camaro98ss

I am going to put my LS1 from my 98 SS in to a 88 and i need some hep with where i can find the wiring harness to do the swap. i am not sure about what else i will need but the shop told me i need to get that first if they are going to do it so please help me out and let me know what i will need to make this swap work. i am thinking about swapping out the rear too just to make sure that i wont have any problems. i was told to go to S&P and tell them what i want to do and they will tell me everything that i will need. i know that its not going to be cheap and thats why its going to be a project.

any information will be greatly appreciated.

thanks
brendan

bryan23

iTrader: (3)

come to thirdgen.org you will find a number of people who have done the swap.. i just sent my wiring harness out to get molded with a 2000 camaro wiring harness that i bought! spohn makes motor mounts to fit third gens and hawks thirdgen makes awesome stainless headers! it is not cheap but in the end you will have a nice result.

datenbrick

iTrader: (2)

+1^^^^^^^^

jim ravencraft

Hi,
i would get my suspension in order first f/r.....transmission upgrade to help strengthen the 700-r4 if automatic. Make yourself a priority list and check off as you have the resources and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. This will help you in the long run to avoid costly duplication. The engine swap will go smoothly with time and effort. Pick-up all your computer needs and wiring when you purchase engine..have a good day and god bless.....jim

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/lt...third-gen.html

Pretty good checklist to go by

camaro98ss

i have a full 98 that im getting all the parts from i totaled the car a couple months ago and it is not worth fixing. so i have the engine and manual trans, suspension i was going to do when i did the swap, im not sure if i should keep the rear that is on it due to that i dont know the gear ratios. but thanks for all your advice it wil lbe very helpfull. i know its going to be allot of $$$$$$$$$ and i figure it will be totally done hopefully by the summer.

camaro98ss

i just bought my headers and next im looking at getting a k member but i dont know if i really need it. Should i get it or dont even waste my time???

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

Did you even read the sticky?

Golf&GM

iTrader: (22)

Main advantages of the k-member in a LS1 3rd gen is getting weight off the nose and keeping AC without some fabwork on the stock k-member. If those are worth the cost of the part I'd say go for it.

If you want to keep AC and the stock k-member, you'll have to cut out a notch for it. Requires some pretty decent cutting and welding skills to get it to come out clean.

1A Dan

iTrader: (9)

highly recommend thirdgen.org as well; great subforum devoted specifically to the LSx swap; I've found answers to every question I've had for my swap and then some. I'm staying with a modified stock K-member myself, couldn't justify the added cost yet.

camaro98ss

yes i did go to thirdgen and i read the articles but i didnt find anything about a k member i knew i didnt have to replace it just the motor mounts but i didnt know if it would be a good idea to do while im going the work and spending the money, it was very helpful and answered alot o fquestions i had. but there were still some questions i had after reading and that was the major one. hawks third gen has been very helpful too with some tech questions i had.

stcloudguy

I would highly recommend Speartech for your wiring and computer needs. He did the harness for my sons '89 conversion we did. Sent him the existing harness out of the car, he built a new one for the motor, married the 2 together, put it in the car, started with the first turn of the key! That was 5 years ago, hasn't missed a beat since.

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

From post #1 of the sticky

camaro98ss

Thanks this will be very helpful in doing the install now. i am probable going to order a spohn k member because i want to keep the A/C and dont have the tools to modify the stock k member myself, and if i bring it to a shop there going to be hestant to doing it because the ammount of work that is involved. i found a shop near me that would do the install but i would have to tell them how to do it.

mille_3

iTrader: (1)

There really isn't any significant amount of work to speak of if you are referring to the K-member notch. It takes less than an hour to cut, make templates, cut pieces and weld them in. A shop should be able to do this in an hour and it would/should certainly cost less than $500+ that you would pay for a tubular k-member. It cost me $2 for 11 gauge steel and 45 minutes of my time.

If you are looking at a low cost swap you may want to consider things like this. I'm in the middle of my own swap and I too am trying to keep within a reasonable budget. My swap cost tally so far is about $6200. I guess my point is, if you can save yourself a good chunk of money by choosing a less expansive option, why not?

I would run from that shop. If you have to handhold them through the process, you will get nothing but headaches. You are not clear on the process yourself and you are supposed to instruct them on the process? Sounds like a disaster to me.

camaro98ss

i would do the fab work myself but i dont know how to weld nore the equipment. Im in long island NY so it would prob cost 500. to do the swap the shop would have charged my 1000 to do the swap and i would basically have to tell them how to do the swap and give them step by step instructions which is bull. one of my good friends is a mechanic and has most if not all the tools so im just got to get him to help me with the swap. i want to keep it as low budget as possiable but just dont want to deal with the headaches of possibly doing something wrong. if i found a shop that actually knew what they were doing i would deff bring it there but alot of guys i know who have F bodies just do the work themself and say its not that hard. so im going to give it a shot at doing most if not all the work myself and if i get stuck i will just figure it out then.

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

Budget and shop dont belong in the same sentence

If you cant DIY, then the next cheapest option is to buy a completed swap that someone wants out of. They pop up occasionally on here

pmgm

iTrader: (5)

I would keep reading that swap has been done plenty of times.. Try to price check parts 2-3 times as for best fit and cost.. I'm gathering parts now for a future swap in a g body and it hard to keep the cost down as the swap grows more popular, But research and patience seems to be helping out alot.. If you have questions ask there are alot of good guys on here willing to help, That is what keeps me excited about doing mine...

camaro98ss

i normally check out atleast 5 sites before i buy parts nd c how much it is with shipping. and im buying a new part a week, so it will get done with time, i dont plan on starting will it gets a bit warmer out and by then i will have all my parts and find someone that could give me a hand with it. but thanks your help is greatly appreciated.

deuce4935

iTrader: (2)

If you have both the ls1 harness and your 3rd gens engine harness it would be easier to have them mated together, this will save you the headache of cutting and splicing wires.