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WarShrike's V6 Firebird

34K views 295 replies 46 participants last post by  96firephoenix 
#1 ·
Figured I'd post up a bit of so some of yall have an idea who I am and all that fun stuff.

I've owned this car since 2002, paid it off and never looked at another car payment since.

I initially didn't want the car. It was under the pressure of my dad to buy it and retire my worn out '83 BMW 533i is when I relented. And Automatic? AND a V6!? Why!?

My dad never taught me how to work on a car outside, check the oil, how to change the tire, etc. etc. He works in the automotive biz, he didn't want me to get the bug and try to turn it into a trade as well.

Anyway, I drove it primarily as a nice A to B car and never thought much about it. Things slowly changed as I got to enjoy some of the nuances of the car, even if others just smirked at me.

I decided to do some minor things, installed a whisper lid (coolest mod ever) and next was a set of beefier swaybars and then longtubes.

A cam was going to be the last thing...

I never really set out to make the car fast or a V8 killer. I just wanted to give it a little more pep and something to help me enjoy the drives a little more.

Well, I found problems during a cam install, decided on a full rebuild, had teething issues on some things that weren't documented and not well known in the general V6 community. I decided to document it, hence why my Project V6 Firebird threads appear everywhere. I try to do it as a benefit to others. Especially when it is the "Ohh I wanna hop up my V6!" posts. Point them to my threads and tell them to read through and re-evaluate what they want.

It's a lot of work, but it has been a creative outlet. Yes, the V8 route would have been blindingly easy and simple, especially here in Lubbock with an abundance of V8 cars, and both Scoggin Dickey Parts Center and Texas Speed & Performance within a short drive from my house. I wanted to learn on the V6. Small steps you know?

Anyway, before:






After:






Engine specs are now:
Intense S1X NA Cam: 212º/216º .556"/.546" 113º LSA (With 1.7 ratio rockers)
Yella Terra 1.7 Platinum series roller rockers
PAC 130# springs
60°Inclusive ported heads and intake
10:1 Compression
LS6 Fuel Injectors w/ FAST spacers
Manton Pushrods
"LS7" lifters
Fabricated Valve Covers

Overall look of the car before (Circa 2005):


Now:




Yes, the tint is bubbling, it's 12 years old and on the list of things to do:


It has progressed over the years in stages, and I am currently at the next step of building a spare engine with the desires of turbocharging.

I've taken a car with performance looks and a generic powerplant that overall was suitable for a prom queen driving around, painting her nails while chatting up her BFF on her new flip phone to something a little more enjoyable for myself and has been an amazing tool in teaching myself automotive maintenance and modding.

I read a lot of information on the forums, asked good questions and listened to the counsel of the more successful V6 modders in the community. I didn't go down paths when I got the "That's not a good idea," posts or try repeatedly at getting something to work if I kept failing at it and took it to skilled people who knew what they were doing.
 
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#2 ·
Awesome post. Glad you've made your way over here, and hope you stick around. We've got quite a larger V6 crowd here that usually wind up getting turned away by the "Just swap in a V8" crowd, so it's great to have someone with the knowledge and experience to assist them.
 
#3 ·
No problem, I saw the thread.

I've also seen what inexperience, bull-headedness and over-enthusiasm can net people too, especially on automotive forums.
 
#4 ·
I think the problem with the V6ers (I myself do own a v6 4th gen) is that these are kids aged 15-23 that have bought v6s because they need a dependable vehicle. Even if they received advice other than "V8 swap" i doubt they would, could, or should take it. Were talking kids that have no mechanical knowledge nor the money to do it. Not to mention i doubt many parents want there kids modding there car. These cars are prolly owned by the parents, and bought on the sole purpose it looks fast but its not. Its cheaper on insurance, and they dont want it broken. So all in all, most of these kids would be better off taking advice on how to earn and save money to buy themselves a fast car. not to mention some of the more immature kids (the ones that get buthurt) prolly shouldnt be going faster anyways.
 
#5 ·
Michaelrulaz said:
I think the problem with the V6ers (I myself do own a v6 4th gen) is that these are kids aged 15-23 that have bought v6s because they need a dependable vehicle. Even if they received advice other than "V8 swap" i doubt they would, could, or should take it. Were talking kids that have no mechanical knowledge nor the money to do it. Not to mention i doubt many parents want there kids modding there car. These cars are prolly owned by the parents, and bought on the sole purpose it looks fast but its not. Its cheaper on insurance, and they dont want it broken. So all in all, most of these kids would be better off taking advice on how to earn and save money to buy themselves a fast car. not to mention some of the more immature kids (the ones that get buthurt) prolly shouldnt be going faster anyways.
Well I was one of those kids/v6ers who is mechanically inclined and started building this car since I was 15. I'm now 20 . But I'm sure there's more people who don't know what there doing than do. I just happened to have a dad who taught me everything at a young age.

