klumb15

I know it can be done, it just takes some time...I think this swap might be a winter project this winter possibly...I just want to know what kind of money i gotta save to get this thing in my car...does anybody have a ballpark figure?

klumb15

any1

trackbird

There is a guy with an LS1 powered 92 camaro as I remember that owns an EFI buisness. He had to notch and reweld part of the K-member to get it to fit and fabricate motor mounts (he didi a great write up, but I can't find it. Maybe somebody will drop in that knows the site). Other than that (and making exhaust) it looked great. I was looking, but I can't seem to find the website (I thought it was Shearer's performance or something like that). It is a cool swap. I'd think you could make similar power from a properly built smallblock for less or equal money. It may not be a civilized, but it may be easier and less expensive. However, I do like to see LS1 powered 3rd gens. I'd suspect costs are going to be one complete motor and trans with wiring (junkyard, probably $3500-ish or so) and a fair amount of fabrication (unless there is a creative way to run the accessories that is fairly new), exhaust, maybe a little K-member work (depends on how the motor sits in there) and motor mounts. But it has been done and the last one I saw, the owner said he had close to $9,000 in it (but he had a show quality car, paint and all, so I wonder how much of that was the swap) and it ran mid 13's. Oof. But, if it is in the budget, I say go for it!

LT1Powered85Z

Roy Fender from F-Body Motorsports has performed the swap into his '91 (I believe) Convertible. He sells the motor mounts necessary to do it and I believe a few other things necessary, as well.

Being that LS1s are still VERY expensive, this swap is most often a crazy expensive project. I think it would be awesome to do and to have...but not many have done it due to cost.

Check out Roy's site - www.fbodymotorsports.com and check out prices, etc. Expect to spend a few thousand to get a LS1 and trans. And to then spend quite a bit more money to make it work.

Good luck!

Eric

klumb15

well my dad has a friend that could get a totalled newer camaro z28 or trans am, one that is pretty much not fixable, and i would probably do it that way because it would probably be cheaper for me because i could get the car cheap. But i'm still debating on what i should do because if you get a 330 horsepower crate motor with a carb, the gas mileage is gonna be horible, but the ls1 still gets reasonable gas mileage and has pretty much the same amount of power....I was thinking about just doing the Lt1 swap just because more people have done it, and there is more info on it, but i figure if i'm gonna take the time to do it, i might as well go all the way with an LS1...i dunno we'll see how the summer goes, and see how much money i got saved, i guess time will only tell....but thanks for the links...

trackbird

I'd suspect an LT1 swap would be much easier and considerably less expensive. But, I could always be wrong.

My 2002 Z28 m6 dyoned 299.7 hp and 317.4 ft lbs and gets 27.65 mpg with the cruise set at 80 mph (and has trapped 102.5 in the 1/4, stock on an easy pass). It is a neat combination, but I'm not sure you'd ever save enough gas to justify the difference in price. If you can get the parts, go for it (or the LT1).

My thoughts.

klumb15

well to keep my dad happy i gotta go with a FI engine, he's not to fond of carbed engines for some reason....but do you need a custom wiring harness for the swap, or will the stock one work out of a 98+ camaro/trans am?

dave89gta

The stock wiring harness will work, since everything that it operates is being swapped into the car.

You can find ALL the information you need on this swap at thirdgen.org. They have an entire section of the board dedicated to motor swaps.

--dave

8_4_berlinetta_

go for it get the wrecked ls1 donor and part it out it will help you ALOT with the money..