I bought my 94 white 6 speed Z new. It has 150k miles on it runs good (2 clutches and 2 optis). Doesn't burn oil.

I love the car. I love the way it handles and looks. But thinking of the future, I need a plan.

Rather than rebuilding the LT-1, I was thinking about a salvage LS-3 + 6 speed from a new SS. Does anyone know how difficult the conversion might be? Not only hard mounting (which I am guessing pretty close fit), tranny & drive shaft, but also the computer and electronics (that has me a little stumped considering engine control, anti lock brakes, etc.).

Are there any engine swap kits available?

I think the older cars weigh 500 lb less than new ones, should be fast, drivable, reliable, with good gas mileage.

 

i started building a 355 lt1 replacement for my car and then i landed a low mileage lt1 for $300 so i bought it... now the engien i bought to put in until i got the 355 built runs great and has good oil pressure so i think i might use the crank, rods, pistons i had for the lt into a vortec roller engine....

with all that being said, if i were going to do an engine swap i believe i would either have to use an lt1 and swap over to the eficonnections swap using the ls1 computer which does away with the optispark and uses the ls ignition setup, or i would do a pure ls engine and computer swap..

if i were planning on keeping the car forever, sentimental value for whatever reason, just like the car, which i think its a pretty good platform, i would do a complete ls swap.. the ls computer is hard to beat for the moment.

for a swap kit, to my understanding there are engine mounts that bolt to the ls that have the dimension of the gen1 and gen2 blocks and also place the mounts at the same position as the original lt1 block... MSD has an ignition control box and a victor jr. intake that would allow you to use a carburetor , the msd control box has like 5 timing settings.

there are k-members that would bolt right up, i'm sure there are all kinds of swap threads on this forum in a different section or on several other of the lx/ls forums that are out there.. the ideal swap would be to find a wrecked ls camaro or firebird, maybe one that was rearended hard, and just get the whole car, and take the frontend off and swap it..

myself, i would just do a complete swap, to keep the fuel injection, only way i would use the msd control box and victor jr. would be if it were swapping into an older car like an old nova or camaro or chevelle, or an old streetrod..


you might look at eficonnection and see if they offer any kind of wiring harness and such for the swap, pretty sure they do.. i would almost bet some company has some kind of swap kit, a friend of mine is putting an ls6 in a 69camaro and he bought a kit with the engine mounts, trans mounts, and headers.. i can find out where he got it from if you want me to, hes just a text message away..

heres a link i found just googling ls1 swap http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conver...-ls1-swap.html

 

The LS3 is dimensionally similar to the LS1 engine found in 98-02 models. You can swap the k-member and do all the things needed to swap an LS1 into your car. The computer is different, though, as are some of the sensors. You'll have a lot of sorting out to do but it could be done. It will be costly.

You might be better off with a LS2 crate engine that comes complete with exhaust manifolds and computer......

 

i have put ls2 and a few ls7 into 4th gen trans am and z28's and its not that bad at all. you could get the stock drive shaft shorten or one made up. Motor mounts are stock ls mounts, ls headers will work already? Computer and wire harness is a little diffrent but with someone who knows what there doing and some help you can get it done in less than a month working on the week ends. your 94 has a diffrent cluster than ls motor so aftermarket gauges or a newer cluster would be a must.

Why not a used low milage motor? great price not a lot of abuse

 

Why would you have to shorten the drive shaft? The LS1 and LT1 configurations use the same shaft length and the LS2 is the same as the LS1, dimensions wise....

 

i dont know what rear end he was planning on running? 10 bolt with an ls3 lol no way

 

Oh, ok. With a stock rear the stock length shaft will fit, with an aftermarket, you're on your own...got it.