How much of the LS1 donor car can I use?
10-11-2009, 02:40 PM
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How much of the LS1 donor car can I use? Newbie here. I own a 98 TA WS6 which has given me a healthy respect for the LS1. My other car is a 64 skylark convertible which I am making into a custom. I just picked up a totalled out 02 TA LS1 6 speed car for a donor in the skylark.
I've been doing much research but have not been able find all the answers I'm looking for. I need to keep out of pocket costs down as much as possible and want to keep purchase part cost to a minimum. I am quite capable at fabrication and thinking I could use the entire car harness, gauges,complete AC, Radiator, fuel tank sending unit assembly, clutch and brake pedal assembly including slave and master cylinders, and possibly even the steering column.
Is there some place that I can read up on someone else using an F body donor car in manner? What problems cannot be avoided? Thanks much!
I've been doing much research but have not been able find all the answers I'm looking for. I need to keep out of pocket costs down as much as possible and want to keep purchase part cost to a minimum. I am quite capable at fabrication and thinking I could use the entire car harness, gauges,complete AC, Radiator, fuel tank sending unit assembly, clutch and brake pedal assembly including slave and master cylinders, and possibly even the steering column.
Is there some place that I can read up on someone else using an F body donor car in manner? What problems cannot be avoided? Thanks much!
10-11-2009, 03:08 PM
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You can use all of that stuff (well most of it) but the problem is you'll probably spend more on custom and fab work to get it work.
An A-body is the second most common LS1 swap platform behind the 67-72 f-body so you're in luck. Here's a few things that will help you.
1. gas tank with in tank pump; find a 92-96 Caprice or Impala SS tank. It's the same tank as the late 60s- early 70s A-bodies and is all setup up for a fuel injection hi PSI in tank pump. WAY cheaper than buying a Rock Valley tank.
2. Steering column, to get a quicker ratio steering column find one out of a 80's G-body like a Monte SS. The IROC's may work also but I cannot verify that.
3. Buy new motor mounts, you can use the fans, but the radiator will be trickey to mount. Might be easier to buy one from Be Cool or somebody with fans on them and sell the f-body ones to the truck and TB SS guys.
4. console, seats will work with some modifications. The dash might be too narrow. I've seen it installed in the 67-72 F-bodies but never an A-body. Just get a Covan's guage cluster with some nice autometer guages. They make them for the 64-67 Chevelle dash which should be similar to your Skylark.
5. The wiring harness can be reused with some modifications
6. Not sure on the pedals, might be easier to just sell them and buy A-body pedals as they are cheap.
7. AC, I'm sure you could get it to wook but vintage air is getting cheaper buy the day and is so much easier.
8. Basically take the engine/trans out of that 02 and interior that you want. Sell the rest (you'll make good money) and use that money to buy the parts you need.
Detriot Speed is a good source for info and parts. Street & Performance can give you good advice but their parts are so so and less quality than Detriot Speed. Start reading Super Chevy as every issue involves a 64-72 GM car with an LS engine swap. www.pro-touring.com is also a good site for info.
An A-body is the second most common LS1 swap platform behind the 67-72 f-body so you're in luck. Here's a few things that will help you.
1. gas tank with in tank pump; find a 92-96 Caprice or Impala SS tank. It's the same tank as the late 60s- early 70s A-bodies and is all setup up for a fuel injection hi PSI in tank pump. WAY cheaper than buying a Rock Valley tank.
2. Steering column, to get a quicker ratio steering column find one out of a 80's G-body like a Monte SS. The IROC's may work also but I cannot verify that.
3. Buy new motor mounts, you can use the fans, but the radiator will be trickey to mount. Might be easier to buy one from Be Cool or somebody with fans on them and sell the f-body ones to the truck and TB SS guys.
4. console, seats will work with some modifications. The dash might be too narrow. I've seen it installed in the 67-72 F-bodies but never an A-body. Just get a Covan's guage cluster with some nice autometer guages. They make them for the 64-67 Chevelle dash which should be similar to your Skylark.
5. The wiring harness can be reused with some modifications
6. Not sure on the pedals, might be easier to just sell them and buy A-body pedals as they are cheap.
7. AC, I'm sure you could get it to wook but vintage air is getting cheaper buy the day and is so much easier.
8. Basically take the engine/trans out of that 02 and interior that you want. Sell the rest (you'll make good money) and use that money to buy the parts you need.
Detriot Speed is a good source for info and parts. Street & Performance can give you good advice but their parts are so so and less quality than Detriot Speed. Start reading Super Chevy as every issue involves a 64-72 GM car with an LS engine swap. www.pro-touring.com is also a good site for info.
10-11-2009, 03:33 PM
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You can use all of that stuff (well most of it) but the problem is you'll probably spend more on custom and fab work to get it work.
An A-body is the second most common LS1 swap platform behind the 67-72 f-body so you're in luck. Here's a few things that will help you.
1. gas tank with in tank pump; find a 92-96 Caprice or Impala SS tank. It's the same tank as the late 60s- early 70s A-bodies and is all setup up for a fuel injection hi PSI in tank pump. WAY cheaper than buying a Rock Valley tank.
2. Steering column, to get a quicker ratio steering column find one out of a 80's G-body like a Monte SS. The IROC's may work also but I cannot verify that.
