Beefing up my 3.8

Ok heres the deal.... i like to run my car hard but i dont trust the 3.8. I think of it as more of a crusing motor. When i got my car the motor was already bad i think but i slung a rod later on. I have a new 3.8 in there now but i am gun shy about getting on it. The car doesnt shift until about 5600-5700 rpm when i get on it all the way from 0. I saw where it produces the max power at 5200 so my first question is can i get something to make it shift by 5200 instead of keeping on going up. The nest thing is that i know that racing pistons and rods would make it stronger and hold up better when racing but what else would be good to do to it?

Just get a V8...

Ok thats not an option. I am not even quite 18 yet and insurance for me on a z28 or ss is about $5000 a year. Thats why i wannted to know about the v6.

you dont want the car to shift right at 5200, when your racing you want to shift closer to redline not cause your lookin for more power but cause when it does shift the rpms wont drop out of the power band...

Try to see if hypertech makes a programer for the v6 you can change your shift points and make them firmer, call summit and check 1800 230 3030, the 3.8 is a strong engine for a v6 they even make superchargers for them and then you could keep right up with a 5.0 stang,
the best thing for you is to start out with headers, performance chip, intake, and go from there, and your insurance doesn't need to know about upgrades its still a v6 to them, but it is really not worth doing internal engine work on a v6
Good luck
Tom F

if you put a v8 in it your insurance aint gonna go up as long as it says on your title that you have a v6 in it and you dont tell them it has a v8, thats what i did

if you want to race a v-6 3.8, get a Grand National. If you want a fast camaro, get a v-8. you will end up spending a crap load of money for your engine and a 5.0 will still kick the crap out of you. if insuance is really a problem, then you are kinda stuck.

if you put a v8 in it your insurance aint gonna go up as long as it says on your title that you have a v6 in it and you dont tell them it has a v8, thats what i did

welcome to the wonderful world of insurance fraud...

lol, aint it fun :-D