JET Power For Your LS1
If you have invested big money in a high-flowing intake manifold, throttle body, and heads but are still drawing air through the stock 75mm LS1 MAF, it's time to pick up JET Performance's Mass Air Sensor Conversion Kit. Even bolt-on cars could benefit from a 90-cfm flow increase, which should add up to 10 hp. The 85mm sensor, adapter harness, and all necessary hardware are included for the conversion.

JET Performance Products
7491 Apex Cir
Dept. GMHTP
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
800/535-1161
www.jetchip.com

Heavy Lifting
Let Comp Cams be your one-stop shopping location for performance valvetrain components with the Hydraulic Roller Installation Kit for 350 Vortec and LT1s (PN 08-1001). Eight lifter guides, one lifter retainer, one cam retainer, two retainer bolts, and three cam bolts will reliably secure your valvetrain in one simple package. The new cam retainer is specially designed with 3.294-inch bolt spacing. The installation kit is designed as the perfect complement to Comp's Pro Magnum hydraulic lifter set for high-rpm durability and performance.

Comp Cams
3406 Democrat Rd
Dept. GMHTP
Memphis, TN 38118
800/999-0853
www.compcams.com

May The Schwartz Be With You
At 505 hp the LS7 is impressive enough, but with Schwartz Extreme Performance's special touch, say hello to 730 horses. This naturally aspirated, pump-gas crate motor uses a retuned GM ECU, custom spec cam, modified heads, and custom 17/8-inch headers to achieve a boatload of added power. The Schwartz LS7 is available with the standard nylon intake or a GM Performance Parts aluminum intake with a modified stock 90mm drive-by-wire throttle body, custom spacer, and 103mm MAF housing for an old-school look with new-school performance. This crate motor boasts a perfect 920-rpm idle and a broad powerband up to 7,800 rpm. Prices start at $22,000.

Schwartz Extreme Performance
6205 Lou Ave
Dept. GMHTP
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
815/455-2230
www.schwartzperformance.com

Set The Pace
Finally, front-wheel-drive V-6s get a little help in the performance department from PaceSetter Headers. The 3.1L and 3.4L '97-'03 Grand Prix, '97-'05 Century, and '00-'05 Monte Carlo and Impalas can benefit from CNC-machined, port-matched 3/8-inch-thick steel flanges, 15/8-inch 16-gauge primaries, 3-inch mid-pipes, and a stainless steel flex joint. EGR hook up is provided, but these headers are for off-road use only. Non-supercharged 3.8L models use a 21/2-inch mid-pipe. However, all applications are available with both a black paint and ARMOR Coat finish for very reasonable prices.

PaceSetter Performance Products
2841 W. Clarendon Ave
Dept. GMHTP
Phoenix, AZ 85017
602/266-1964
www.pacesetterexhaust.com

All Choked Up
Un-choke your C5's LS1/LS6 with Advanced Flow Engineering's Magnum Force Stage 2 Cold Air Intake. A uniquely designed rotomolded intake tube insulates heat and helps achieve a 13 percent increase in airflow for a substantial increase in performance. Two different aFe-designed air filters are available for your convenience, including the large 360-degree washable/reusable Pro-5R (PN 54-10052) and the new Pro Dry-S that negates filter oils (PN 51-10052). Both are claimed to produce as much as 24 hp and 29 lb-ft of torque at around 5,000 rpm.

Advanced Flow Engineering
252 Granite St
Dept. GMHTP
Corona, CA 92879
866/503-9911
www.afepower.com

Seal The Power
The rings are one of the most overlooked areas of an engine build, yet also one of the most crucial. Total Seal has just expanded its line of Advanced Profiling Steel Ring Sets to include LS1, LS2, and LS7 applications, as well as aftermarket pistons from 4.000 to 4.185 inches. The AP steel top ring sets are available in either Total Seal's patented Gapless or conventional style. Conventional ductile moly is also available for LS1 and LS2 motors, as well as overbore sizes. Total Seal rings are designed to hold up to the extreme abuse racing imposes, while being as gentle as possible on the cylinder walls.

Total Seal Piston Rings
22642 North 15th Ave
Dept. GMHTP
Phoenix, AZ 85027
800/874-2753
www.totalseal.com

A camshaft can be a huge performance component for an engine-many people know this. Cam lobe design is often regarded as a black art. Many who have mastered it prefer it that way to keep people from understanding what really happens in a valvetrain. To further complicate things, that lobe is only as good as the system you put it in. Yes, the system.

All of the components that make up a valvetrain system interact with each other and either work, don't work, or fall somewhere in between-most are in between. Mass plays a big part in this system. We are going to use a very basic principal of physics in this discussion to illustrate the complexities of valvetrain motion.

F = MA(Force = Mass x Acceleration)

The mass of the valve and all the reciprocating and rotating components of the valvetrain affects the forces in the system. The acceleration of the system is dictated by the lobe profile-or the rate at which the lobe moves the hydraulic lifter. We can't necessarily minimize force, because often to obtain better performance, we may intentionally accelerate things faster. The key to look for is the proper balance of component mass, stiffness, natural frequency, cam lobe acceleration, and forces experienced in the system to make it all work together.

To most accurately determine the effectiveness and stability of a valvetrain, one must test it on a valvetrain cell. One commercially available, known as the Spintron, is similar to Katech's Test Cell 1, except we use our proprietary data acquisition and data analysis programs. The cell utilizes a DC electric motor to drive a "spin buck" consisting of a block with a window in one cylinder, a dummy crankshaft (no pistons or rods), cam drive chain, and the valvetrain system. By bouncing a laser off the bottom of the valve, we can watch in real time as valvetrain components deflect under load, valves loft over the nose of the cam or bounce upon closing, and find out what impacts the stability of a system-or leads to failures. Our system measures valve lift in 0.0005-inch increments at 1 crank degree resolution up to 12,000 rpm. Valvetrain limiting speed is typically determined by the amount of valve loft at max lift or bounce on the seat during valve closing.

The question you need to be concerned about is what the limiting speed or fuss points of your system are, and are they in the normal operating range of your engine. All systems have a limit, or areas that are less than optimum. We prefer those points to be several hundred to several thousand rpm beyond redline.

Test Objective
Katech recently performed a series of tests to identify cam lobes, valvesprings and their installed heights, valves, retainers, and combinations of these parts that work well for hydraulic systems in GM Gen III and IV V-8 engines. This article will specifically address one portion of the test to understand the effect of valve mass on valvetrain dynamics by testing a hollow exhaust valve against a solid Inconel valve on an LS7 valvetrain. We tested this because many people choose solid stainless steel or Inconel valves as an "improvement" over the factory stainless steel, sodium filled, hollow-stem valve.

The objective of this article is to give the end-user a basic understanding of what is involved when putting together your particular valvetrain system. This should equip you with the right questions to ask of your particular parts supplier or engine builder.

Test Results
When considering the equation of Force = Mass x Acceleration, some of these results may be intuitive. What is not intuitive is where the results occur-you can only determine the problem areas by testing (though some very advanced and very expensive software can predict some of this). The alarming finding in this scenario is the bounce profile of the Inconel valve at 6,900 rpm. For an LS7 this is in the operating range of the engine, below redline. It is apparent the valve is out of control at this point-so much so at 0.030-inch of bounce off the seat that failures will result if you operate in this range periodically.

Figure 1 clearly shows the heavier solid Inconel valve was out of control at 6,900 rpm, while the hollow-stem valve was stable up to 7,600 rpm. These two valves had the same geometry, except the solid valve is 27g heavier than the hollow-stem valve. The benefit of the solid Inconel valve being able to sustain high temperature is restraining the valvetrain from running at high speed.

Going back to our equation, one solution may be to use a higher load valvespring, another may be to change the deceleration ramp of the cam lobe. Most often a heavier load valvespring will provide the necessary solution, but it may have a different natural frequency or different undesired characteristics. We find that often for hydraulic systems a dual spring may not be the solution either, because the standard diameter spring has a more defined natural frequency. The solution we will test next is a combination of different springs and different lobe profiles. In this application we need the high-temperature benefits of Inconel, so a lighter valve is not an option.

The difference in loft performance between the two valves was not as dramatic. However, the heavier, solid valve had more loft at lower rpm than the hollow-stem valve simply because of its higher inertia load against the spring load.

Loft is the term used when the inertia force of the valve being opened exceeds the load of the spring holding the system against the cam lobe. Loft is not as distinctly easy to define as problematic. Often loft improves performance because you are effectively increasing the lift and total valve open area. Where we find problems are when the loft starts to be excessive and approach coil bind of the spring. Another problem is when the valve is lofted and the spring returns it to the cam profile on top of the nose-often causing another loft or bounce at or near peak lift. When loft motion simply looks like a larger version of the lobe, doesn't get too close to coil bind, and is smooth throughout its motion, we call it "controlled loft"-which can be very beneficial.

Conclusion and Discussion
Recall that this is all in relation to a hydraulic lifter system-a solid roller system tends to have different requirements for controlled operation. There are no definitive answers that I can espouse here. These rules of thumb all have an exception in some situations and configurations and are generalized to what we most often see in our valvetrain testing.

Lighter system components tend to perform better.

The natural frequency of the system, and especially the spring, is far more important than the spring closed and open load.

More mass may be required for strength, but it may have an adverse effect on your system stability. Typically if the lighter components operate in a controlled manner, they will be "stronger" than heavier components operating out of control.

Single beehive springs tend to offer better dynamics because they do not have a single natural frequency.

More spring load may help, but you can go too far. Too much spring load on a hydraulic system could adversely affect the lifter because it does not stay "pumped up," causing slack, or lash, in the system.

In closing, the most important thought out of this article is that the valvetrain is a system-changing one thing could drastically change its operation. And something like a valvespring that works in one system may not work in another. Good luck!

