Deal of a century LS2 sleeper project
 

So, just picked up this 1996 LS2 locally here in Houston. PO sold me the running, driving car currently with LS2 and T56 out of a GTO. He just finished it and drove it once before having to sell.
Current configuration:
1. Has almost every piece out of the FM catalog and:
- Pontiac GTO LS2 with T56
- Comp Cam 231/236 on 112
- Brian Tooley Racing .660 platinum springs
- New Timing Chain, lifters, and pushrods
- Ported LS2 heads
- Z06 style intake
- Trackspeed brake ducts
- Brake proportioning kit
- Thermal LSx headers
- Cooling Kit with cross-flow radiator
- LSx shift adapter
- Moroso aluminum oil pan
- LSx CAI brace
- V8 fuel kit
- LSx Subframe kit
- V8 Roadster Stage 3 driveline kit
- Clutch master kit
- Frog Arms
- Frame rail stiffners
- V-MAxx XXtreme Trackpack - Track
- Wilwood Big Brake Kit
- NRG Quick release wheel
- Cadillac CTS rear end
- Harddog Double Diagonal Rollbar
- New soft top with oversized removable glass window
- New TR Motorsports C3M 15x9 Wheels with Hankook 225/45/15 Tires

Included was:
1. Fresh set of LS3 heads milled and ported with an LS3 intake ready to be bolted on
2. 3 NEW mufflers that he was going to swap around to get the right sound
3. 2 NEW Mickey Thompson tires

Currently car runs and drives, but interior is not fully assembled. No gauges installed, and main fuse will pop every so often.

I took it straight to the shop after purchase. Right away noticed no grounds installed. Going to add multiple ground point to include block and heads to chassis.

I also noticed the stock LS3 oil pressure sensor was installed, but no connection. Being PO installed a painless GM harness, I found this weird. I am starting to strip back all the loom to find the connection wire so I can accurately hook up a gauge and monitor pressure.

Current plan is to try to get all OBD II codes cleared so I can pass inspection.

PO also gave me receipts totaling over 32K (he had it built in a shop).
I am starting this thread because I built a 302 and spent a lot of time here getting good information. I know that everyone here will become a wealth of info as I start to complete this LS build. I have already had a few WTF moments and found answers and solutions here. Thanks in advance for all the help and dealing with my rants!

I plan on keeping this one stock looking for that true sleeper look. I may get it wrapped later, but have not decided.

Here it is on the lift:
https://www.v8miata.net/attachment.p...ine=1441142662

Nice parts list! Besides having to fix/finish PO's wiring :eek4: looks like a great car.

Great find!

I'm so jealous. lol you got a great car there

This ought to be a fun project to sort out and finish exactly how you want it! Keep the posts coming and share more pictures as you move forward with this.

Curious why the PO let it go before he finished it OR had much fun with it on the road?? Without going into too much detail, what happened?

Both home
 

Got them both home and tucked in the garage. 4 car garage gets cramped quickly with my toys, kids toys, and wife's car.
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PO got out of military and spent lots of $$ making dream Motorsport car. Family started to have medical issues and he quickly liquidated all assets to take care of them. Very honorable and I hope my kids would do the same for me. He only drove it once and really loved the car. It is really nice and I look forward to completing his dream in my own way. Working on gauge cluster this weekend.

Sounds like the PO was in a tough situation. Glad his car will be finished out and you could help him get out of a jam... Next time you walk by the new V8M, pull up on the back edges of the headlight lids for better fit. Somebody's probably leaned on them with outstretched arms - and the painted tinfoil can't take it..!

Thanks for the headlight tip. Pulled up on the weak metal and they flexed right into place. The Z06 intake keeps the hood a bit higher than stock, but it looks much better now.

Spent all last night removing all the loom and zip ties to start total re-wire. Most things looked good, but definitely put the harness on a diet. Cut out all old Miata stuff and removed wires that started or ended nowhere. Looks much better now and confident in the starter and alternator wiring.

Started the gauge cluster, but all gauges did not make it in before I leave out of town on Monday. Before I leave I will be dropping it back at shop for total exhaust rework and state inspection. Good thing is PO gave me 2 new spintech exhausts and an X pipe. I plan on adding high flow cats and manual dumps. Probably gonna sell off old turbo stainless exhaust set up if anyone wants it.

You don't suppose he did that gap on purpose to shove air under the hood? Not often you see them so uniform. But for sure I'm glad you fixed it the poor girl looked terrible that way!

