Before you start hot rodding you car I suggest you get at least two books. The first is the shop manual for your car. It should be available from Helm Inc. and you can contact them at www.helminc.com. The other is the Chevrolet Power Catalog available from you local Chevy dealership. The shop maunual has wiring diagrams, parts layouts and other info you find useful. The Power Catalog describes block prep and gives general pointers on cams, induction, headers and so on that I borrow from a lot. Since it covers more than just the V-6s I recommend everyone pick up a copy.
1st things: Chevy recommends using blocks from fuel injected engines after 1985 for high performance applications due to the bigger main bearings and better rear seal. Use the cast iron heads with the 1.72" intake and 1.42" exhaust valves. The Power Catalog (pg 3-17 6th ed.) says you should be able to achieve 1.5 hp per cubic inch with minor porting (and other work). It is important to retain the 4 angle valve seat and the fin in the intake runner when doing head work. The fin is worth 17% more flow so clean it up and polish it but don't change the shape or get rid of it. Minor head work involves polishing the last inch or so of the intake runner, port matching, removing casting irregularities and blend sharp edges in the valve bowl. Exhaust bowl should be shaped to a smooth venturi shape under the valve seat.
Parts list: This is by no means a comprehensive parts list for the motors. I searched through a couple of catalogs and made a call or two to make this list. I just made it to give everyone a place to start. There are links and addresses at the end of the page for more information and parts.
Cams: Chevy says a good street cam should have about 205-210 degrees intake and 215-220 degrees exhaust duration @ .050" lift. Competition motors need a mechanical lifter cam with 270/280 degrees intake and 275/280 degrees exhaust duration. Maximum valve lift is about .560" (.373" cam lift with 1.5:1 or .350 with 1.6:1 ratio rocker arms). Street and competition cams should be ground with lobe centers between 106 and 110 degrees.
| Part # | Duration in/ex | @.010" | @.050" | max valve(?) lift/1.5:1 rocker | lobe centerline | manufacturer | notes |
| 14024278 | 258/276 | 218/237 | 178/196 | .347in/.394ex | 107 | Chevy | stock cam for Camaros |
| 14031378 | 276/293 | 237/247 | 196/203 | .394in/.410ex | 109 | Chevy | X-11/Hi-perf |
| 10367 | 260/270 | 194/204 | .398/.420 | 104 | Super Stock Industries | PAW catalog | |
| 10305 | 270/280 | 204/214 | .420/.443 | 112 | " | " | |
| 10361 | 280/290 | 214/224 | .443/.465 | 112 | " | " | |
| 254112 | 258/264 | 198/204 | .401/.423 | 104 | Crane Compucam | " | |
| 254122 | 264/274 | 204/214 | .423/.423 | 109 | " | " | |
| CRA-253901 | 260/272 | .427/.454 | Crane Max Velocity | " | |||
| CRA-253941 | 272/284 | .454/.480 | " | " | |||
| 03002/285hdp | 258/288 | 194/202 | .390/.410 | 109 | Crower Beast | " | |
| 03015/278hdp | 278/270 | 204/214 | .422/.444 | 112 | " | " | |
| 03040/240hdp | 240/248 | 182/192 | .386/.387 | 114 | Crower Compu-Pro | " | |
| 03043/278hdp | 278/284 | 212/218 | .435/.449 | 112 | " | " | |
| 03065/282fdp | 260/266 | 212/216 | .420/.423 | 112 | Crower solid | " | |
| 03066/282fdp | 282/287 | 236/242 | .449/.458 | 110 | " | " | |
| 03067/282fdp | 292/298 | 248/250 | .470/.479 | 108 | " | " | |
| 03050/290hdp | 290/298 | 223/234 | .470/.492 | 108 | Crower Hi-D | " | |
| 16-115-4 | 240/248 | 192/192 | .390/.390 | 108 | Comp Cams | " | |
| 16-232-4 | 252/252 | 206/206 | .425/.425 | 110 | " | " | |
| 16-233-4 | 260/260 | 212/212 | .440/.440 | 110 | " | " | |
| EDE-3790 | 204/214 | .420/.442 | Edlebrock | " | |||
Lifters:
| Part number | manufacturer | catalog | notes |
| PAW 2095 | PAW? | PAW Spring '97 | stock hyd replacement |
| COM-802-12 | Competition Cams | " | high energy model |
| CRO-66803 | Crower | " | variable duration |
| CRO-66208 | Crower | " | roller lifter |
| CRA-99286-12 | Crane | " | anti pump up |
| CRA+99250-12 | Crane | " | mechanical |
Rocker arms: Chevy says it's absolutely necessary that valve lash not change for the duration of an event. If valve lash opens up more than .005 inches for any reasons the springs and valves can't be expected to survive. Durability can be improved by installing 7/16-inch diamemter big-block v-8 studs (chevy part # 3921912). This means removing the others and drilling and tapping the stud holes & guide plates. Production rocker arms can't be used with the 7/16 ths studs. Aftermarket needle bearing rockers for a small block with 7/16-inch trunions have to be fitted to the heads & because of space restraints narrow aluminum rockers, such as Crane # 11756, are required.
| part number | maufacturer | Catalog | notes |
| RK407 | PAW | PAW spring '97 | stock |
| COM-1413-12 | Competition Cams | " | roller rockers 1.52:1 |
| COM-1414-12 | " | " | roller rockers 1.6:1 |
| CRA-25759-12 | Crane | " | 1.60:1 3/8 stud, needle bearing racing |
Headers: Basically you want a three into one header for each side. Primaries 1 5/8-inches OD by 26 inches long into a 2.5 inch collector. Collector length recommended by Chevy is 33 inches which seems long & I'm not sure if it's a misprint. Chevy also mentions that if operating range is over 4000 rpm a 2.25 inch cross over tube between collectors MAY be beneficial.
Hooker #2209 with 1 3/8 inch primaries - $423
Hedman #68430 with 1 1/2 inch primaries - $193
Manifolds: So far the only manifolds I've found listed are from Edlebrock and are for carbureted engines. Ryan Falconer supposedly makes a fuel injection cross ram manifold, and I've seen pictures in Hot Rod of a few others thatI'm trying to track down. The Edelbrock versions are:
EDE-3785 base section, EDE-3789 four barrel top (non-egr), and EDE-3787 two barrel top section.
Misc:
Hypertech Powerstat HYP-1001 (Chevy) , HYP-1006 (Firebird), HYP-1003 (Fiero), HYP-1005 (Grand Prix, Sunbird) and Hypertech cooling fan switch HYP-4028.