TEST COMPONENTS
Components	C1-0405	C1-0410
Camshaft		HR1027
Springs		PSI-LS 1511
Rockers		12579617
Retainers		KAT-4678
Keepers		12596508
Exhaust Valves	GM 12578455	Solid Inconel steel
Valve Masses	71g	98g

While a solid third-gen F-body is not terribly hard to come by, it has been 25 years since the first ones rolled off the assembly line, and many of them are starting to show their age in the form of rust. In the case of Snowball, an outwardly solid-looking '89 Formula, the rust was lurking under carpet, layers of undercoating, and seam sealer. If I had not planned to weld in a six-point cage, I might have never discovered the rust, and maybe ignorance would have been bliss. But once I started uncovering the rust I had no choice but to fix it before I could securely weld in the cage.

While there is plenty of good information on body repair, thirdgen F-bodies and G-bodies are not quite as easy to fix as their predecessors. First and second-gen F-bodies used a subframe attached to a unibody-the third-gen is the first true unibody F-body that must provide attachment points for the K-member and all suspension attachment points.

The third-gen's unibody is constructed of multiple layers and pieces of galvanized sheetmetal loosely stitched together with spot welds, covered in many places with gobs of seam sealers. The areas carrying the highest loads are often the most susceptible to corrosion due to the flex of the body and the nature of the overlapping bits of often poorly spot-welded sheetmetal. Road salt, combined with stress corrosion, allows rust to gain a foothold, resulting in cancerous holes.

While there is replacement sheetmetal such as doors and fenders available, I was unablem to source replacement floorpans, let alone any of the pieces that intersected the floorpans. Since the parts I needed weren't available, I knew I would have to learn how to do the job myself. Thankfully I had access to fabricators including Paul Morgan, Paul Ruggles, and John Parsons, who I bugged mercilessly for their secrets-if a magazine guy can fix his car, so can you!

Sixteen and 18-gauge sheetmetal are most commonly found on modern cars, with 18-gauge representing the bulk of it. Sourcing suitable replacement metal is essential. In the case of most automotive repairs, oiled and pickled 18- and 16-gauge sheet will cover the majority of repairs. The local home improvement store is probably not going to carry this, so some phone calls to steel suppliers will be required. You will probably have to buy a 4x8 sheet at a time. Most steel houses will not want to cut it for you, and may not even want to deal with such a small order. You might even have to drive a ways to get your hands on the stuff, but it's worth it. Oiled and pickled sheetmetal lacks hard-to-remove mill scale, and is easier to form. Don't use a stop sign, beer can, or part of an old washing machine-seriously.

Before you get started take lots of pictures and even make drawings of how the pieces are welded together so you can duplicate the factory geometry when you put it back together.

If you don't know how to weld, it's time to learn. Enroll in a community college or have a friend teach you. It's really not that hard, and once you know how it will open up entirely new ways of working on your car. You don't have to blow the budget on a high-dollar TIG-welding rig, either. An entry-level 110-volt MIGwelder from any of the big names like Miller, Lincoln, or Hobart will get the job done for around $500.

MUST HAVE TOOLS
MIG-welder and gas bottle rental	$500-800
Hammers	$200
Roper Whitney hand tool	$60
Shrinker and stretcher	$200
4.5-inch angle grinder	$60
Sheetmetal brake	$30
Welding helmet	$25-200
Tin snips	$50
Vise grip clamps	$15 each
Jig saw	$100
Abrasive materials	$50
T-dollies	$100
Vise	$75
Total	$1,465- $1,940

OPTIONAL TOOLS
Air Compressor	$500
Angle Die Grinder	$200

In the last installment of this turbo V-6's saga, I was able to get my 1987 Turbo-T to the point where I was comfortable making some passes at E-Town. Leaving at 4-psi launch boost, and topping out at 26 psi on the big end, she went 10.83 at 126 mph-not too shabby for the first new-combo track day with no suspension adjustments.

Though I was thrilled with a 10, my enthusiasm was tempered somewhat by the fact that there were still several glaring problems that, if fixed, would have resulted in a quicker e.t.-and with a 126-mph trap speed-a safer car.

IAT Sensor Relocation
Due to the fact that the intake air temp sensor hadn't been placed in the upper plenum during the engine build, the XFI's tune was a bit off as it was seeing intake air after the filter, not turbocharged and intercooled air in the intake. Tuner Cal Hartline did what he could during the first track day to get that 10.8, but it was more of a band-aid fix and led to a rougher tune than we would like.

Downpipe/Wastegate
I was satisfied with every aspect of the Buick's new powertrain-save for the used 3-inch downpipe and stock wastegate left over from my old combo. It was time for a bigger downpipe and external wastegate. As the Cotton's Performance crew up in Agawam, MA, would be doing the final tweaks for me, Jack and Brian suggested one of their 3.5-inch downpipes with a Turbonetics Racegate external wastegate. Both would be more appropriate for this 559-rwhp LC2.

Line Lock
I didn't have a line lock at the first track test. This meant that during the burnout, I was unnecessarily heating up the brakes and causing the Eaton posi to unlock. This was compromising boost-holding capacity on the line, causing slippery, sideways launches as only one tire was hot, and abusing the brand-new posi.

Brake Service
The swapped-in vacuum brake booster doesn't have the pressure to hold lots of boost on the starting line. However, I love the reliability and pedal feel of the vacuum system-currently, I have no plans to change it. I'll have the Cotton's crew perform some basic stock-brake maintenance on the wrecked front rotors. These things were damn scary when attempting to slow from that 10.83. Between this work and the new line lock, we should be in business.

I make the short trip from NYC up to Agawam to see Jack and Brian Cotton, and we get to work. These aren't major mods, but I'm counting on them making a huge difference at the next track day.

In A Blaze Of Glory
The hefty Trailblazer SS is a stout performer for its size, but with the STS Turbo Remote Mount Turbo System, the full-size SUV will have no problem keeping up with tweaked V-8 coupes. Go from 340 wheel horsepower to 430 with only 6 pounds of boost from a TO4E 60-1 that is good for up to 620 ponies. This appropriately sized turbo guarantees great street manners, not to mention 465 lb-ft of torque that will help get the 2.5-ton behemoth moving. Included in the kit is a TiAL 38mm wastegate, all necessary pre-bent piping, mounting hardware, wiring harness, installation manual, and STS's patented oiling system. The deal is sweetened by a one-year warranty.

Squires Turbo Systems
Dept. GMHTP
165 N 1330 W
Suite A4 / Orem, UT 84057
866/WE-Turbo
www.ststurbo.com

Kookin' Gaskets
In an effort to constantly improve the effectiveness of its products, Kooks Custom Headers has developed its own aluminum header gaskets for its Gen III/IV applications. These gaskets are designed to work with high-temperature silicone in providing an optimum seal. Kooks aluminum gaskets are available for $28 a pair, and come standard with every Gen III/IV header. Gaskets are available for both the traditional LS1/LS2 oval exhaust ports and the LS7/L92 style D-shaped ports.

Kooks Custom Headers
Dept. GMHTP
200 Candlewood Rd
BayshoreNY 11706
866/586-Kook
www.kookscustomheaders.com

New To Gen II
Drawing upon its many years in the small-block Chevy market, Dart has created a Platinum Series aluminum cylinder head for LT1/LT4s. These heads were developed using Dart's exclusive wet-flow technology, and will accommodate the Gen II's unique reverse-flow cooling system. Much like the conventional Platinum Series SBC head, the 23-degree LT1/LT4 head has five-angle intake seats, radiused exhaust seats, back-cut stainless steel valves, and a relocated spark plug hole for greater combustion efficiency. The port shapes are optimized and sized at 180/75cc to flow 257/172 cfm at .500-inch lift (with 2.02 and 1.60 valves). These heads are available bare or assembled with your choice of 1.250-inch single valvesprings, 1.437-inch double valvesprings (for higher-lift hydraulic roller cams), or 1.550-inch double valvesprings (for solid rollers).

Dart Machinery
Dept. GMHTP
353 Oliver DR
Troy, MI 48084
248/362-1188
www.dartheads.com

Riding The H-Train
LS1s make so much power out of the gate that whether naturally aspirated, turbo'd, or supercharged, a good set of connecting rods is invaluable. Lunati's LS1 H-Beam Rods fit that bill by using a heat-treated, stress relieved, shot-peened 4340 forging. With a length of 6.125 inches and 2.100-inch and .928-inch bores, Lunati's H-Beams are ideal for potent stock-cube builds, but would also serve well on a stroker motor. Each set is matched to within 1.5 grams, and is available in the standard 680 grams (PN 6125H3) and in Super Light at 605 grams (PN 6125HL3). The standard rod uses ARP 8740 7/16-inch cap screws and the Super Light uses ARP 2000 3/8-inch screws. Lunati's meticulous testing, quality control, and use of tight tolerances ensure reliability.

Lunati
Dept. GMHTP
11126 Willow Ridge Dr
Olive Branch, MS 38654
662/892-1500
www.lunaticamshafts.com

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
CP Pistons has added to its already impressive lineup of forged pistons for the Gen III/IVs with the X-style LS1 piston. This new high-performance piston is unique in its high-strength 2618 aluminum X-style forging; a low-friction skirt design, along with adequate reluctor wheel clearance, make it ideal for 3.905-inch bore LS1s with stock stroke and 6.125-inch rods. Using a slight dish and -4.8cc valve reliefs, these pistons will give clearance for big cams while maintaining high-compression (10.0:1 with stock heads)-perfect for stock-cube nitrous or naturally aspirated cars.

CP Pistons
Dept. GMHTP
1902 McGaw Ave
Irvine, CA 92614
949/567-9000
www.cppistons.com

Plugged In And Wired
A motor is only as healthy as its spark plug wires, but unfortunately it's been hard to find a great set of wires at an affordable price. Thankfully MSD has you covered with its new line of Street Fire wires. Its spiral-wound, low-resistance conductor manages to provide excellent performance while suppressing radio and EMI noise. The black heat-resistance sleeves, heavy-duty boots, and terminals are crucial to longevity. With a one-year warranty and a price tag of $39.99 for custom applications and $44.99 for universal applications, Street Fire wires are hard to beat.

