MalibuRacing

iTrader: (1)

I'm starting a Father/Son project. We have a 79 Malibu that we're wanting to retrofit with a 5.3 or possibly a LS1 conversion and 4L60E transmission. I'm really not interested in high HP, since this will be my son's first car. Also, I'm not exactly rich, so I'd like to keep the budget under control. With that being said, it looks like I can get the complete 5.3L drop-in setup for much cheaper than a LS1/4L60E swap. So, my question is: Would the actual conversion be easier with the F-body LS1 than the 5.3L truck motor? If yes, is it worth the extra cash?

I don't want to initially save $500 dollars with the truck setup, then end up having to buy/swap all the accessories, intake, oil pan, etc. Get my point?

Thanks!

nobreaks254

iTrader: (50)

You will probalby be better off going with the LS1. More than likely you will need the F-body pan and accessories anyway.

cherryelky305

iTrader: (2)

If your interested here is my build thread. most of the pics are later in the thread. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...749&highlight=

unless you can get the F-body acc. and pan for cheap it could well be worth it to pick up an ls1. Any set up will work but the F body stuff fits the best i think. good luck and let me know if i can help at all. John B is also a good source of info if you have specific questions.

01WS6/tamu

iTrader: (37)

By the time you buy all of the correct front accessories and oil pan the 5.3 is not the deal it started out as.

MalibuRacing

iTrader: (1)

I guess what I really need to know is, can the truck accessory brackets and oilpan work?

cherryelky305

iTrader: (2)

anything can work. In the interest of safety you would want to at least modify or change the oil pan though, unless you set the engine high enough. Its simply to low for me, I would'nt use it.

After the cost of my engine and trans i spent about $2300 on odds and ends and wiring to get it running the way it is now.

babydeuce

iTrader: (24)

I disagree with all that is stated above about the cost assosiated with the 5.3 and F-body accessories. I bought my 5.3 complete w/ harness, CPU, and trans for 1200 out the door w/ 30K on the clock. With carefull shopping here on LS1Tech, I got my waterpump for 50 shipped, crank pulley for 25 shipped, tensioner at the parts store 40, low mount alternator bracket on ebay for 40, and the truck alternator transfered over. I had to run a GTO pan which I picked up for 150 with the pickup. So, 300 for accesories and pan added to the original total for the engine is 1500....when was the last time a low milage LS1 sold for that cheap? Plus, I sold the truck accessories and intake and made some of my money back. If you take the time to look around, you can make out pretty damn cheap.

Jack

cherryelky305

iTrader: (2)

exactly if you can get everything you need cheap then its worth it to get a truck engine.

MalibuRacing

iTrader: (1)

I haven't found anything near that cheap yet. I'm getting quotes of 2500-3500 for complete engine/tranny/harness/ecm drop-in assembly. Probably 1000 more for LS1's..

65SSZO6

iTrader: (4)

Most likely you will NOT be able to use the F-body(Camaro/Firebird) accerrories at all.The A body(Malibu) typically locates its steering box too far forward and will hit the alternator on the F-Body accessory drive system.With a LS1 engine,you do get the car manifold,injectors,fuel rail etc which is much more car hood friendly.

I would recommend you look in to Y-body (Corvette accessory drive)Even at wholesale pricing, from the dealer you are looking at $400 not including the alternator or the power steering pump.
My vote is 6.0L truck engine.Then change intake to Y or F body and Y body accessory drive

What ever you decide on,you will most likely be very happy with the end result.

cherryelky305

iTrader: (2)

I'm using all F-body stuff. So it will fit if the motor is placed for it to fit.

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

Technically all the truck parts except the exhaust will fit. The truck exhaust is too wide no matter what you do. The truck oil pan will fit, but it will hang 2-3" below the crossmember. It would work, but I would be very worried about cracking it. As far as the accys, either the truck or f-body will fit. You can even use the tall truck intake. The EVAP purge solenoid will need to be mounted remotely, but thats about it.

GMmotorgirl

Both are obviously very good motors. Personally, for that car, i would go with th3 5.3, i'm about to drop one in a mercury capri. Plus, the 5.3 has better gas milage, and for a first vehicle and the price of gas these days, i'd say it'd be a smart choice, good luck.

Oscar Will

I went with the 5.7 from a 1998 F-body 'way back in 1999 when I started my project....now that I have a bunch of miles on it.......it doesn't make enough power for me, gotta upgrade for MORE POWER. I don't think the 5.3 will really get any better fuel ecomomy than a 5.7, I have several friends that went with 5.3 engines, while they were a bit cheaper to install.....I get better economy with my 5.7.

MalibuRacing

iTrader: (1)

Does this have to be used? Can this just be removed and eliminate that in the ECM reprogramming?

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

You can eliminate the EVAP purge solenoid, but my question is always why??? It is a little simpler because you don`t have to remote mount it,....but... then you have to figure out some other way to vent the fuel tank.

If you want you can just get rid of it, plug the hole in the intake, abandon/remove the wiring, and delete the code in the PCM. Then you have to put some type of vent on your fuel tank.

What I did was to pull it out of the intake, flip it upside down and bolt it back onto the intake using one of the bolts that used to bolt the fake intake cover on. The I used a couple bucks worth of PVC fittings to go between the valve and the hole in the intake. On the other side I hooked the line from my El Caminos charcoal canister right to it. Theres some pics of it on my f-quick account.

It is not something that you need to have, but it keeps emissions down, and is easy to install.

subtlez28

iTrader: (15)

This is great info. I'm in the planning stages of a 73-77 a-body swap
( https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-swaps/863138-73-77-bodies.html )
and was wondering the same thing. I am compairing 5.3 to truck 6.0 to LS1 to LS2. I Thaught the truck 6.0 would be middle of the road. I expect the much more common 5.3 to be WAY cheaper, and the LS1/2 to be way more expensive.

Is there really only like a $1000-500 difference for complete LS1s vs truck engines??

I was kinda hoping to get a complete truck engine, put on a different oil pan, delete the A/C and slap headers on it. Am I living in dream land?

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

In my experience the price difference is a bit more than that. I can pick up truck 5.3L`s complete with accys, wiring, etc(no transmission) for $600 all day long. Whenever I look at f-body engines it seems like they start at 2k and go up from there.

subtlez28

iTrader: (15)

That is VERY incouraging!!
How much difference for a 6.0 (vs a 5.3)?

G-body, you are less than 2 hours from me, are you willing to tell me some good late model salvage places? Do you have some special deal, or can I expect similar pricing?

I was actually thinking I may have to find a complete wrecked truck, and sell off the rest to get to a reasonable cost.

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

I don`t have any special deal, just lots of calling salvage yards. I ended up picking my motor up from a yard in michigan. I have heard people say that you can pick the 5.3l`s up even cheaper, anywhere from 300 and up, but I usually find them for 600 and up. Try the usual places, ebay, car-part.com, and the local yards, doesn`t really have to be late model anymore, they started using the 5.3L`s almost 10 years ago (1999)