Noob here with an 87 4.3

[Meano]

Hey everyone, as much as I would love to say I own a Syclone, I am currently in the process of restoring my 87 El Camino. I purchased this car on my own at 16, with 35k miles for $3000. It came with the LB4 4.3 and 700R4 trans. I'm 19 now and the car has treated me very well for the past 3 years. She just rolled over 52k miles and so far the trans is the only thing to have to have been rebuilt. I am finally in a position financially where I can give the car the time and money it deserves so within the next 6-10 months I plan a complete overhaul of the motor. In a nut shell, I'm shooting for a forged rebuild along with Vortec heads and a Sy/Ty turbo kit. I figure nobody knows these motors better than you guys so I look forward to talking with you!

 

[Logan]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

Welcome to the board. Sounds like you have a lot of work laid out ahead of you. Best of luck with it.

On a side note if you are in the market for a good set of vortec heads and a stock turbo, shoot me a PM.

 

[Meano]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

Welcome to the board. Sounds like you have a lot of work laid out ahead of you. Best of luck with it.

On a side note if you are in the market for a good set of vortec heads and a stock turbo, shoot me a PM.

Thank you, for me the power has been long overdue, but the car is finally to the point where all the little kinks are worked out and now I can move on to major things.

I actually picked up a set of heads locally for $80 on CL and plan on giving them the treatment along with the intake, that is the first to come, as soon as I find a purchase a nice cam.

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

cam = custom grind = Steve Morris engines.

 

[MadMike]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

Boy... feels like someone needs to learn a lesson the hard way...

Good luck. I would keep it simple... and not get a bunch of high dollar parts...

What are your power goals? You sure u need to forge that motor out?

 

[Meano]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

Just in reading a few threads it seems the majority of people go with the Steve Morris custom grind, I will definitely look into it some more.

As far as power goals, I am wanting to have atleast 350 to the wheels. I feel like a forged build would be the way to go. But I am all ears to suggestions.

I've priced out all of the parts that will be needed and think it is fairly reasonable.

 

[ajt86]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

as much as I love sytys if I were to do a turbo v6 swap into an elcamino id us a 3.8 out of a turbo regal, they made 10 times the amount of intercooled turbo regals so the stuff is easier to come by and the aftermarket is a little better for them

 

[MadMike]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

350whp. .. id forget the internals...imo really a low goal to go thru the trouble. A bit of a no man's land... I like the 3.8 idea.... nothing like a sexy spool but 4.3 or 3.8 would both be cool.

So the standard response here is v8... a nice LS setup would be cheaper... a lot cheaper...

I went 4.3 bc I had a good one already too and hey its cool.... I just am thinking u need to go big or go v8... w internals I d go 500hp and you are so into transmission land I dont think you know it... even at 350... so choose carefully.

Whats your budget? im betting ur in 4 to 7k if it isnt all junkyard to go 4.3 and have an overdrive tranny that will last.

So like I said good luck. The 4.3 would be cool. But it better be what you want. A LS drop out w tranny would be. Lots of help here... but you should lay it out.... and wheres the pics... haha

 

[Meano]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

350whp. .. id forget the internals...imo really a low goal to go thru the trouble. A bit of a no man's land... I like the 3.8 idea.... nothing like a sexy spool but 4.3 or 3.8 would both be cool.

So the standard response here is v8... a nice LS setup would be cheaper... a lot cheaper...

I went 4.3 bc I had a good one already too and hey its cool.... I just am thinking u need to go big or go v8... w internals I d go 500hp and you are so into transmission land I dont think you know it... even at 350... so choose carefully.

Whats your budget? im betting ur in 4 to 7k if it isnt all junkyard to go 4.3 and have an overdrive tranny that will last.

So like I said good luck. The 4.3 would be cool. But it better be what you want. A LS drop out w tranny would be. Lots of help here... but you should lay it out.... and wheres the pics... haha

Honestly I am shooting for a lot more, end game I would like to be around the 500 hp mark, but as you said even at 350 I am pushing the tranny which is what prompted my low number, as well as the fragile 7.5 10 bolt. So for starters that 350-400 range is where I want to be, until a new trans/rear is put in, then i'd like to have everything already in place and just turn up the boost.

I bought a solid 350 from my mechanic before he moved up North and after pricing that out and taking in to account the boring looks i'd get I decided building the 4.3 is the route I want to take. A T/C 4.3 El Camino would get alot more looks than the traditional 350/5.3 swap, in my opinion.

I am looking right around $4500-5k in parts, no quotes on machine work yet.

 

[Meano]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

First day I got the car

After excess trim was removed and rally wheels replaced with 16" Iroc-Z wheels

Doubling the meat

My latest mod, aluminum radiator and dual electric fans.. tell me that empty space isn't just CALLING for a turbo!

 

[Logan]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

This is going to be a cool build. I hope you post up progress pictures as you go along.

 

[TurboSBC]

Re: Noob here with an 87 4.3

Once this gets going, it's going to be pretty badass. Can't wait to watch progress. Good luck!

Just one thing...

Let me know when you find a SyTy turbo kit and who sells it. I've still never come across one. All my research says you have to piece together a custom/semi-custom setup. Since you have to source exhaust manifolds/headers and crossover, turbo, upper and lower intake manifolds, air intake, intercooler, fuel system upgrades, etc. Most of the time, it's all from separate sellers.

That's definitely not a "turbo kit". Not like you find for Hondas, Nissan Z's, etc where you call one company who has sourced all the parts and packaged it in a nice little "kit" with sub-par Chinese parts like an a2a intercooler, wastegate(s), turbo(s), header(s), clamps, hoses, and every other little miscellaneous pieces you may need.

Yes, definitely no turbo kits. I don't even think anyone offers S10 turbo kits. Unless you just use one of those universal or rear mount setups.