MSD
Dept. GMHTP
1490 Henry Brennan Dr
El Paso, TX 79936
915/857-5200
www.msdignition.com

Welcome to the House of Kolor

We performance junkies sometimes forget about the finer points like aesthetics, but every time we (or anyone else) look at our hot rods the paint is the very first thing we see. As the result, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore faded or damaged paint, or simply an unremarkable color. This is exactly what prompted us to repaint our Project LT1 Formula, and put its awkward teal-colored childhood behind us. Instead we chose to let the Formula enter adolescence born again with a custom Emerald Green Pearl paintjob courtesy of House of Kolor and Classic Restoration Enterprises in Pine Island, New York.

Perhaps you are met with a similar set of circumstances with your aging Camaro or Firebird, or maybe you are just looking for that extra something special to set your car apart from the thousands of black, red, white and silver F-bodies out there. In any event, you will most likely go through most of the very same steps as we did. For starters, you have to decide what your budget is and who is going to be doing the work. Classic Restoration owner Melvin Benzaquen said on average you should expect to pay for materials alone about $700 for a basic single stage urethane (no clear), reds and greens are 30-50% more, while a two stage (base coat/clear coat) is generally in the $1,300 range. For example, one gallon of premium name brand red paint is $575. We opted for the three-stage custom paint route with House of Kolor (see below), which is easily over $2,000 and well beyond. According to our packing list, the sum total of our materials was $2,300 including all the necessary primer, activator, reducer, Kandy, base, clear coat, and catalyst. This however does not take into account necessary body materials such as sandpaper, bondo, fiberglass, MIG wire, studs, etc. Melvin said to expect between $1,200 and 1,500 on this front, but this will largely depend on how much work is being done. If your F-body is pristine and straight as an arrow this cost could be relatively minimal.

As it was our Project LT1 Formula was going to need plenty of help from Evercoat as well as Year One, SLP, Hawks Third Gen and F-body Motorsports to rework or replace some of the exterior parts that were in poor shape, so I thought it best to leave the work up to the professionals at Classic Restoration. Classic is well known among die-hard Pontiac enthusiasts, and the rest of the community is catching on after making quite a splash at last year's SEMA convention with September 11th hero cop John McLoughlin's '55 Thunderbird. Pay attention and you may pick up some valuable tips from the pros, particularly in the arena of prep work, which is "where a lot of shops and people cut corners and it shows," Melvin says. "You can have the best paint in the world and have it look like crap with a bad prep job." In all fairness, though, that kind of attention to detail will cost you at a quality shop like Classic. Melvin said expect to pay around $4,500 to 5,000 for single stage (prep, prime, color), $5,500 to 7,000 for two stage (prep, prime, color, clear), and $7,500 to 11,000 for three stage assuming minimal body work and not including cost of materials.

Hopefully now that you know the cost involved you haven't been totally scared off, in which case the next step is choosing the paint. Since we elected to forgo pulling the motor and repainting the engine bay it was decided that Teal or Dark Green would look most natural and would blend easier. After flipping through House of Kolor's catalogue of paint chips we found PBC55 through PBC59 in the Shimrin Designer Pearls line to best fit that bill. Careful contemplation eventually had me settle upon PBC59 Emerald Green. This color choice had us using two gallons worth of KS10 white KO-SEAL Primer Sealer as well as another two gallons of KD2000 and two quarts of KDA2000 Primer and Activator. Then a little over 8 quarts of our chosen Shimrin Designer Pearl base coat would be giving color before being clear coated with UFC35 Polyurethane FLO-KLEAR, which is mixed with KK09 Kandy Koncentrate. Somewhere in the process it became increasingly clear that at any point the paint could be radically altered from the use of a different primer color, a flat clear coat, or simply not adding the candy. However, in the end we were quite happy with the results and we think you will be too.

With bolt-ons including Stainless Works headers, our 2005 GTO project previously made 375.9 hp and 372.7 lb-ft on SLP's Superflow dyno. Then Stainless Works bolted up its new 3-inch exhaust system at its Chagrin Falls, Ohio headquarters. As an added benefit to the well-designed and great-sounding system, the baseline dyno numbers, 356.1hp/356.5 lb-ft on GMR Speed's Dynojet, went up to 368.1/376.4, a solid gain.

Our time with this 2005 GTO was winding down, and I left Ohio and headed west for Chicago, where this Goat had a heads/cam appointment at Speed Inc. Speed Inc, based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and led by President Tom Izzo, has earned an excellent reputation with LT and LS owners. The key to any performance shop is having all of your bases covered; Speed Inc's staff is highly experienced in all aspects of late-model GM performance: heads/cams, blowers, turbo systems, high-end tuning, race car building-the guys up front know what they're talking about, and the techs out back know what they're doing. Needless to say, our LS2 Goat would be in good hands.

As we'd done a nitrous system and a host of bolt-ons to the 364-inch mill, it was time to give it some serious power. We'd done some forced induction on previous project GTOs, and as car owner Bruce Corcoran was a fan of the big-cam sound from classic Goats, this project would be a bumpy-cammed, high-rpm screamer.

We've had good luck with AFR's 205cc LS1 castings in the past, picking up nearly 40 horses at the wheels on an LS1 with no other changes. As such, after a good conversation with AFR's Tony Mamo regarding the 205s on an LS2, a set of AFR heads was given the nod for this build. I disclosed this head choice to Tom Izzo, who went to work choosing a camshaft to complement the AFR castings. It had to be a drivable stick, as this GTO spends 95 percent of its time on the road. But it also had to make good power over the factory cam. With those parameters in mind, Izzo chose a 234 duration, .598/.576, 114 LSA grind.

When I arrived in Schaumburg, all of the hard parts were ready. We let the car cool down overnight and when I showed up bright and early the next morning, Speed Inc Tech Dan Marks was ready to tear into the LS2. Follow along on our heads/cam swap and see how much power it gave us

Conclusion
But what happened next took the cake: our safety consciousness bit us in the collective ass when we learned that the 2004-only loop we'd modded for use with our ride had contacted the larger BMR driveshaft, unbalancing the shaft to the point where on the nitrous dyno pull, the bad vibrations cracked the M6's tailshaft housing! With the housing peeing trans fluid, our test was over. Speed Inc graciously replaced the housing with a new one, but we were unable to get a follow-up nitrous test done. Still, the heads/cam swap netted us over 60 rear-wheel horses and nearly 25 ft-lbs of torque naturally aspirated, and this is an easy 500-rwhp GTO with a tuned 75-shot. And best of all: with all of the extra power, she still idles and drives smooth. We have a couple more tricks up our sleeves before this project is done--stay tuned.

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of ensuring harmony between things. If you've watched any of those home improvement shows on cable TV, you've encountered it, as the art is applied to placing furniture and choosing colors for a room that are balanced.

The same philosophy could be applied to automotive design, as some cars clearly have an appearance that suits its purpose, while others miss the mark-like placing a photo of your drunk, bikini-clad girlfriend on your mom's mantle.

When applied to the trailblazer SS, Chevy got the feng shui about 95 percent right, with only the odd, single-outlet exhaust causing any disharmony in the universe. It just doesn't look befitting of a hunkered-down, 400-horse factory hot rod.

The guys at SLP Performance Parts must eat a lot of Chinese food for lunch, because they've channeled that eastern philosophy into a new performancepac for the TBSS-or, at least, they take direction from the fortune cookies. Regardless, SLP's 440HP performancepac-as its name suggests-adds a little more than 40 horsepower while also curing that exhaust problem with a new, two-outlet powerflo cat-back system and new rear valance panel.

The exhaust system alone doesn't give the horsepower bump to the LS2 V-8; the rest comes from bolt-ons that include 1.85-ratio rocker arms; a lower-temperature, 160 thermostat; a high-flow, washable Blackwing air filter; and a diablosport Predator II handheld tuner with a custom SLP tune that uploads directly to the Trail- Blazer's ECM.

We recently visited SLP's Toms River, New Jersey, home to check out the trailblazer SS performancepac and see if it was a project most enthusiasts could do at home. We were encouraged to discover that even the rocker arm swap was a cinch, thanks to the efficient design of GM's LS engine family. As for the rest of the parts, well, they were pretty easy, too. The thermostat is an easy, not-too-messy change and, well, if you need our advice for swapping the air filter, then perhaps you're reading the wrong magazine.

The diablosport tuner is simple to use, too; it simply plugs into the under-dash port. You punch a few buttons; wait a few minutes and the ECM will then play nice with the new rocker arms and thermo. As for the exhaust, it's a cat-back system, but because of the dual-outlet design it has a non-OEM routing path. It can be installed without removing the spare tire.

The new, dual-outlet rear valance is the only part of the project that requires outside assistance-unless you've got a paint booth in your backyard. The SLP valance comes primed, but must be finish-sanded and painted prior to installation-a process that involves pulling off the lower-central section of the stock rear bumper and pinning the new valance in place. It's not brain surgery, but it requires patience and attention to detail to ensure a straight, smoothlooking finished appearance.

Check out the accompanying photos and you'll see what goes into the 440HP performancepac and details of its installation. Don't blame us if after you get your TBSS's appearance aligned with the cosmos that you rearrange your garage for increased spatial harmony.

Coming Soon:
Trailblazer SS HeadersDuring our visit to SLP Performance Parts, we found their technicians busy fabricating a prototype set of long-tube headers for the TrailBlazer SS. In fact, they've probably already gone on sale by the time this magazine has hit the newsstand. From the limited experience we've had with them, they seem to be worth about an extra 10-15 horses at the wheels, when combined with the 440HP Performance Pac.

Typical of SLP's headers, they're well designed with thick, leak-free flanges and coated for shiny, durable appearance. Their long-tube design will require new cats and a Y-pipe, but as our photos in this story have shown, they've got that worked out, too.

Nitrous oxide, commonly referred to by its chemical composition, N2O, is made up of two parts nitrogen and one part oxygen. When used in automotive applications, introducing the substance into the internal-combustion engine allows greater cylinder fill, and with it the potential for tremendous power gains, assuming that proper fuel delivery is maintained over the rpm range in which the nitrous oxide system is employed. For all the tremendous power benefits of nitrous, it would be fair to say that nitrous use, especially under higher-output systems, comes with the risks and common problems encountered by a majority of enthusiasts. Right at the top of the list is inconsistent performance caused by the basics of the nitrous system itself.

