1. Just by a used LS1, unless you like pointless projects.
2. Why did you sell your Z when the baby came? I didn't.
3. You can pick up a 98 or 99 for a decent price.

 

At the time it was the only car we had so a baby seat in the back was not a good idea. We ended up buying a 2000 Impala LS with the cash so now I want another Camaro. Oh and I checked up on the Insurance on a 98 with a LS1. Way too much. Maybe I will just go back to a 93 - 97z.

 

For 8k, you could pick up a nice Z, and mod the hell out of it

 

Drive an 98+ and tell me the brakes aren't alot better than the pre 98.
For me it was totally night and day

 

I have been looking in the NY area but all cars are way overpriced and have a ton of miles on them. Thats why I would rather get a motor and a car and at least know what is under my hood and how it was treated. But it is sounding like a lot more then I anticipated. So now im not sure what im going to do.

 

in this day and age, time to expand your search! haha
look out of the area.. you are looking at spending what? 3500 for a car at least.. 1500 for an engine 1500 for miscelaneous.. .. so far thats 6500... and it may or may not need the tranny .. say another 700... so 7200.. and its not for sure.. so yes.. an 8k car would be a better choice.. so look all around the nation.. then go to the lounge and if you find one that really sounds very good, post for someone that lives nearby to contact you.. have them look at it and they can tell you if its worth the $200 plane ticket to see it.. (remember you are saving $$$$$ because your area has higher prices)
Fly down.. look at car, if its all good.. buy it and drive home...DONE..

Alternatively..
I am still trying to choose what engine to put in my project car..
Another board member had done this project before.. but he used a more common LT1 into it.. Its a Porsche 944 with LT1.. In my case, it will be possibly an LS1/2 into a Porsche 944S.. I will most likely go for the entire drivetrain.. and swap out the IRS for a solid rear.. not the best idea as far as the superior handling but I would rather not destroy numerous trans axels.. Porsche parts are sick when it comes to cost.. For example.. 1 bolt for the valve covers... and there are like 16 and they are very proprietary.. $9

 

look at places like cars.com and autotrader.com for a V8 car. it will definately be cheaper in the long run when all of the little things you have to change nip at your budget. I got mine off of cars.com even though it was 30 miles away for a 97 that had 74k on it for $6k but I put about 1000 for some front end repairs and new wheels. although it came with the Borla, elec WP, and CAGS delete on it, so I saved over the 1000 for repairs by having some mods on it already, kinda helped it was a bank repo too, check some of the local bank and police auctions for cars, lot of really good deals there too.

 

Untrue

The RS only came in a 3800 motor from what I recall... I could be wrong of course..

But as far as the swap, unless you're going to seriously throw alot on money into the engine to put out say 400 - 500 HP the swap really isn't worth just having a STOCK LS1 into a early 4th gen body.

Look at it this way, everything on the car except your interior has to be changed... Suspension, Mounts, CrossMembers, Transmission (A V6 Transmission bolts differently), GasTank, Everything... So unless you're going high performance (like maybe a 383 LT4 or a LS6 motor with a beefed up bottom end, maybe even a biult 400 block) the swap to a stock LS1 motor just really isn't worth it...