It's been a long undertaking acquiring the necessary parts over time so I've actually lost track of the cost (selective memory is a good thing when modding) but it's been spread out. I got all the upgrades from Todd at Protomotive. He is a true professional and knows these cars inside and out and how to tune them. Most of this is "bolt-on" with some exceptions and the guys at House Automotive who are doing the build are first rate. You can talk to Todd for the parts cost and shop labor rate is whatever in your area.

 

Project is moving now...

Sleeves/pistons installed....


Heads installed....


Cam timing...


Motor assembled!

 

will the oring material be copper or stainless wire?
and is just the head grooved or both the block and heads?

 

Steel on heads and copper on sleeves.

 

Man, can't wait for you to get your car back. I sure am enjoying mine right now. The build time certainly sucks. But the finished project is sooo worth it. My 3.8L just dyno'd 567hp/615tq on modified VTGs w/ a Evoms 700 tune. Your build might get me thinking about bigger turbos...

 

Thanks bro. Sounds like you already talked yourself into it! Tough not to with a built motor. Hard part is done. Slap on some Alpha's, they bolt right up. Glad you're enjoying the new mods. Piece of mind.

 

wow, do they end up both touching when compressed or is one done at a slightly larger diameter than the other?

I was always under the impression that you usually did one of the other not both. I know the block is the best way and typically some would do the head if they did not want to send the whole block out.

 

They are designed for use with the stock gasket which are grooved. There is no block, per se, so it's the sleeves that get o-ringed.

 

When I read stuff like this and see your awesome pics it's hard not to want to do it! But I don't think there's a shop here that does it like you're getting done, they seem to be real pros. Lucky you!

 

When you're dealing with these kind of rebuild $$numbers$$ you shouldn't overlook just putting your car on a truck and having it shipped. $1-2000 in shipping might end up actually saving you a ton of money in the long run.

 

Yes, I agree. You don't want to mess around with these motors if you don't know what you're doing. But then again, you send car off to a tuner and you really don't know what they do to it either - lol. Kinda like having someone who really cares looking over you while you're in the hospital. Ideally, you want to be there. So many details to worry about...

 

Wow congrats on your newly assembled 3.8! Now you can crank that boost up and really enjoy. Im sure your motor man knows to use break in oil (non-synthetic) for the first couple hundred miles. The hard part is not mashing on it right away! There is nothing more reassuring then having your motor properly built fellas.
Im on about 20k miles on my recently built motor and cant start to tell you the abuse I have been giving my car on the track lately with back to back hot laps of 160mph at Pocono Raceway on hot days and what not.

REALLY exciting stuff, exactly what these cars need. How they should be.

 

Wow!! Very interesting project... I am on the samr boat like you... I just recieved all the parts from todd and i start building my engine.. I hope i wont face any problems... I went with 4.1 though..
Good luck

 

Wise words, and if there wasn't a border between here and the shop Dave is using then I would consider shipping the car. The local shop is doing part of the build on UrbanHotrod's car (one of the mods here), so it must be okay - I'm just waiting to hear his impressions once it's complete.

 

Tom - I have a set of Alpha 3071 and 3076's sitting in the shop...he he - also have the oil and water fitting kit as well - will bolt right up - and with a updated tune............... I better go home now before I get everybody in trouble..