In order to operate at peak efficiency, a nitrous system is calibrated for a specific bottle pressure. According to Tom Darnell Jr., company co-owner of Nitrogen Assisted Nitrous Systems (NANO), nitrous manufacturers typically target bottle pressures of between 950-1,050 pounds of pressure in kits. Above the calibrated pressures, more nitrous is introduced into the engine due to higher pressures, resulting in the air/fuel ratio leaning out. Conversely, at pressures under the target, less nitrous is introduced, resulting in rich conditions. As the level of nitrous in the bottle(s) change, so too will the resulting bottle pressure. As both the amount of liquid and the bottle pressure vary with use and atmospheric conditions, variables are introduced that lead to inconsistent performance, sometimes with disastrous results.

In order to combat the variables that have plagued nitrous users for decades, NANO developed a Bolton nitrous regulation system (patent pending) that controls both the nitrous oxide density and bottle pressure. Tom Darnell relates, "By piggybacking a cylinder filled with either high-pressure air or high-pressure nitrogen onto either a standard 10- or 15-pound nitrous bottle inline with the nitrous, the highpressure gas ensures that the bottle pressure remains constant. In addition to consistent bottle pressures, the high pressure (air or nitrogen) forces all the contents of the nitrous bottle out, allowing the user to make additional runs, as every drop of nitrous will be expended. For years the only real management of bottle pressure has been the use of a bottle heater, and to a lesser degree, a bottle cooler."

Strap yourselves in as we roll on over to Real Performance Motorsports (RPM) in Lewisville, Texas, and dynotest a '02 Formula owned by Larry Morris of Denton, Texas, on RPM's dynojet 248 chassis dyno. In addition to hitting this 6.0-liter nitrous-huffing mill with a 175-dry shot, we go for broke and fog it to the tune of a 300-horse shot. In addition to dyno testing, it's off to Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas, to test the effectiveness of the NANO system on a single shot. Will the NANO system perform as advertised? And if so, could we unload a bottle heater, propane torch, and a slew of accessories to return our investment?

Drag Results
Tests were at Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas, which features a wellprepared eighth-mile track. In order to ensure consistency in testing, two full 10-pound nitrous bottles were brought to the test site. Both bottles were manufactured by Nitrous express; the only difference was that one bottle was set up with NANO-supplied hardware. For the initial set of tests, the bottle without NANO was tested. Prior to staging, a bottle heater was employed to raise the nitrous pressure to 1,200 psi, and upon purging the bottle pressure dropped to the manufacturer's recommendation of 1,050 psi. At the completion of each run the bottle heater was turned back on and the process was repeated for the three recorded runs. In all runs the bottle pressure was 1,050 psi upon launch, and it fell to 850 psi at the end of the track.

For the NANO tests, no bottle heater was used. Upon opening the NANO and setting the pressure to 1,050 psi, the bottle maintained that pressure after purging. A total of three runs were recorded with the NANO and the bottle pressure remained at 1,050 from the beginning to the end of the run.

INFO	BASELINE	NANO
Temperature (F)	82.9	81.0
Barometric Pressure	29.74	29.75
	BASELINE	NANO	GAIN
60-foot Time Best	1.35	1.32	.03
60-foot Time Avg.	1.36	1.33	.03
1/8th-Mile mph Best	111.05	112.83	1.78
1/8th-Mile mph Avg.	110.63	112.73	2.10
1/8th-mile Time Best	6.15	6.08	.07
1/8th-mile Time Avg	6.16	6.10	.06

Dyno Results
Tests were conducted on a Dynojet 248 chassis dynamometer equipped with a wide-band O2 sensor. All horsepower and torque readings were converted back to sae. Average horsepower and torque were taken from 4,100-6,900 rpm. Since the TA was equipped with a Turbo 400 automatic transmission and a 3,400-stall Vigilante torque converter, the car was pulled in Third gear. Rather than simply romping on it, which caused the car to downshift into Second (and invalidate the dyno pull), the throttle was eased down until just over 3,400 rpm and then mashed to the gunwales.

CONFIGURATION-175 SHOT
INFO	BASELINE	NANO
Intake Air Temp Deg	100.2	98.7
Vapor Pressure (In. Hg)	.46	.47
Barometric Pressure	29.37	29.34
Correction Factor (SAE)	1.04	1.04
Air/Fuel ratio Avg.	11.6	11.3
	BASELINE	NANO	GAIN
Horsepower	579.2	604.5	25.3
Average Horsepower	559.3	587.5	28.2
Torque	661.4	708.7	47.3
Average Torque	546.0	573.5	27.4

CONFIGURATION-300 SHOT
INFO	BASELINE	NANO
Intake Air Temp Deg	111.2	100.3
Vapor Pressure (In.Hg)	.32	.29
Barometric Pressure	30.19	29.52
Correction Factor (SAE)	1.01	1.03
Air/Fuel ratio Avg.	11.4	11.3
	BASELINE	NANO	GAIN
Horsepower	714.3	761.8	47.5

Conclusion
After getting out the components of the NANO kit, it was apparent that installation was going to be a snap. Any enthusiast who owns an adjustable wrench and a few hand tools can easily install the system in 15 minutes or less. The biggest decision to make when installing the system is whether to piggyback the NANO high-pressure air/ high-pressure nitrogen cylinder onto your existing nitrous bottle or mount it in an adjacent area such as a rollbar.

After witnessing the first pull on the dyno, where the fluctuations in the horsepower and torque curves as the rpm was elevated and the bottle pressure started dropping without the NANO system enabled, it worried me that the air/fuel ratio was on a march upward once the engine crested 6,000 rpm. Bottle pressure had dipped on a full bottle from a pre-dyno pull psi of 1,050 all the way down to 850. Clearly, to get the bottle back up to 1,050, a bottle-heater or track-sid "propane torch" would have been necessary, but as the contents of the bottle declined, the air/fuel ratio would have steadily increased. In contrast, when the NANO system's valve was opened and the on-board regulator was set to 1,050, the engine maintained that nitrous pressure for the duration of the dyno run. Simply maintaining a constant pressure over the duration of the dyno run resulted in outstanding gains of 25.3 horsepower and 47.3 lb-ft of torque. Subsequent pulls on the dyno as the contents of the bottle decreased showed no changes in torque or horsepower output. Simply put, the NANO system worked. As the size of the nitrous shot increases, so too does the variability in output due to the amount of nitrous being flowed to the engine. Although no tuning was completed for this article, one look at the horsepower chart for the 300-shot shows none of the wild variability in power production sans the NANO. A gain of 47.5 hp on the 300-shot was impressive. Track testing was conducted only on a 175-shot, mainly because it was first necessary to be able to pull consistent 60-foot and eighth-mile times without the NANO before testing could begin. Although eighth-mile times averaged just under a tenth better, the real potential of the system can be seen in mph and mph average with and without NANO. Running close to 2 mph faster in the eighth-mile shows that the horsepower and torque gains shown on the dyno were pretty much on the money. Had time permitted, it's entirely possible the car could have picked up 1.5 to 2 tenths running the 1,320.

If you are a dyed-in-the-wool nitrous junkie who either occasionally squeezes your car on a Saturdaynight cruise or heads out to the track to run as hard as possible, strongly consider the NANO system. HPA is readily available for a minimal cost at any paintball or scuba shop, and the benefits of making reliable, repeatable power far outweigh the cost of the system. According to Darnell, "Our customers rave about the consistency they achieve with the system. No longer does a racer or enthusiast have to fight inconsistent air/fuel ratios at the top of the track with potentially catastrophic consequences." Even if you were racing in Antarctica, a bottle heater wouldn't be necessary, as the high-pressure air will put your nitrous pressure at whatever you set it at. In addition to consistent track passes, every drop of nitrous is utilized. For those of you hesitant to run nitrous on your LS-series mill, think again, as the days of running inconsistent times at the track or leaning out your motor after you miscount the number of times you juiced up your ride are distant Memories.

ULTRA HIGH-PERFORMANCE
WHAT:	NITTO NT555
WHERE:	ENGLISHTOWN, NJ
HOW IT WAS TESTED:	DRY SKIDPAD
TEST VEHICLE:	2004 GTO LS1 AUTOMATIC

Tire Details:
245/40/18, Z rated, 300 treadwear rating, traction A, temperature A, $512. The NT555's optimized tread pattern teams up with a dry-traction compound and high-block rigidity to provide lots of traction and the maximum contact patch under acceleration, braking, and cornering.

Testing:
This 2004 GTO was Chris Werner's Werner's supercharged project, since sold to NJ State Patrolman Will Carpenter. As tested, it had a stock suspension, stock rims, and stock 245/45/17 tires. The Real- World Skidpad down at Raceway Park (Englishtown, NJ) would be the test location. With the factory 17-inch rubber mounted, we hooked up the g-force tester and began the baseline runs. The stock setup felt smooth and predictable over our somewhat-rough skidpad, and several laps were made. A quick cool-down followed, after which the counter-clockwise laps were completed. Will's '04 Goat turned in a .85g clockwise run and .91g counter-clockwise, for a solid .88g average.

Time to swap the stock 17-inch wheel/tire combo for the uplevel 18-inch GTO rims and 245/40/18 Nittos. The new rims/tires are bolted on and given a couple warm-up laps, and then we put the wood to them. An impressive .94g greets us after the clockwise laps, but after the cooldown, the counter-clockwise hits impress us even more, showing .95g! The average works out to be .945g, a .065g improvement.

The stock GTO suspension really soaked up the uneven skidpad surface well, allowing the Nittos to do their dry-traction magic. We also noticed that the understeer that ran rampant with the 17-inch rim/ tire combo was gone with the 18s.

ULTRA HIGH-PERFORMANCE
WHAT:	KUMHO ECSTA MX
WHERE:	ENGLISHTOWN, NJ
HOW IT WAS TESTED:	DRY SKIDPAD
TEST VEHICLE:	2005 GTO LS2 SIX-SPEED

Tire Details:
245/40/18, Z rated, 220 treadwear rating, traction AA, temperature A, $660. The Ecsta uses advanced Silica tread compounds combined with directional tread design for accelerating, braking, and cornering prowess. Cornering is further enhanced with two wide steel belts, and nylon cap plies provide high-speed stability. A Rim Protector in the lower sidewall protects against wheel scratches.

