Thread: Opinons on this trade?

dont get a 97

its like the red headed step child. i will never buy a first year car.

Originally Posted by scooz14

dont get a 97

its like the red headed step child. i will never buy a first year car.

I have had 2 97s and don't have any problems with them...

What are so bad about them that you wouldn't buy one?

these blocks can withstand a lot of power, the current record holding FWD GTP at 9 seconds has a stock bottom end. I believe a few 97's have been known to be weaker than the later years if I'm not mistaken but 97's will still do a good job.

140,000 miles on a 97 and you want to run conistantly on minimal mods is achievable. The first thing I would get is a guage that will tell you your knock, at all times, wired into the car, some people just scan once for knock and think they're fine but it will change since the weather and conditions are hardly ever the same.

The work you would need done to run a 3.5 or 3.4 pulley from the factory 3.8" pulley would be first to get some exhaust work done. To run a 3.4, you need at least front powerlog since it is the most restrictive manifold compared to the rear, then you need a 3 inch downpipe with a u-bend delete. Check the for sale section here and other sites for deals on downpipes and powerlogs/ported manifolds. You could probably skip the front powerlog and go with a 3.5" pulley, either way scan for knock.

The next step would be to get some intake work done, there is a write-up in the "How To" section for ideas on building a fender well intake. After you get a cold air intake it is time to do some pcm work and extras. You can get a pcm 1.0 with a tune for a 3.4 and cold air intake from multiple vendor's for $100.

Next put in some colder plugs, a lot of people go with Autolite 104's. few $'s

After that work is complete, then add the 3.4" pulley, and watch for knock. Should put you at high 13's low 14's.

At the track since it is a higher mileage car, you may want to put something to block your back springs so it doesnt shift all the weight back there at launch, my car has some higher rate gm springs in the rear as it solves the rear end sagging problem on the gp's.