Ok.. I will give you that one!

 

Trust me if not the price of Engine ($ 5800 from jegs.com for a Crate LS1), 2 - 3000 for a Transmission, correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Auto Tranny in the v6 cars the 4L60E ?? And then you will have to change the rear end.. Now another factor is Wiring up the engine so it will run right is a Pain in the ****.. Trust me I was thinking of doing a Vortec 350 swap into a 94 GMC Sierra 1500 Truck and after I read how much wiring to get the engine to run correctly was a little too much.. Besides Smog Laws.. Your dad is wrong for the fact that if you do the v6 - v8 swap about warranty, your factory warranty will be voided and the only warranty you will have is the from the engine and the mechanic that installs it..

You are better off trading your car in and buy a z28 or SS.. Or buy an Lt1 camaro.. If your dad really wants you to learn about cars, then get a 73 and older Camaro (depending on Smog Laws where you are at.) and just get a 350 4 bolt main Cast Iron Block and build a 450 HP 383 Stroker Small block.. For simplistic reasons, just keep your car and do the classic route, because the older cars are a lot easier to work on. No Room in the 93 - up Camaros, even the 80's Fbodys were hard to work on compared to a 67 - 69 Fbody..

Take it from someone who has driven 4 cyl - 8 cyl cars and trucks, v6 - v8 swaps especially in newer cars is insane versus buying a car or truck with a v8.. On the other hand Older Cars and trucks (60's and 70s) from 6 cyl - 8 cyl is not too bad. my 68 Chev c10 project started it's life as a 6 cyl Long Bed and has been converted to a v8 and will be converted to a Short Bed as soon as I am done with it...

A question for the board here as well, Does anyone know if the 1-piece Rear Main Seal(86 - Up) 350 Blocks have a tendency to Leak Oil ??

 

I swaped a 99 LS1 + Tranny into my 95 V6 for around 7k. I found a nice SS that got creamed right in the rear and the owner totaled it. I bought the car for 4.2k and took what I needed from it.

I never changed my rear end untill I got my 9''. To be honest with you besides the induction system, some creative exhuast work, and a some very expensive wiring manuals it wasn't all that bad.

I had many people tell me you can't fit a LS1 under a LT1 hood, much less a V6. Well its been done. My advise to you is don't buy new! If you buy a crate motor and new tranny and start shopping throught the GM tech's order forms for all the parts you are going to be in the 10k+ range when it is all said and done. All those little peices that seem so worthless to you have astronomical prices and will nickel and dime you to death.


Good luck, I did it and you can if you shop smart.


~Taylor

 

I agree with the rest of the guys, the work involved is to heavy. If I had a V6 bird, I would yank the engine, and trans with all the wiring, and sell it for whatever I could get. After that, I would go and buy a new 3 speed trans and big block carbed engine, then tear open that engine bay and mount the engine in there. No wiring, just simple old fun. Of course there will be some problems with getting the engine to fit, but I've seen it done, and it doesn't look to bad, at least easier than the LS1 swap. As for the rear end, I would burn that one wheel peel until the tire falls off. you could buy a carbed small block from Gm fairly cheap, and a performance TH350 trans is not to expensive either. I guess it depends on what you want to do and how much time and money you have. My advice is to sell the car and buy a used cheaper one probably the LT1, which can still pull good power, I'm sure your dads not wanting you to have 500-600 horses, since your new to driving, and the LT1 can give enough power to please. I myself would love a brand new LS1, but sometimes we must take what we can afford. As far as insurance, puting the car under your dads name will bring the cost way down, by about half. as the someone else explained, you could get an old musclecar for real cheap. I bought an old 71 chevelle for 300 bucks, with a small block with all the bolt ons, eventualy broke that engine bought two used big blocks with cams headers, all sorts of parts, all for 850 bucks, the engine lasted 2 years before I detonated it. It ran low 12's and the insurance was 30 bucks per month. You do the math, good deals are out there, you just need find them and for the price of selling that 2002 V6 you could have a nice old musclecar with a rumble that will make all your friends scream.

 

Did you know that if you have your car insured as a V6 and put in a V8 and you get into a accident and the insurance co. investigates the claim and happen to notice that you have a V8 it is very possible that they may not cover your claim. I read this in a magizine a few years ago. So is it really worth it?
If I was you I would sell the V6 outright ( they dont give you S*** on a trade in) and buy a '94-'95 LT1 Z28. You can find them pretty cheap now.