Testing:
GMHTP's own LS2 GTO would be the tester, equipped with the factory 17-inch rims/tires. However, our Goat had several suspension upgrades from SLP; a bigger 19mm rear stabilizer bar, progressive rate lowering springs, poly end-link bushings, and a rear camber kit. Previous stock-suspension g-testing showed a .85g average; on this day with the SLP suspension, we recorded a .85g clockwise, .90g counter-clockwise, for an average of .87g.

In preparing for this test, we searched for an affordable 18-inch rim that would not only fit in the GTO's tiny wheelwells, but look great doing it. The Tire Rack was up to the challenge, supplying GMHTP with not only the kumho rubber, but the awesome ASA ST4 rims as well. This complex 5-spoke design came in an 18x8 size, with a silver finish and a machined lip. At 24 pounds, the 18-inch ST4 is lighter than the stock 17. And at only $199/each, practically a steal. The ST4s and Ecsta MXs showed up already mounted and fully balanced, and were soon put to the test at Etown -once they were bolted down and warmed up, we hit the record button and started turning gs. For the clockwise laps we saw .89g, and for the counter-clockwise runs, .91g. That turned into an average of .90g, a .030g improvement.

With the SLP suspension, the Real-World Skidpad was too rough to confidently hold our modded 'Goat at the limit. Though the 18-inch ASAs and kumho tires really did a number to the understeer, and the kumhos proved extremely sticky on smoother portions of the 'pad, the modified suspension couldn't calm the worst patches, and the maximum g-force suffered. It was still a great-handling tire, and a sweetlooking rim/tire combo.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE ALL SEASON
WHAT:	GOODYEAR EAGLE F1 ALL SEASON
WHERE:	DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
HOW IT WAS TESTED:	ROADCOURSE, DRY/WET AUTOCROSS, DRY/WET SLALOM
TEST VEHICLE:	PONTIAC SOLSTICE

Tire Details:
245/45/18 Eagle F1 All Season, Z rated, 420 treadwear rating, traction AA, temperature A, $800. dual carbon-fiber reinforced sidewalls stiffen both sides of the tire to maintain road contact during hard turns, enhancing responsiveness and maneuverability. This tire has ultra high-performance and all season zones: the aggressive shoulder blocks and continuous center rib allow confident handling and steering precision, while Aquachutes provide enhanced traction in rain and snow. The Tredlock feature consists of interlocking micro grooves that give biting edges for all-season traction, and lock together for better grip in the turns.

Testing:
The road course comprised of two turns and two emergency lane change situations. It utilized several different cars, including the RX-8, CTS, Audi TT, 350Z, and Infiniti.

To compare the difference in handling, some cars were shod with Goodyear's Response Edge touring tires, and some cars had the F1 all-seasons. While the handling difference was hard to ascertain between cars as different as a CTS and a 350Z, it was clear that the all-season F1 had good, if not exceptional, dry grip.

Next up was a dry/wet autocross course that pitted Pontiac Solstices, some with the F1 allseasons, and some with Michelin Pilot Sport AS tires (400 AA A), both in a 245/45/18 size. At the limit around the dry course, there was little difference between the two grippy tires. However, when the course turned wet the Goodyears started to shine, exhibiting less loss of control and better wet stability. Thanks to a tropical storm spinning off the Florida coast, and its ensuing rain, it soon became a wet/wet course and repeated jaunts between both tires proved the F1s a clear-cut winner. The Goodyears were simply more surefooted at the limit under very wet conditions-by a large margin.

Finally, a wet and dry slalom was set up with two manual Solstices and two automatics. In this test, the F1s would go up against the bridgestone Potenza RE960 AS in the same 245/45/18 sizes (400 AA A). You can never accuse automotive journalists of being too passive, and there were several spinouts as editors attempted to push the Pontiacs around the cones at top speed.

I wasn't able to get a good enough feel for both to declare a winner with the stick cars, but repeated trips in the autos proved that grip and predictability belonged to the F1s. Though this was a test orchestrated by Goodyear -with the types of tests, test vehicles, and test tires chosen by that company-it was hard not to be impressed with the new Eagle F1 All Season's performance.

Until our own instrumented testing can be performed, our guess is swapping your ultra highperformance summer tires with their low treadwear ratings for them would mean less dry traction. However, they have good stick for an all-season tire. And grabbing a set of F1 All Seasons for a wet and rainy fall/winter season should make a huge difference in that daily driven, RWd GM's manners- and could very well make the difference between a stable, hohum wet commute and a whiteknuckle drive to work!

With consistent timeslips in the low 8s, there were few stock suspension LS1 F-bodies on the planet that could keep pace with Tom Kempf's red turbocharged '00 Z28 (see "Red Rocket," March '07 GMHTP). The Stenod Performance custom turbo kit, Precision Turbo 101mm hairdryer and Wheel to Wheel Powertrain LQ9-based 370 had Tom running a best of 8.08 at 176 mph on drag radials. However, the release of the GM Performance Parts LSX Bow Tie block presented the perfect opportunity for him to pick up a few more cubes and add clamping force from the additional head bolts, not to mention a host of other benefits, including increased strength and oiling. By now I'm sure you've heard all about the features of this new block, but until now few have managed to demonstrate its awesome potential with an all-out forced induction race build. So we followed along as Wheel to Wheel's Billy Briggs, one of the best Gen III/IV builders in the business, put together Tom's motor to attain over 1,500 horsepower and 7-second timeslips.

Do you remember the first time you saw a Camaro? Jeremy Donovan was just a kid when his family bought a 1971 Camaro SS, but it kindled a love affair that still burns to this day. When Jeremy got his driver's license, he inherited the second Camaro they owned, a 1977 Z28. Jeremy loved that car, even though it was 14 years old. When he graduated high school, he was presented with the keys to a 1983 Camaro Z28. Years later, he was able to buy his first new Camaro, a 1997 30th Anniversary Z. He still owns all three cars.

When he heard that 2002 was going to be the last production year for the Camaro, it was a bittersweet moment. on one hand, the f-body's future was uncertain at best, but on the other hand, he had just been present for the unveiling of the 35th anniversary SS at the Camaro nationals, which are held every year at Carlisle. from the moment he laid eyes on it, he knew he had to have one. his local dealer received a visit from Jeremy the following Monday and took his order. Like most enthusiasts, Jeremy kept in touch with the dealership, waiting to find out the target production week (TPW). Weeks turned into a month, and then into several months. Knowing there were only going to be 3,000 35th anniversary editions available in the united states, Jeremy started getting nervous. hanging out on the SLP message board had made him pretty anxious, seeing other prospective 35th owners happily posting their TPWs. While browsing some marketing materials associated with the release, he found contact information For Scott Settlemire, who is considered by many to be the godfather of the f-body. Scott called him back a few days later, took down his information, and tracked down his car. a grateful Jeremy was able to tell his dealership when the car was going to be delivered before it even knew. the dealership, still skeptical that the car was going to show up, was carefully instructed to leave all of the protective packaging on the car, so that Jeremy could remove it. Four hours later, the car arrived. a short time later, his car made its maiden voyage down the highway. Life is full of bizarre moments, but the strangest moment in his life happened 10 minutes later. traffic had ground to a halt, and while his car sat swathed in its protective wrapping of plastic and paper, a horse barreled straight toward his car. "the horse got so close to my new car that i could have touched it by sticking my hand out!" Jeremy recounts. once the horse was secured, he resumed his journey home. about 48 hours later, after his 35th had been unwrapped and had a bath, and a few starter coats of Zaino, his plans were put into action. From the moment he came across GMMG,Jeremy was impressed with the special edition cars it was building, its attention to detail, and its reputation for high-quality workmanship. Though he had talked with matt Murphy a few times in the past, the opportunity to actually work with GMMG arose after he purchased his 35th edition. While busy with various special editions, like the Berger cars, GMMG had also announced its plans to release a 35th anniversary Camaro Performance edition. after he dropped off his car, it received the Phase i package, which features a performance upgrade to 380 crank horsepower, achieved by upgrading to GMMG'S air induction and its chambered exhaust. the Phase i package also included various handling upgrades, and several cosmetic changes, including the front grille with the SS Badging. stopping was enhanced by an upgrade to C5 Z06 front brakes. Jeremy also found some Z06 wheels that had been modified to look like the 35th wheels, and those found their way onto his car.

A regular attendee of the Camaro nationals at Carlisle, as well as the f-body Gathering held in Atlanta, he has always had a great time showing his car, and checking out all the other cars that show up. he was perfectly happy until a friend arrived with the GMMG Phase ii package, which features substantial performance upgrades and a power increase to 480 crank horsepower. his friend let him take the car for a ride, and it wasn't long before Jeremy was on the phone with matt booking an appointment to drop off the car. the performance upgrades include a custom Comp Cams hydraulic roller, ported OEM heads, Dynatech headers, high-flow catalytic converters, and a SPEC clutch. matt tuned this burly combination with Ls1 edit. this combination cranked out an impressive 440 rear-wheel horsepower. Driving the car is a lot of fun for Jeremy, and he says most of the miles the car has racked up have occurred after he installed the Phase ii package. the car has since visited GMMG a third time, for a line lock, custom seat inserts, and an electric cutout. only time will tell if Jeremy is finished with upgrades for his 35th, though you will find folks on his favorite Web site, www.Chirpthird.com, talking about Ls7 swaps.

His love of the Camaro has not gone unnoticed. after participating in an essay contest, he was selected along with 11 other diehards to visit the Gm Proving Grounds to check out and drive the prototype 5th Gen convertible in spring 2007. a fully functioning car, he and the others were allowed to drive it and then spend some time with the Camaro brand team, who were interested in their feedback. for a longtime fan, being able to talk to the individuals bringing the 5th Gen to market is a dream come true. Jeremy thanks scott settlemire for helping him make sure he got his 35th, matt Murphy for making his car a blast to drive, and his wife Ginger for being incredibly supportive of his addiction to Camaros. Looks like he needs to make room for another one pretty soon!