"it's just a v6" :)
 
#6 ·
Michaelrulaz said:
I think the problem with the V6ers (I myself do own a v6 4th gen) is that these are kids aged 15-23 that have bought v6s because they need a dependable vehicle. Even if they received advice other than "V8 swap" i doubt they would, could, or should take it. Were talking kids that have no mechanical knowledge nor the money to do it. Not to mention i doubt many parents want there kids modding there car. These cars are prolly owned by the parents, and bought on the sole purpose it looks fast but its not. Its cheaper on insurance, and they dont want it broken. So all in all, most of these kids would be better off taking advice on how to earn and save money to buy themselves a fast car. not to mention some of the more immature kids (the ones that get buthurt) prolly shouldnt be going faster anyways.
This........ I couldn't have said it better myself.

01 SS :p
 
#7 ·
I agree Michael. I also followed my father's advice of "Don't mod a car that you do not yet own!" If you're making payments on the car, don't start modding/hot rodding it.

I still remember when we were looking at Hyundais, good grief I'm glad I didn't go down that path of beige.
 
#9 ·
I started off with my v6 a couple years ago, and because the engine broke down only a few weeks after I got it; we became inclined to fix it since we had paid the whole bill of the car in total the day we bought it so, why not?

First thing I hadda do to the car was swap out the engine for a rebuilt one (through the top, because we didn't have the equipment to do it any other way). So after all that work, and the whole other long list of work I'd done to it hence-forth, I'd really grown to love my v6. I don't mind if it's not the fastest car in community - I put a lot of my own work into it and it's what got me interested in cars. Before I bought it, honestly, I hardly knew how to do an oil change. Now, there's only a certain few things that I wouldn't know how to work on. (Troubleshooting can still be a pain, though)

I could have and would have done a v8 swap back then, had I had the money - but there was just no way. There's nothing wrong with a v6 - it's what you make of your car that matters.
 
#13 ·
Sounds sick!! Reminds me of mine. I can't wait to get it back on the road lol
 
#16 ·
The second clip had the cut out closed. You can definitely tell the difference without having to read it. I did notice that though. It said cutout open both times.

Sounds awesome!
 
#23 ·
Thanks for the comments everybody!



Dyno'd 196 with the unlocked stall and a little KR up top (didn't even run the rpm's up past 6000) that we couldn't nail down (broken engine mount bolt). I'd estimate around 220-230whp now.
 
#20 ·
Just listened to the video. Best sounding V6 I've heard. It almost sounds like a V8 with the cutout open. The lumpy idle sounds awesome with that cam.
 
#24 ·
Spare cylinder heads and the aussie/holden intake manifold are shipped off getting worked over.

Finalizing the spec on a single turbo setup, should make things interesting in a year or so...
 
#26 ·
Plans are to build a block first (8.5:1 CR JE pistons, H-beam rods, fully balanced assembly with an ATI damper), get the items needed like the fuel system (dual 255s, 1 being boost referenced off a hobbs switch), maybe I can get a 240V outlet wired up in the garage so I can at least tack together the hot side and maybe the charge piping, then take it to a local welder that does an amazing job (ex air force welder, certified to do crazy stuff like titanium).

Looking at a BB Turbonetics T70 w/ MPS turbine. Another member has had good success with that setup. I'll have to talk to the guys at Forced Inductions first to see what they're gonna recommend for my setup.

I'd looked at doing twins but it's just too much expense, maybe later. I found the perfect setup but the turbos are $1K each. GT28RS "Disco Potato" turbos, great power all the way, not big peak # setups which is great for my intentions.

Will be W2A intercooled.

Holden intake is going to have a sheet metal plenum done, and a 74mm truck TB mounted.

Big valve race heads w/ cam to match.

60lb/hr injectors under an aeromotive rail to make sure I've got good fuel delivery for a little while until I upgrade to bigger injectors...

That's just the basic list...
 
#28 · (Edited)
Not sure what it will actually put out.

I'm looking for 400rwhp on moderate settings for DD stuff and closer to 600 when I turn up the wick. Block will be able to handle 1K, just gotta keep the tune happy.

Still not out to try and beat up on people on the streets. It's just the next step on the project and I enjoy it. I really only plan on setting it on "kill" mode at the track. Would love to go to the Texas Mile to stretch its legs at some point.
 
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