Leaving for vacation all week. Since the Army takes most of my time, I decided to leave the new car at a shop while in gone with specific instructions to redo exhaust and make the car inspectable in the Houston area. I am gonna pick it up on Monday and will see what they do with it. As of now it was throwing 8 codes that needed to be handled. Car is a beast and can't wait to shake it out on May 28th at MSR during an open track day

Houston or Cresson? Color me tempted...

two v8 Miatas in the garage.... a Ford AND an LS...

sooo jealous.....

You are the MAN!! Jumping right into this car with both feet. Please post pics of your new exhaust when done. Mine isn't too hot, I must admit, and keeping an eye out for what others are doing with theirs. Sounds like you'll have little left to do to this car pretty soon. Congrats!

And now that you know how to straighten NA Miata headlight lids, you'll be on a nationwide quest to fix every bent ones you see! ;)

Should get some exhaust pics tomorrow afternoon. Harness was missing wiring for rear O2 sensors, so I'll be running some wires back up to the PCM so I can pass emissions. Car should be ready for track by May 28 at Houston MSR.

I'd skip the rear o2s and put that time/money into a tune (which deletes them) :sign0134:

Yup, no rear O2's on mine - and no cats either... NC has just safety inpection for older cars. Perhaps, you have to pass more hurdles there...

In TX, until a pre OBDII car is registered as a classic or antique, it need to pass the sniffer. Cats are still needed.

new exhaust
 

Got to go look at exhaust work real quick. I dropped it off with a few rules:
- Keep is sleeper looking
- Add dumps that were easy to get at
- Tuck it up tight
- Make it pass inspection

I gave them a X-Pipe and 2 Spintech mufflers to use in the design. We also talked about having the exhaust dump out the side of the car right in front of the rear tires. Putting all this together, this is what developed:

Looking from rear still has sleeper look (only one pipe)
Attachment 6364

Tucked the cats and mufflers up really tight and just put a turn down on added side:
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Added in the dumps to allow for a possible side exit exhaust at some point. I can just straighten them out and pass right thru the metal.
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I am going to wrap the dumps and trim up some of the plastic that gets close. Also going to make a heat shield for the fuel filter.

Are those cats close enough to get hot enough to be effective? And if they do, are you worried about cooking the diff?

Car is a 1996 and just needs to pass visual ( if they even look) and a computer OBD II connection with only one "not ready" indication. So, cats actually doing their job is mute. As far as diff cooking, I asked the same question and they said it would not be a problem. I'll do more research on my own, but seems like the perfect spot space wise. I'd hate to burn up that CTS diff.

The evap code should be the only thing I have left that the inspectors should find.

That shop does fine work IMO and good luck with the inspection!

As soon as we are done with wiring, I'll get some sound clips with and without dumps.

I was scratching my head thinking.."that can't be right"... then realized the car was ODBII stock. ..lucky... But I only have to pass one more sniff. :smokin:

I 2nd Jim's well-wishes!

That short, hidden LH tailpipe is killer!! I don't want to cut my bumper & this is one novel way to go about it. Awesome...

Yeah, the 1996 was first year OBD II, and PO used a GM race harness, so I'm adding a few runs for sensors to make inspection people happy. The tune will have all them deleted for performance, but inspection station won't know the difference. My 302 is a 1992 and been passing sniffer cleaner than a new car for past 2 years. Helps the engine was a new build and exhaust was all new with cats and mufflers. Looking forward to cleaning up interior and getting her on the road. Last test drive, water temps did not exceed 183, so looking good. Final HP numbers still not in, but I'll keep y'all posted.

My other concern with the exhaust was the almost 90 degree turn of the dumps. Was not sure exhaust would actually dump when open. They told me the cats and muffler create resistance which will force air out of dumps when plates removed. Old find path of least resistance principle. I'm going crazy because still have not heard it. Lol!

Don't forget to put the connector/brace back on the rear sub frame (under the cats).

I have a set of V8 Flyin Miata sway bars to slap on. Having trouble trying to get the front one to fit and just asked FM for some pictures of orientation. When I was doing the SPEC Miata thing, most guys deleted that rear brace so I have never re-installed them on my cars. I was actually thinking of using those stock bolt holes to make a skid plate for the rear diff.

A skid plate would be even stiffer than a single bar across (I would think). The bar would prevent bottoming. Unless you are thinking of some off roading with it. :)

The only thing about a skid plate is trapping the heat up there and I wouldn't go that route especially being so far south. If the cats really only need to be a visual you could make them hollow and that would cut the heat down quite a bit.

Just box the 4 holes together if you are concerned about stiffening that up back there. You can run arms up to your frame stiffeners too from the front ones. Excuse my ratty ass ford here...
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BTW yes I did weigh it and the 1" box is 1.6 lbs per foot and the 3/4 is 1.1 lbs per foot so that whole mess all the way up to the engine cradle is about 25 lbs and to me worth it for how the chassis feels.