Data File
2002 Camaro SS

OWNER:	Jeremy Donovan, Wallops Island, VA
BLOCK:	stock 346 ci
COMPRESSION RATIO:	11:1
HEADS:	TEA Stage 1.5 5.3 milled .015
CAM:	COMP Cams 228/230, .596/.586, 112 LSA
PUSHRODS:	COMP Cams chrome-moly
ROCKER ARMS:	stock 1.7
PISTONS:	stock
CRANKSHAFT:	stock
RODS:	stock
THROTTLE BODY:	stocked ported and polished
INTAKE:	stock
FUEL INJECTORS:	stock
FUEL PUMP:	stock
IGNITION:	LS6 plug wires; NGK TR5 spark plugs
ENGINE MANAGEMENT:	OEM, tuned with LS1 Edit
POWER ADDER:	none
EXHAUST SYSTEM:	Dynatech long tubes, high-flow cats, GMMG chambered exhaust
CLUTCH:	SPEC
TRANSMISSION:	stock T56, short throw shift stick, Hurst shift ball
DRIVESHAFT:	OEM
FRONT SUSPENSION:	Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks
REAR SUSPENSION:	Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks
REAREND:	stock 3.42
BRAKES:	Corvette Z06 front brakes
WHEELS:	17x9.5 Z06 wheels
FRONT TIRES:	F1 275/40/17
REAR TIRES:	F1 275/40/17
FUEL OCTANE:	93 octane
CURRENT MILEAGE:	6,500 miles
MILES DRIVEN WEEKLY:	10 miles

Going fast is fun! (Hey, if you didn't already know that, you wouldn't be reading his magazine.) Whether you're the type who enjoys the freedom of an openautocross or road course, reaching 120 mph at the top end of a quarter-mile, or just getting some lead out on deserted rural backroads, pretty much anyone who's into high performance enjoys the sensation of speed.

Similarly, any sane person probably knows hauling ass is not without its risks. The unfortunate realityis that while velocity can help you get some much-needed kicks, it also has the potential to gravely injure you and others. Safety should be your number-one priority when it comes to speed, and aside from knowing the limits of your driving abilities and using due care when driving on public roads, a lot has to do with the condition and capability of your ride's mechanical components. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in a vehicle's brake system.

Though their adequacy varies wildly by specific car make and model, when pushed hard, stock brake systems often fade-and can even fail unexpectedly-when heated up, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Imagine cracking a rotor while negotiating the entrance to that infamous highspeed, late-apex turn at your local race venue, and you get the idea. Ensuring your brake system is up to the task of handling the rigors of your driving habits is of paramount importance not only to the safety of you and your vehicle, but to that of others as well.

Adding horsepower under the hood throws further concern into the equation, as potential for more speed puts greater stress on the brakes (which have to work harder to withstand and dissipate more heat energy). Our project '05 GTO underwent a bevy of engine-related mods, most recently a head and cam package installed by Speed Inc. ("LS2 Heads/Cam Swap," Feb. '07). The resultant 432 rear-wheel horsepower-that's without the juice, mind you-is a whole lot more than the LS2 put out when stock. Fade nd durability issues aside, it's clear that the addition of extra braking force to provide reduced stopping distances is a good thing to have in this situation, too.

It's this line of reasoning that led us to call California-based Wilwood Engineering. Having celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007, Wilwood has been a key player in the highperformance disc brake business for some time. With such a reputation,we knew it'd be a great supplier for brakes with just the stopping power and fade resistance we were looking for on our Goat. Follow along as we evaluate and install our GTO's new brake system, and then get some results!

Results
First things first, it was time to put the GTO's fresh brake system through Wilwood's pad bedding procedure. This involved making a series of hard stops until the brakes began to show some fade, thereby "burnishing" the pads for maximum performance. After doing this, though, we noticed that the rear pads would actually smoke (even after several normal stops), indicating a problem with front-to-rear brake bias. It is not uncommon to experience this after any brake system swap, and so a proportioning valve would have to be installed to provide more front bias than the factory master cylinder setup was currently allowing.

However, due to looming deadlines, track unavailability, and other circumstances beyond our control, notewe were unable to remedy this problem before the car had to be returned to its rightful owner in Wisconsin. Though it was clear that rear bias was excessive, it wasn't enough to deem the car unsafe to drive. Fortunately, once title-holder Bruce Corcoran had the car in his hands, he had a local shop install a proportioning valve, and we were ready to rock.

STOPPING DISTANCES (FROM 60 MPH)
Baseline (stock brakes):	136.0 feet
Wilwood:	134.5 feet

Note: values are an average of the best two runs achieved during each session.

A 1.5-foot improvement in stopping distance may not initially impress you, but before jumping to any harsh conclusions, let us enlighten you with some background information. The baseline stops were performed in warmer New Jersey weather and on the prepped strip surface of raceway Park, so certainly this factored into a stickier tarmac than that which we experienced on the frosty roads of America's dairyland. Another notewe worthy item is that during baseline testing, stopping consistency dropped off after several hard stops, indicative of substantial brake fade, whereas with our new Wilwood brakes, we did not experience any fade at all. Though admittedly the baseline testing was done from 100-to-0 (which we were not about to duplicate on public roads; the 60-to-0 distance was included in its calculation), certainly one could expect to see a little fade after the seven or so 60-mph stops we performed in Wisconsin. This was not the case, as although Bruce's stopping distance varied somewhat from run to run (presumably due to road conditions affecting the exact behavior of the car's ABS system), we didn't see it drop off at all during the later runs, helping prove he worth of the Wilwood system.

That said, Bruce can now more confidently pilot his car to any open track day he might choose, as his ride sports increased stopping power along with reduced worry of dangerous brake fade and parts breakage, all thanks to Wilwood's dynaPro rear and Superlite 6 front brake systems. Here's to having some high-speed fun while staying safe!

At this point, my 2001 hardtop, nicknamed 1SC-YA thanks to its 1SC build code and lack of options, has a great swapped-in six-speed, an enhanced stock front- brake setup, and a killer street/track suspension compliant enough for New York City roads and potent enough to tear up a road course.

All the testing you've seen so far (and some that's still to come) has been done with stock power numbers. The 317 SAE ponies at the wheels, with 339 ft-lb of torque, have been a blast-and got better with synthetic Red Line fluids for a grand total of 329/349. But the potential of the LS1 is staggering, and since some of the best upgrades are heads/cam/bolt-on packages, it's time for more power.

I didn't want to just throw on one of several "go-to" packages and call it good; there are a ton of great combos out there, and GMHTP has covered its fair share f them. But for 1SC-YA, my plan was to assemble my own combo with an eye on price; replace worn parts with quality, costeffective pieces; dyno-test the new combo to show a solid power gain; and then comment on the fit, finish, and performance of the new goodies.

At the heart of this buildup are Patriot Performance cam and heads, Hooker headers, Y-pipe,exhaust system, and SLP airlid. Providing fuel is a set of FAST 60-pound injectors and a Racetronix fuel system.

Though the chosen parts will save big bucks, don't confuse this story with a dirt- heap build; an eye was kept on cost, but not at the expense of quality and longevity. The headers are a perfect example. I could have gone bottom dollar (and suffered the inevitable fit/finish problems), but I chose Hooker because they fit well, will last longer with the ceramic coating, and don't cost a bundle.

There are a few choices you might raise an eyebrow at, like the $500 fuel injectors. That's a big chunk, so no-buck guys might just say "keep the stockers in." This Z's 28-pounders, though right on the edge, would have worked in the short-term for low-400 wheel horsepower, but the duty cycle would have been maxed out. This is always a bad idea, as engines on the edge are much more likely to have problems. And as we were looking toward the future and bigger mods, these 60s (overkill, yes, but actually $10 cheaper than the 42-poundersfrom FAST), along with a solid new fuel pump and harness, meant wewon't have to replace this LS1's injectors again-saving money and time in the process.

We had the car and the parts, and TT Performance in Passaic, New Jersey, offered to do the install for GMHTP. TTP is a full-service install and tuning facility staffed with nice guys who know their way around LS engines and the vehicles they power. And with proprietor Matt Sorian's tuning background with HP Tuners, the all-important tuning aspect would be well covered.

Follow along as TT Performance transforms our stock-engine LS1 into a powerful street car.

Driving Evaluation
A couple of weeks after TTP finished with the Z, Chris Werner and I made a trip out to Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway. It wasn't driven on-track, but after several hundred miles of street and highway duty, stop-andgo traffic, etc., I got a pretty good feel for the new combination.

The heads and cam from Patriot work very well. The heads flow lots of air and allow tons of top-end power, especially since we put this cam in at the same time.The cam is fine for a daily driver-there is just a hint of surge at very low rpm, similar to many LS1 cams on the market. But it is more than worth it when the tach swings past 6,000. It loves to pull, and the 243 heads love to breathe. Matched up with the COMP lifters and pushrods, we've got a solid combo. No problems to date.

So far I'm very pleased with the Hooker exhaust system. The headers installed and fit well, there didn't seem to be any problems with the Y-pipe or exhaust, the tips look great, and there is a terrific, raspy rumble when this thing runs. So far, there have only been two exhaust clunks over very big bumps at high speed, which is to be expected. No problems.

Another Racetronix fuel system install, another hassle-free high-hp-capable LS1. This really is a nice pump and wiring setup. With the big 60-pound injectors, Matt at TTP had to work a little harder with the part-throttle tuning, but they drive and react like the 28s-but instead of a nearly maxed-out duty cycle, they are only at 55 percent. No problems.

The SLP airlid fits very well, and it seems like the oil pump is doing its job. While I don't have anything quantifiable to report on the Zex plugs or Torco oil, the gas is getting lit up, and the engine is getting lubed just fine.

I was hoping the 60-pounders wouldn't result in a lazy tune, but Matt Sorian's custom tune is a good one. Driveability with this cam is fine; it doesn't stall, starts and idles well, and the WOT air/fuel ratio is spot-on. No problems.

