards running 11's with h/c setups on their autos with no issues. If you had an m6 I would put it at the top of the list. I say do the mods you want now and save some of the money for a rearend later on, its a smart upgrade but not as necessary on a stalled auto car. If anything I would do your power adders to the motor first and then look at the transmission. The 4l60e is only rated to 360 ft lbs of trque which is what your motor makes stock. Pushing that much power through a stock4l60e is kind of like keeping the stock rear end on an m6 car with DR's and dropping the clutch every chance you can lol.

[KMdef9]

What are your goals for the car?

Is it your DD? Or just for fun car?

Looking into to some track time? Or just street fun?


No matter what you do, a tune. Look into the site sponsor, Frost.

I would most likely go with Rich and Alex following that. The stall next. That might burn your 6-8 right there if you have to pay someone for it all. If not, I'd follow with some suspension work, LCAs, SFCs, Panhard, TA or the exhaust route, headers, y-pipe and a catback. It really depends on your goals and own personal opinions, like if your concerned with the hook up or how loud your car is. Were all alittle different.

[jsmith564`]

vote for a rear also.

[35th-ANV-SS]

for 8K, you can do everything that has been mentioned here.

rear - 2500
phb - 100
sfc - 175
ta - 300
rebuilt tranny - 2000 (probably cheaper on an auto)
headers - 400-800 depending on brand
exhaust - 500-1000 depending on brand

Don't see what the problem is...

[kenro23]

Op can definetely do it all as you said. Only thing is, he wont be doing and huge power adder. Seems to me like op wants the power now. Tends to happen when you drive one and know what its capabilities are. Hell, i know thats why im into it now.
i have asked this same question and got pretty much the same answers. After sitting on it for awhile and thinkin what options to do, i will go with the rear end and all the suspension first. Just seems pretty logical to me. So, my vote is for rear end and suspension work.

[KMdef9]

for 8K, you can do everything that has been mentioned here.

rear - 2500
phb - 100
sfc - 175
ta - 300
rebuilt tranny - 2000 (probably cheaper on an auto)
headers - 400-800 depending on brand
exhaust - 500-1000 depending on brand

Don't see what the problem is...

Didnt see you list a procharger... lol

[35th-ANV-SS]

because that doesn't fall under the 8K budget

[PFM]

for 8K, you can do everything that has been mentioned here.

rear - 2500
phb - 100
sfc - 175
ta - 300
rebuilt tranny - 2000 (probably cheaper on an auto)
headers - 400-800 depending on brand
exhaust - 500-1000 depending on brand

Don't see what the problem is...

I would add to the list a set of adjustable Lower control Arms. As a matter of fact I recommend all the suspention aftermarket parts part he buys be adjustable. And get the Torque Arm mount relocation mount/with the safety loop so he gets it off his A4. And relocation brackets for his LCA also.

[Knight]

for 8K, you can do everything that has been mentioned here.

rear - 2500
phb - 100
sfc - 175
ta - 300
rebuilt tranny - 2000 (probably cheaper on an auto)
headers - 400-800 depending on brand
exhaust - 500-1000 depending on brand

Don't see what the problem is...

^This. But I'd throw a driveshaft in too.

Everyone wants to add power first. It's hard not to, with these cars. But it's much better to build a solid drivetrain and suspension to handle it first. You may not just destroy the rear diff when it goes. I've seen the axles come out and bounce down the side of the car, tearing it up. I've seen axles snap and spin a car into a wall. I've seen many mangled drivetrain and suspension parts. It's much worse to fix something, than replace it before it breaks.

[SMWS6TA]

for 8K, you can do everything that has been mentioned here.

rear - 2500
phb - 100
sfc - 175
ta - 300
rebuilt tranny - 2000 (probably cheaper on an auto)
headers - 400-800 depending on brand
exhaust - 500-1000 depending on brand

Don't see what the problem is...

With 8k I'd do like this however, I 'd focus on the rear, tranny, h/c/i before the headers, even if I let them (H/C) sit till I got headers and exhaust I'd still be ahead because they are the big ticket items and I could get it all (H/C/I + headers & exhaust) tuned at the same time.

Wheels/tires/and all the other pretty stuff would come last.

[cammed goat]

^This. But I'd throw a driveshaft in too.

Everyone wants to add power first. It's hard not to, with these cars. But it's much better to build a solid drivetrain and suspension to handle it first. You may not just destroy the rear diff when it goes. I've seen the axles come out and bounce down the side of the car, tearing it up. I've seen axles snap and spin a car into a wall. I've seen many mangled drivetrain and suspension parts. It's much worse to fix something, than replace it before it breaks.

And that would scare the living shit out of me.

[Knight]

And that would scare the living shit out of me.

[kenro23]

And that would scare the living shit out of me.

...which is why I am going to get the rest of that stuff done before I do power adders.

[cammed goat]

[Firebirdjones]

I'm with the others, the smart thing to do is to build a rearend first. I've had them let go at speed and it's not a pretty site. It ends up costing more to repair than the innitial rearend would have cost in the first place.

Once that's done there are many things to spend money on. Without seeing the car or having alot of details it's hard to say, and everyone has their own personal taste.