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  1. #1
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    Default GMHTP Project Thunderchicken lives or dies?????

    well not to bore you to death with my life story, but i do need suggestions and advise. Here's what happened:

    2003: acquired TC from Hunkins, made improvements, !smog, big cam, better exhaust...made it in the 10s, proceed to drive it like its meant to be driven for 7 yrs with only minor work and maintenance...the MTI/Lingenfelter motor ran like a top.

    2010: LTX Shootout, had a great time, tired valve springs, finished off spec 3 clutch

    2011: Mods begin again...slippery slope yielding total engine build. Bought complete Advanced Induction topend ($5000). "buddy" and his machine shop mis-measured deck height, and questionable tuning ate head gaskets (after i tore apart and assembled whole motor myself) on dyno and cracked a piston. Left at shop and had them totally rebuild it...$10,000 later i make 5 passes on the car before it eats gaskets again. This time it put oil in the combustion chamber rather than water like the first time

    2012: Sat it out...no more fun money and purely pissed off at the whole thing. Passed up several opps to sell all the nice stuff and do a "free" LSX swap in favor of staying LT1.

    2013: Got off the couch, so to speak, and decided to get something going. Contacted Ai, they don't have a motor guy in house or the time for that kind of work...i say that because i got in a shop war the first time. Ai's stuff at another shop that didn't get along with each other...me in the middle. Would have been ideal if Ai could do it since its a truck load of their stuff.

    so...not going back to last tuner. No offense but all roads lead to tuning issues that killed the motor the second time, plus paying them the big bucks and their "professionally" assembled motor dying less than 100 miles later. Everyone blamed each other on why it died while i sat there writing checks.

    I vowed not to get back into LTX unless i did the EFI Connection PCM conversion. NOBODY in the SE wants or needs to do 93 chip tuning anymore or i'd use what i have and get it tuned w/ the chip.

    HELP!!!! The car shouldn't be just sitting here. Anyone know anybody that is doing 93 chip LT1's anymore? I'd love to do the EFI Connection thing but can't get it all together at the same shop plus it can get $$. The few shops that have love for LT1s look at the 93 like its satan itself. I have no problem putting it all in the car and wiring it up, but after what i've been through i'm leaving the motor to an expert.

    I'm not opposed to shipping it somewhere. At the end of the day i have my callies clad 4.040" shortblock that needs balancing to my SRP pistons (diamonds are not in good shape after some detonation), the Ai topend that just needs cleaned up, and somebody to spec the shortblock, dissasemble, check, inspect, spec volumes etc, whatever machine work, then reassemble w/ the EFI connection stuff or as is w/ a competent 93 chip tuner involved.

    Any recommendations appreciated! Trying to get back in the game but the dead end streets are really getting tiresome. And note, this is not nearly an endless budget...that has been done. This time i'm using the parts i have. Willing to buy gaskets etc, use my own stuff, and pay a competent engine and tuning person for their expertise. Small budget overall this time.

    ideas, reply or email bigalforsyth@gmail.com


    2010 LTX Shootout Extreme Street N/A Top MPH-121.52mph #2 qualifier
    1993 GM High-Tech Performance Formula Thunderchicken

  2. #2
    9 Second N/A Club


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    gotta make it livee.......if you were closer to RI id say bring it all over and I'd fix it and put it together with you, we got an excellent machineshop 30 min from me that i have a great relationship with.......hes been building top fuel and truck pulling motors for years
    95 LTx Z28 Quasar Blue---NA 385 c.i. Advanced Induciton HCI, TH350, #3290-- 9.77 @ 138.4
    2010 & 2011 LTX Shootout Modified Naturally Aspirated Champion
    2012 LTX Shootout Modified Naturally Aspirated Top Qualifier and Runner Up---LTX Shootout MOD NA Top ET Record Holder

  3. #3
    Long Live the Opti


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    Alan if you can't find someone local, give Fonse Performance in Erial NJ a call. He build my motor, Call911's motor, and BlackbirdWS6's motor. All three fairly big HP forced induction LT1's that are proving themselves over the years now. If you call them up speak to Al Junior. He'll set you straight.

    Don't even question going with the 93 chip. Too difficult to find someone to tune, and the tune will be too limited too. The 24X is the way to go IMO. More versatility and better overall tunability too.

    I'm sorry to hear about the persisting troubles you've had. I know we've talked at length via email and I still am just amazed that issue after issue cropped up like that.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by quik95lt1 View Post
    gotta make it livee.......if you were closer to RI id say bring it all over and I'd fix it and put it together with you, we got an excellent machineshop 30 min from me that i have a great relationship with.......hes been building top fuel and truck pulling motors for years
    thanks, you should know!

    Quote Originally Posted by Fastbird View Post
    Alan if you can't find someone local, give Fonse Performance in Erial NJ a call. He build my motor, Call911's motor, and BlackbirdWS6's motor. All three fairly big HP forced induction LT1's that are proving themselves over the years now. If you call them up speak to Al Junior. He'll set you straight.

    Don't even question going with the 93 chip. Too difficult to find someone to tune, and the tune will be too limited too. The 24X is the way to go IMO. More versatility and better overall tunability too.

    I'm sorry to hear about the persisting troubles you've had. I know we've talked at length via email and I still am just amazed that issue after issue cropped up like that.
    yep, this should be a lesson to guys looking at the face of more-power greed. When i dissasembled that motor...after all those miles and all that track time, it was perfect. The balance, durability, perfect bores, etc. shouldn't have been messed with. I should have done what i set out to do and put the new topend on it, did the EFI conversion and left the bottomend alone.

    but yeah, i'm generally a blessed and lucky guy, but since loading the car on the trailer in 2010 at Beech Bend...nothing has gone right and its baffling to me.
    2010 LTX Shootout Extreme Street N/A Top MPH-121.52mph #2 qualifier
    1993 GM High-Tech Performance Formula Thunderchicken

  5. #5
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    Probably not much help but the car has too much history to die. I have two videos of it on my phone right now.

    Prev: 94 Formula V8 M6 - R.I.P. / 96 Trans Am WS6 M6 - Sold / 00 Firebird 3.8 M5 - Sold
    Current: 94 Camaro Z28 A4
    Jesse

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Badbird_96 View Post
    Probably not much help but the car has too much history to die. I have two videos of it on my phone right now.
    arguably these kinds of comments have been whats motivated me to get something going, so yes, it matters.
    thanks
    2010 LTX Shootout Extreme Street N/A Top MPH-121.52mph #2 qualifier
    1993 GM High-Tech Performance Formula Thunderchicken

  7. #7
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    Your welcome man. Your car inspired me to want to build my cars. I stumbled upon those videos when I first got my formula in 08. I've had them saved every since. To me that car is the stuff of legend.

    Prev: 94 Formula V8 M6 - R.I.P. / 96 Trans Am WS6 M6 - Sold / 00 Firebird 3.8 M5 - Sold
    Current: 94 Camaro Z28 A4
    Jesse

  8. #8

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    Ever considered going carburated?

    Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

  9. #9
    Long Live the Opti


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    Alan, something to consider. Crate the motor back off to Lingenfelter. I KNOW they know and can rebuild it. No questions about quality, no questions about durability, no questions about quality. Given the history of the car, I think even if they don't mainstream Gen II stuff anymore, they'd still do the motor back up for you.

  10. #10
    The Wrench


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    Where are you located at.
    ASE L1 Master Certified Tech's 9C1 T56. Yeah she's got a big butt. But watch her move it.

    R.I.P. Z8

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