3. Buy new motor mounts, you can use the fans, but the radiator will be trickey to mount. Might be easier to buy one from Be Cool or somebody with fans on them and sell the f-body ones to the truck and TB SS guys.
4. console, seats will work with some modifications. The dash might be too narrow. I've seen it installed in the 67-72 F-bodies but never an A-body. Just get a Covan's guage cluster with some nice autometer guages. They make them for the 64-67 Chevelle dash which should be similar to your Skylark.
5. The wiring harness can be reused with some modifications
6. Not sure on the pedals, might be easier to just sell them and buy A-body pedals as they are cheap.
7. AC, I'm sure you could get it to wook but vintage air is getting cheaper buy the day and is so much easier.
8. Basically take the engine/trans out of that 02 and interior that you want. Sell the rest (you'll make good money) and use that money to buy the parts you need.
Detriot Speed is a good source for info and parts. Street & Performance can give you good advice but their parts are so so and less quality than Detriot Speed. Start reading Super Chevy as every issue involves a 64-72 GM car with an LS engine swap. www.pro-touring.com is also a good site for info.
An A-body is the second most common LS1 swap platform behind the 67-72 f-body so you're in luck. Here's a few things that will help you.
1. gas tank with in tank pump; find a 92-96 Caprice or Impala SS tank. It's the same tank as the late 60s- early 70s A-bodies and is all setup up for a fuel injection hi PSI in tank pump. WAY cheaper than buying a Rock Valley tank.
2. Steering column, to get a quicker ratio steering column find one out of a 80's G-body like a Monte SS. The IROC's may work also but I cannot verify that.
3. Buy new motor mounts, you can use the fans, but the radiator will be trickey to mount. Might be easier to buy one from Be Cool or somebody with fans on them and sell the f-body ones to the truck and TB SS guys.
4. console, seats will work with some modifications. The dash might be too narrow. I've seen it installed in the 67-72 F-bodies but never an A-body. Just get a Covan's guage cluster with some nice autometer guages. They make them for the 64-67 Chevelle dash which should be similar to your Skylark.
5. The wiring harness can be reused with some modifications
6. Not sure on the pedals, might be easier to just sell them and buy A-body pedals as they are cheap.
7. AC, I'm sure you could get it to wook but vintage air is getting cheaper buy the day and is so much easier.
8. Basically take the engine/trans out of that 02 and interior that you want. Sell the rest (you'll make good money) and use that money to buy the parts you need.
Detriot Speed is a good source for info and parts. Street & Performance can give you good advice but their parts are so so and less quality than Detriot Speed. Start reading Super Chevy as every issue involves a 64-72 GM car with an LS engine swap. www.pro-touring.com is also a good site for info.
When you mentioned the steering column you were talking about the gearbox right? If I mess with the TA cloumn dash and wiring harness, how do I ensure that I don't set off the airbags?
Dash - I thought I would take the gauge cluster and work it into the orginal dash. Looks like it should work or am I missing something?
Pedals - an original setup would use mechanical linkage which is why I thought I would adapt the whole set up from the trans am, may need to modify the push pin length because the firewall to pedal distance I'm sure will be different. You think an orginal pedal set up may work better?
As far as the radiator and ac condensors, I though I might be able to cut out the whole set up out of the TA and adapt it to the skylark radiator set by making a the hole large enough and marry the two together. Not possible?
Thanks again!!
06-02-2016, 09:19 PM
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Newbie here. I own a 98 TA WS6 which has given me a healthy respect for the LS1. My other car is a 64 skylark convertible which I am making into a custom. I just picked up a totalled out 02 TA LS1 6 speed car for a donor in the skylark.
I've been doing much research but have not been able find all the answers I'm looking for. I need to keep out of pocket costs down as much as possible and want to keep purchase part cost to a minimum. I am quite capable at fabrication and thinking I could use the entire car harness, gauges,complete AC, Radiator, fuel tank sending unit assembly, clutch and brake pedal assembly including slave and master cylinders, and possibly even the steering column.
Is there some place that I can read up on someone else using an F body donor car in manner? What problems cannot be avoided? Thanks much!
I've been doing much research but have not been able find all the answers I'm looking for. I need to keep out of pocket costs down as much as possible and want to keep purchase part cost to a minimum. I am quite capable at fabrication and thinking I could use the entire car harness, gauges,complete AC, Radiator, fuel tank sending unit assembly, clutch and brake pedal assembly including slave and master cylinders, and possibly even the steering column.
Is there some place that I can read up on someone else using an F body donor car in manner? What problems cannot be avoided? Thanks much!
06-03-2016, 10:37 AM
#6
TECH Enthusiast
You can pretty much use all of the above although I would question if you really would want to try to use the entire A/C, gauges, dash, and pedals. The rest is not hard at all. If you do go that route you may want to eliminate a number of things from the harness like the egr, ABS, defrost, and air bag depending if you want to use the column and the steering wheel. I would not try to put the dash in or use the A/C completely. If you do you will be looking at making some ducts unless you use the dash. I think you would be better finding a factory unit for inside the car and then tie into it with the new stuff. I have a pretty complete wiring spreadsheet if you guys are interested and have done this on a 69 keeping my interior intact by tying into the harness at the switches. One warning is that if you decide to remove the extra stuff from the harnesses it will take a while and is tedious. IF you don't you will have dangling connectors that go nowhere. You may be suprised how well the entire thing fits into the car.