So there it is. I spent just over five grand for all these parts and 81 hp and 40 lb-ft at the wheels,and my car needed $537 worth of maintenance parts to get it up to par. You can get away with spending only around $4,800 for that power gain. Not too shabby.

COMPONENT	COMPANY	PART NO.	PRICE
HEADS	PATRIOT	N/A	$1095
CAM	PATRIOT	N/A	$280
LID	SLP	21045	$103
HEADERS	HOOKER	2469-1HKR	$448
Y-PIPE	HOOKER	16723-1HKR	$380
EXHAUST	HOOKER	16811HKR	$415
INJECTORS	FAST	306008	$500
PUSHRODS	COMP	7955-16	$146
LIFTERS	COMP	850-16	$230
SPARK PLUGS	ZEX	82070-8	$56
FUEL SYSTEM	RACETRONIX	RX-F99-FPA/FPWHG	$250
OIL	TORCO	SR-1	$52
OIL PUMP	SLP	55001	$190
TIMING SET	GM	12586482	$45
FRONT COVER GASKET	GM	12574294	$15
HEAD GASKETS	GM	12498543	$30
CRANK MAIN SEAL	GM	12585673	$20
CRANK BOLT	GM	12557840	$5
VALVE COVER GASKETS	GM	12560696	$20
COILS*	GM	12558948	$320
PLUG WIRES*	GM	12192064	$112
O2 SENSORS (2)*	GM	25312196, 97	$105
TUNING	TTP	LSX Full Custom Tune	$525
		TOTAL	$5,342

*Depending on the condition of your car, you may not need O2 sensors/coils/wires. In this case,the total cost of this package would be $4,805.

Stay Tuned
Spectre Performance has thrown its hat into the aftermarket EFI ring with the eMS-pro to aid power adder and high horsepower applications via vastly increased tuning capacity.Launch controls, boost support for up to 40 psi (for both turbochargers and superchargers),two-stage nitrous controls, on-the-fly VE, spark tuning, and even staged injection for dual fuel/octane. A simple USB connection to a laptop enables tuning, which can also be shared for free online with other users. Wideband O2 (or narrowband), cam position sensor, nitrous controls, knock sensor, and a two-step rev limiter can all be wired in as well as the required crank or distributor sensor, coolant temp and intake air temp sensors, four-bar MAP sensor, and throttle position. MSRP is $795.

Spectre Performance
1720 S. Carlos Ave.
Dept. GMHTP
Ontario, CA 91761
909/673-9800
www.spectreperformance.com

Magna Charger Goes Universal
Wake up any LS1, LS6, or LS2 with Magnuson's MP122 Universal Super Charger Kit capable of over 700 hp. Its low profile slips under most hoods without modification, and the optional front or rear inlet allows the builder some installation flexibility for various applications. The Magna Charger is a roots hybrid design with an integral water-to-air intercooler and a patented equal-length runner intake manifold. This combination, Magnuson claims, helps its blower make more power from 1,500 to 6,500 rpm than any other system. All necessary components are included, such as an intercooler circulation pump, fuel rails, injectors, factory "push lock connectors," and a fuel pressure regulator adapter when required.

Magnuson Products, Inc.
1990 Knoll Dr.
Dept. GMHTP
Ventura, CA 93003
805/642-8833
www.magnusonproducts.com

Best Things In Life Come In Pairs
Whether it's the blonde twins you met over the weekend, their headlights, or their tailpipes ... it's hard to deny, the best things come in pairs. The new Fidanza C6 Twin- Disc Performance Clutch is no exception, handling up to 800 hp with near stock pedal pressure and an engagement similar to most single-disc Stage 3 clutches.Using 8.75-inch discs, Fidanza reduces rotating mass while increasing surface area for faster reving and matched shifts. Say goodbye to typical high capacity clutches with the all-too-familiar "on/off" switch feel and terrible street manners. Stage 1 (650 lb-ft) and Stage 2 (825 lb-ft) are available, as are LS1 F-body, GTO, and C5 Vette applications.

Fidanza
4285 Main St.
Dept. GMHTP
Perry, OH 44081
440/259-5656
www.fidanza.com

Got Torque?
If you're in the market for a new torque wrench, leave behind old-school torque sticks and step into 2007 with Snap-on's hyper-accurate Quick Set Electronic Torque Wrench.This particular wrench is designed specifically for those who frequently change tires, and comes with five pre-settings for the most common lug nut torque: 80, 100, 120, 140, and 150 lb-ft. A lockout feature prevents unwanted preset changes, and a Yellow-Green-Red light indicator warns the user when the desired torque is reached.

Snap-on
877/Snapon-2 (762-7662)
www.snapon.com

The 700-R4 Finally Gets Some Love
The maligned and often ridiculed 700-R4 finally gets some help in dissuading its non-believers with TCI's Constant Pressure Valve Body. Incorrect TV cable installation is the most common cause of 700-R4 transmission failure, so TCI designed a valvebody to constantly supply 200 psi of line pressure. No longer will a disconnected or improperly adjusted TV cable, for internal line pressure or part throttle shifting, be the cause of your transmission meltdown within a matter of a few miles. You'll have to do it the old fashioned way, with plenty of horsepower and long smoky burnouts.

TCI Automotive
151 Industrial Dr.
Dept. GMHTP
Ashland, MS 38603
888/776-9824
www.tciauto.com

Brake Like A Pro
If you thought your C6 or C6 ZO6 had some pretty impressive braking from the factory, imagine if you had AP Racing's six-piston binders and 14.88-inch (378 mm) cross-drilled and slotted two-piece rotors. Drawing upon the C6.R heritage, AP Racing's kit offers impressive performance while being compatible with the factory master cylinder and ABS system.Best of all, the big brake kit still fits behind stock C6 ZO6 wheels. Caliper mounting brackets, stainless steel brake lines, Mintex Xtreme brake pads and all the necessary high-grade hardware is included. The Mintex pads are good from 0 to 1300 degrees F, and work at cold as well as high temps. The AP600 is available in black with yellow lettering, and also in red with black script (AP600R).

Brake Pros
3176 Airway Ave.
Dept. GMHTP
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
866/250-5538
www.brake-pros.com

After failing to lurch the LT1 Formula project car into the 12s using a TCI-built 4L60E, lockup converter, BMR suspension, Nitto drag radials, Eaton posi, and Motive 3.42 gear, it was time to tighten our jibs and get down to business. There was no point adding more power to the Formula when it was failing to utilize what it already had due to a weak and uneventful launch. Given the LT1's current 288 rear-wheel horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, expectations were for short times in the 1.80s, but on its best attempt the Firebird managed only a 1.91-definitely lackluster. The problem seemed to be twofold; the brakes wouldn't hold the 'Bird at the line, and the converter was too tight, causing it to shock the tire before the suspension could transfer the weight rearward. The solution: upgrade the brakeswith a new set of pads and rotors, throw in a line lock to help get more heat into the Nittos, and drop in a looser converter.

EBC Brakes came through to provide its recently reformulated Yellow- Stuff brake pads, which were originally designed for high-temperature, track-only applications, but the new compound allows for less warm-up, making it a great street pad as well. When paired with EBC's 3GD Sport drilled and slotted rotors and a set of stainless steel brake lines from Earl's Performance Plumbing, a dramatic improvement in braking feel and performance-especially in fade resistance-will not only help the Formula at the dragstrip, but also on the street and autocross course. Having used SLP's Brake Control Package before on other GMHTP project cars, we were pretty confident in its quality and construction. Once this ABS-compatible product was plumbed into the braking system and wired in, roasting the Nittos would be a cinch.Plus, doing a burnout without engaging the rear brakes would certainly help preserve the newlyinstalled EBC rear brake pads and rotors while keeping heat out of the pads on the starting line.

If you recall from the last series of articles, we planned to keep the converter as mild as possible for iveability and fuel economy. Unfortunately, the TCI Breakaway 2200-2400 stallconverter far undershot our desired performance, so we needed a muchlooser converter, and the Street- Fighter (PN 243105) seemed to fit that bill a stall speed of 3,200-3,500 rpm. This stall speed should be the ultimate ompromise between performance and streetability, but only a track test would ell. Before we head back down to Englishtown, we'll need the help of Stage Automotive to install all these great parts. Proprietor Rob Chilenski is wellknown for his work with Buicks, but the Pompton Plains, New Jersey, shop has also been building a solid reputation from working on everything from First Gen F-bodies and Chevelles to Fourth Gens. Now watch Stage 1 work.

Stuff It
Keep your dream machine a street machine with the help of Speed Inc.'s new F-body Big Stuff 3 Integration Harness. No longer does using BS3 engine management void such conveniences as the stock gauges, air conditioning, and reverse lockout. This plug-and-play harness for 1999-2002 F-bodies allows complete control of the factory-style ignition along with staged fuel injection and wideband air/fuel data logging, while also integrating the cooling fans and alternator, as well as other functions from the factory harness into the BS3 harness and engine sensors. Each connector is marked and matches the correct OEM connector for a quick, clean, and easy install. The integration harness (PN IZM798) is priced at $549.

Speed Inc.
803C Albion Ave.
Dept. GMHTP
Schaumburg, IL 60193
866/LS1-Speed (571-7733)
www.speedinc.com

HigH Score! LeveL 10!
Level 10 would like to help you unleash the animal in your Vette or F-body with its Stage 3 Animal 4L60E. Performance Systems Technologies Stage 3 clutches stay locked even at 800 hp. Valve body modifications allow smooth street shifts, while dropping the hammer will result in tire shredding veracity. A custom-built super oil pump keeps circulation up and temperatures down. Since 1973, Pat Barrett and Level 10 automatic transmissions have been some of the best in the business, and now you can find out why.

Level 10 Products
3670 Route 94
Dept. GMHTP
Hamburg, NJ 07419
973/827-1000
www.levelten.com

Under Pressure
Maintain perfect bottle pressure with the Nitrogen Assisted Nitrous Oxide (Nano) system for perfect performance all the way down the track. As the temperature and volume changes in your nitrous bottle the pressure will vary, which can cost you horsepower. But with the NANO system, additional horsepower can be gained by constantly maintaining a perfect 1,000 psi to force the nitrous vapor to change into a liquid, allowing the regulator to push the entire contents of the bottle at the same mass flow rate. This means not only more power, but also greater bottle life (helping you save money on refills). This system bolts on to any domestic nitrous oxide system for a starting price of $569.