I had the same thoughts on your dumps and tried pretty much the same thing you are doing here on my 65 Shelby mustang clone back in the day. I ran hush thrush turbo mufflers right in front of the axle and I cut in at about an 75 degree angle in front of them to dump at the rear wheels like Shelby did. On a cold day when you could see the exhaust it dumped quite a bit at idle but heading down the entrance ramp there was more out the back than the sides. There just wasn't enough back pressure to offset the velocity of the air passing by the opening and most of it went straight into the muffler. However because it was dumping right into your left ear it was much louder!

BTW on a side note the same car sounded way better with out the X pipe than with. No X made it sound like it had far more cam and compression than it really did so of course I took the X back out the week after I put it in!

All the wiring is done and everything checks out, except for a MAF check engine light. We hooked up to the PCM and it appears PO tuned this car with a speed density tune and it is failing the MAF. This combo will not pass OBD II emissions here in Houston, TX. This morning we are strapping it into the dyno and starting over with a detailed MAF tune that should clear it all up. I've done a lot of research on MAF vs SD tunes, and it is about a 50/50 out there. Most say the MAF should be tunable reliably up to 800HP. PO was planning on forced induction, and apparently a SD tune is the way to go for that.

I asked about SD when I was getting my tune also and it was suggest by the shop to stay MAF. ...I wish I was have asked why... I know they do both...

What code is it exactly? I get a 102 in mine once in a while (MAF low) and cleaning it seems to help. The oil you are suppose to use on the fancy air filters is not your friend for this code either...

Just finished up. Kept final AFR nice about 12.1 at 6000 RPM. Probably could have pushed 13's, but not worth 8 or so HP to me. Final score is 382RWHP and 381 TQ. PO's SD tune was at 352.
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All that horsepower, and you still have 300+ ft/lb. below 2500 rpm. That's having your cake and eating it, too.

That also what is causing me to loose traction! LOL

Realized I was starting to blab about the build on my dyno post.

So with 402 to the wheels.......I want more. Don't know why as the tires tend to spin. Lol. Gonna complete the LS3 head and intake swap after the summer and I get a chance to enjoy it now.

I also scored a nice hardtop locally that I will slap on. Been thinking of paint scheme for this one, and I'm gonna keep it patriotic like my cammo wrapped 302. The base will be a flat black paint, and then use a dark grey vinyl to make Stars and Stripes down the sides. A large Apache helicopter on the hood, and a large star on the top. Going for the dark subdued look.

hehehe...take another toke on the pipe.... Addicting, huh :naughty:

Worked on the gauges a bit tonight. Used Glowshift gauges found on Amazon. They work really good. Their new series allows to set high and low parameters that activate lights built into the gauges. The tach also makes sounds. 10 different colors to set on each gauge. Best of all is you wire up one, and they daisy chain together with included wires. Easy peasy.
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Well, just went for a test drive to calibrate all the new gauges and inspect for leaks on the coolant sensor. Everything was good, and the I down shifted so I could listen to the open dumps. Then a BANG followed by the rear tires locking up and skidding to a stop. Strangely, I was able to put it in reverse and get out of the road, but anything forward is not working. All locked up. Leaning towards the rear end now. Clutch pedal feels good and tranny seems to shift through all the gears. Waiting for a tow now. I'll get it on stands at home for further evaluation. Engine still runs fantastic and dumps sound amazing.

Even though having issues, here is video with dumps closed
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...psumd7oxod.mp4

And one with dumps open
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/q...psexglf153.mp4

Maybe they haven't finished processing, but when I click the links it says deleted by user.

Sorry to hear about the rear end. Hopefully it isn't too bad...

Tow truck driver was an idiot. I asked for a wheel lift truck with dollies because my rear end was locked. They sent a flatbed. I actually went home and got my floor jack and wheel dollies so he could drag it up the ramp. Good thing this was insurance paying. Reloaded videos and links.
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aw man...I need dumps too! I need that hard top also. Give it up! lol

I'm running a Getrag 3.73. What ratio getrag is best for this car since it looks like I'll be shopping for one.

Mine is a Getrag 3.42 I think it's decent for the T56 and LS3 combo. I don't really feel 6th is usable until 60+ though, and I can get some cam surge at really low parking garage speeds at times. ...maybe your 3.73 is 'best'.... It's slicing hairs between the two though...couple hundred rpm maybe.

I have a bead on a 2011 CTS differential for $100. Down side is that it is from an automatic car. Gear ratio is 3:23 and I have read that that is a fairly streetable gear. It would be and easy cheap fix until I can possibly get a custom built up diff. I believe the only difference in a manual and automatic differential is the gear ratio.

For $100 and some fresh gear oil, that's hard to beat.