Nano Nitrous LLC
2920 Haskell Ave., Suite 100
Dept. GMHTP
Lawrence, KS 66046
866/380-6266
www.nanonitrous.com

Dynamic Tactics
DTS builds upon its great reputation for hyper-accurate engine dynamometers with its new DTS-CD36 chassis dyno. A 36-inch roll diameter is designed to be the most realistic tire contact patch, yet still allows manageable installation compared to huge roll sizes that make no difference in accuracy. An eddy current enhancement module ensures precision despite the test car's size and weight, capable of up to 240 mph and 2,400 hp. The module is center-mounted to the main roll axle for a quick and accurate load response with no dependence on gears or drive belts that can create mechanical losses. Industrial grade construction and materials ensure years of trouble-free operation with little maintenance cost.

Dynamic Test Services Inc.
4130 Product Dr.
Dept. GMHTP
Shingle Springs, CA 95682
800/243-DYNO (243-3966)
www.dtsdyno.com

Stay tuned
Are you still messing around with an early version of HP Tuners? Step it up and pick up HP Tuners VCM 2.1 for enhanced scanning and editing capabilities. Increased parameters (for both monitoring and modifying), histograms, applications, and support, as well as transmission controller scanning and numerous improvements in the display and gauge performance have been made for your viewing pleasure.

HP Tuners
P.O. Box 801057
Dept. GMHTP
Valencia, CA 91380-1057
www.hptuners.com

Pump up the volume!
Whether you purchased your C6 Z06 for the track or just to be noticed, your stock exhaust system is holding you back. Give your LS7 a hand in exhaling with the Dr. Gas XScream Crossover System and gain 3 to 5 percent horsepower. This bolt on mid-section orients the junction closer to the engine for a smoother exhaust note and the exotic sound you crave. Track-only cars (or those who like disturbing the peace) can also replace the stock mufflers with a pair of side-exit Dr. Gas Street Boom Tube Mufflers for increased horsepower gains and only 8-14dB reduction (from straight pipes).

Dr. Gas
9479 S. Sandy Pkwy
Dept. GMHTP
Sandy, UT 84070
801/563-1111
www.drgas.com

When it comes to spirited driving, front-wheel drive is not the optimal driveline layout. This may be a rather harsh statement, but it's one that any knowledgeable enthusiast would agree with. The fact that a FWD car might have a slight edge on a super-tight autocross course doesn't negate the fact that its advantages -like being cheaper to manufacture, (arguably) better in adverse weather, and offering increased cabin space-have nothing to do with performance.

Nonetheless, having an economical FWD in the stable can make perfect sense, even to the avid General Motors RWD muscle enthusiast. Think about it: though most competent F-body drivers can safely pilot their TCS-equipped rides through all but the worst of winter weather, do they really enjoy putting their irreplaceable vehicles through such a maelstrom of peril? Having an alternative-and, let's face it, replaceable -vehicle to drive on a daily basis also makes a lot more sense in a reality of inattentive SUV drivers, parking lot door dings, and vehicular theft.

Fortunately, owning and driving a front-driver doesn't just have to be a mere exercise in practicality. It can also be a lot of fun, as many are available with performance-oriented packages from the factory. Take GM, whose "sport compact" lineup broadens by the year. As far as the Chevrolet division goes, the 2007 Cobalt (and specifically, its SS trim level) is where it's at. Buyers of twodoor SS models get the normally aspirated 2.4L LE5 Ecotec standard, or can opt for the 205hp supercharged 2.0L LSJ, the latter only being available with a manual gearbox. Select a four-door Cobalt, and you can still get the SS badging-just not the blower.

That's exactly the choice we made when picking up this 2007 SS sedan (acquired from Great American Chevrolet in Hackensack, New Jersey). Features like shiny rims, a decklid spoiler, and four-wheel antilock disc brakes are all standard with the SS package, and this car's sparse options list consists of only a few items, like side airbags, an automatic transaxle, and XM Satellite Radio, bringing sticker price to a little north of $20K with destination charge. Though we're generally impressed with this car's taut driving characteristics, smooth-but-sharp ride, and decent gas mileage, we at GMHTP have decided 173 SAE-certified horses leave something on the table in the department of driving pleasure. (A Raceway Park-verified 15.6/86 in the quarter is not exactly earth shaking.)

Fortunately for us, GM performance isn't just about factory option packages. The company has made an incredible performance push of late, with more and more hi-po bolt-ons and race engine components displayed in the GM Performance Parts catalog each year. Sure, a lot of them are oriented at upping performance of the already-legendary LS V-8s, but the Ecotec engine family has its fair share of hop-ups as well. The beauty of many of these items is that not only are they covered by a 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty, but the parts and service can even be incorporated into your new-car warranty if installed by your GM dealer. Follow along as we make some performance headway on our FWD four-banger with some easy and affordable boltons from GMPP, setting the stage for even more impressive power increases in an upcoming issue.

The Outcome
Though bad weather prevented quarter-mile testing of our now-GMPP-equipped Cobalt, seat-of-thepants feel was definitely improved an amount commensurate with the dyno charts. The car sounds a lot more performance-oriented as well, with a throatier intake snarl and a whole lot raspier exhaust note. (Those not as fond of four-cylinder tunes may want to opt for the Touring version of this exhaust.) This is to say nothing of the improved underhood and exterior looks these parts have provided.

Make sure your GMHTP subscription is up to date, as you won't want to miss our next installment, where we'll be adding some truly massive Ecotec power-FWD traction be damned!

GM late-model performance enthusiastsare currently living through a new golden age of performance. Like what the original Chevy small-block engine did for engine builders duringthe previous 50 years, so now the"LS" series is doing by providing a wealth of performance potential.

At the forefront of development is suburban Detroit's Katech Engines.In fact, Katech was tinkering with LS engines before others really knew they existed. The company has long been a racing engine builder and worked with Chevrolet on the wildly successful Corvette C5-R racing program-a relationship that continuesto this day with the C6.R program.

It was only recently that Katech decided to open its doors to streetoriented enthusiasts, but it has quickly filled the pipeline with a plethora of parts, engines, and obscenely fast street cars. We've recently sampled Katech's 10-second Camaro (seen elsewhere in this issue) and blasted around the 'burbs in a 520-horse, 427-powered TrailBlazer SS.

Neither the company's lightningfast Camaro nor its Texas customer's deceptively quick TrailBlazer would be considered inexpensive projects in most enthusiasts' books, but Katech is reaching out to the performance masses with targeted engine components and short blocks. One of its most interesting offerings is the 7L assembly dubbed the "Value Short-Block."

As its name suggests, the Value Short-Block is a budget-minded 427- inch engine foundation. It includes a balanced and blueprinted aluminum cylinder block, forged crank, rods,and pistons-all preassembled and ready for final assembly with heads,a cam, intake, etc.

Katech lists the Value Short-Block at $6,950, with items such as a camshaft, heads, and a 58X crankshaft trigger available as extra-cost options.The rotating assembly components are first-class items from Cola,Callies, and Mahle.

If nearly seven large seems like a stretch to connote with "budget," consider that a bare C5-R block costs nearly as much without the rotating assembly. An LS7 block costs around $3,000. Throw in the premium rotating parts from theKatech short-block and it's almost like buying the parts and getting the assembly for free.

450-Degree Temperature Differential
Of course, nothing is reallyfree-especially when it comes to building high-performance engines-and Katech squeezes some of the value from its short-block by using a production GM 6L cylinder block and resleeving it in-house with 4.125-inch bore liners.

The sleeves are Katech's design and made of centrifugally cast ductile iron. To install them in the block, liquid nitrogen is used to help create a 450-degree temperature differential between the block and sleeves. This allows the iron sleeves to slide into the aluminum block without the pounding that occurs with a typical press-type fitment.

When the sleeves are seated within the block, the block and sleeves are carefully brought to temperature equilibrium. A special fixture is used to apply torque on the liners toprevent them from lifting duringthe process.

Additional details of the sleevesand resleeving process include:
*The sleeves are machined and inspected, then grouped in sizes within 0.0003 inch.
*Connecting rod clearance is machined into the bottom of the sleeves to ensure adequate clearance for the 4.000-inch stroke.
*4.125-inch bore sleeves for a 427-inch engine have a 0.075-inch wall thickness all around.
*The finished block is double-vacuum impregnated to ensure against leaking.

"With our tight quality control process, we think the resleeved 6L block makes a great product," Katech's Caleb Newman says. "We have seen great success with it in very powerful engines."

Assembly processes of the Value Short-Block are as regimented as the block preparation. The reciprocating assembly is balanced and blueprinted, including the use of highly accurate air-based measuring devices from Air Gage Company, which are used to blueprint the crankshaft journals, main bores, etc. Katech uses these tools when building Corvette racing engines, lending a nice rub-off effect for a higher degree of precision on its customer-based street engines.

Also, each short-block-actually, every engine Katech touches-is serialized and logged into a database. That means years down the road, the assembly details and specifications can be retrieved, even if the engine changes hands.

As for the reciprocating assembly parts themselves, they're all expectedly high-strength, all-forged materials from names like Cola and Callies. The Value Short-Block assembly only includes the crank, rods, and pistons, but the blueprinting steps make it a painstaking build process.

"Based on customer preferences, we found that the basic reciprocating assembly is what people really wanted," Newman says. "Things like the camshaft, heads, and more are the items that are individualized. We're happy to help in those areas, too, but the Value Short-Block is the foundation everybody can build on."

The accompanying photos provide an overview of the short-block blueprinting and assembly process. There's also a sidebar story on what an engine built from a Value Short- Block delivers on the dyno.

Every strong engine needs a sturdy foundation, and it appears Katech delivers it at a reasonable price. It's fun living in the new golden age!

Vetting The Value Short-Block
After following the assembly of our Value Short-Block project,we were more than a little curious ab