zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Finally! After all the hassle of finding the title and its owner it is already home, waiting to come back to life after sitting out in the Texas heat. Like I said in my previous thread, 1979 Firebird Formula (NO TITLE) the guy that had the car did not have the title. Car is in overall great shape with still good paint left on it, only found two small dents on it after giving it a quick wash and rinsing off all the dirt and leafs and all kinds of crap. It has a Formula hood and T/A fenders, may be a Formula.

Now I'm stuck between going with an LS/T56 swap but I'm a little concerned about how long that would take and making all the wiring and gauges work properly, but this would be a sick ride! My second option is to get 400/th400 (found one on CL for $500 but the guy hasn't got back with me)combo until I can come up with the funds for an LS motor then reselling the 400/th400 combo.

Anyways I would like to get some info on what it would take to do the LS swap so I can calculate cost. I have read about some edelbrock mounting plates that go pnto the the old mounts (from what I understood), but it was done on a 1st gen camaro, are they the same as 2nd gen T/A's and firebirds? If I do go this route I would have to sell my DD for funds, or trade for LS/t56 combo, which I'm trying to sell either way to get going with this project.

All opinions and advice are welcome wether it be for old-school carbed or LS swap.

5-0stank

iTrader: (6)

I vote lsx, in the end I think you will be much happier. Even though it might take a little longer, or take some more money, it will be better. Believe me, I thought about taking the cheap way out w/ my 94 mustang. I was going to just swap another 5.0 in place of the blown up one, but I'm glad I chose to do the 5.3.

Just my 2 cents.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

That's what I'm thinking, either a 5.3, 5.7, or 6.0 but I'm hoping for a ls1 combo. I think the fastest way to get it on the road would be a ls1/4l60e or a 6.0/4l80e combo. This way I wont have to worry about pedals and all the hydraulics involved with a t56, although this is what eventually what will be in there.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Anybody use these before?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TRD-4595/

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

I made the same exact same thing for my swap using parts store mounts for a 1967 Camaro.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

So do you think these will work for an LS1?

mrtywalsh

iTrader: (1)

Transapt 4592 , not 1 inch set back work better on your second generation firebird.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Gen III / LS1 same engine setup. Those rubber mounts are for a 60's Camaro or Corvette, the metal adapter plates are what I made. Mine were made custom for my situation but weren't the 1" setback of these mounts. I don't know your car well enough to say what works but since mine was all custom I just put them where I wanted them.

He may be correct on this. You may look on Pro Touring, I think there is a guy with a 2nd gen F-body swap.

50kta

look on www.transamcountry.com i know for a fact there are a few guys that have done the swap to second gens.

MillsMotorvation

We are working on the same car! I sat my engine in yesterday to see how it would fit. It sit way to far forward, so i got to move mounts back about 5inch, but there's lots of room. It a (2002) 6.0, got a engine, harness, and PCM at salvage yard. I had to get a oil pan from JEGS.COM, Fuel pump, and so on. My car is a 81 TTA(NASCAR). I have the truck intake, and it sit to high! Good luck, i found a guy near me who is into LS, and he said he will flash my PCM once i get it installed, i re did my harness, im putting a TH350 trans back in, it will make the swap easier, i think. Im not good at loading pic,s but give me a cell #, and i will send it to someone who can put them up here.

JIMB

iTrader: (2)

I have a 79 Camaro with a LS1/4l60e. I purchased the S&P motor plates and used the 79 motor mounts. Fit well. the front of the oil pan missed the back of the cross member by 3/8". No reason not to move it back slightly. Plenty of room to the fire wall. Did mine 4 years ago so there wasn't lots of info. If I did it again I would make the motor plates out of 1/4" steel plate for about $10 in material and then move the motor to where I liked it and drill holes for the motor mounts. See attached pics.

PM me with any questions.

By the way the car is for sale. $19,000

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Damn! Wish I could check it out.

OMG!!! That car is sweet! S&P motor plates, are they a sponsor on here? I'll try searching them, but I'l send you a PM if I need more info.

Right now I'm just trying to get everything cleaned up nicely. Interior is out, needs some minor work on the drivers and passenger floorpans. Yesterday evening I started by taking out the bumper cover, needs some work by where the battery sits. I want to take all of the rusty stuff off the frame, sand it down and paint it to keep it from rusting again. Anybody recommend some good paint?

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Wow it's been a little over a month since I last touched the car due to work and the damn weather. If it wasnt raining, I was at work, if not at work, rain or other setbacks or just plain too tired to mess with it. I even thought about selling the car and cam my ws6, but I stuck with it. Took alot of searching and PATIENCE to find what I wanted.

Anyways like I had said before, what I wanted to buy first was the motor and tranny with income tax money. Well I've had the money for a while but just hadn't found the right deal, so it took alot of patience. Just a few weeks ago I ran into a CL ad that had a 98 camaro for parts, I asked the guy how much he wanted for the drivetrain and harness and he said $450 and I was like I went and checked it out and it wouldn't start and knocked as I was cranking it. So I told him to forget it. So for some reason this never came to mind, NEW SHORTBLOCK!! I would have been set. Anyways this car sold.

Fast forward to last night, it was around 11 or 11:30pm and I'm searching CL like always I sent a text to the number on the ad, I get a response and start asking bout the engine, tranny, blah, blah, blah. Well, today sfter I got out of work I hauled *** to to where he is at, about an hour drive or so. I start talking to him and I get all the details of the car and engine, he cranks the engine for the first time after it had been sitting for a month or so and truns right on. Around 60 psi on the cold start and was on for a good ten minutes before it starts to missfire, maybe plugs and wires, if not O2's. Other than that the motor sounded great and solid. So we set a price and made the deal.

I was also going to get a pewter ws6 hood and re-sell it, but then I asked myself, why get another ws6 hood if my car has one already? I sent the guy a text and asked him about his tan interior, $200 he responded. My response, deal!

So to get pretty much everything I needed took me a while, but I found it in one place at a bad *** price. Here is what I'm getting:

LS1 w/ 90k, complete
T56 and stock shifter w/ 90k w/ unknow mileage clutch
Wiring harness
PCM
Pedal assembly
master cylinder
brake booster
Tan leather seats, front and back.

Forgot to ask him about radiator and fans.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Just got back from picking up the LS1/t56 combo. I got a sweet deal, complete ls1 still on crossmember and all brake parts and steering rack, pacesetter headers, some welded on y-pipe, t56, radiator, cooling fans, wiring harness with abs and all the BS that was connected to it, pedals, booster and mastercylinder, aluminum driveshaft, red top optima battery, pcm, and a complete set of tan leather seats in damn good condition.

All this for $2000 Pics tomorrow if I can find the camera.

1976CamaroGuy

iTrader: (8)

I noticed your using F-body brackets, how did you get around the clearance issues against the pitman arm and alternator being mount in the stock location (down low, driver side of the engine)?

Thanks

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Stuff I bought for it, $2000

Jimbo1367

Looks good. Be sure to replace the radiator core support too. Are you going to detail everything as you go or just get it going and detail it at a later date?
Keep the pics coming.
Jim

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

I would really like to take care of everything under the hood before the motor goes in. Now, I don't know if I should get the subframe powdercoated or paint it with some rubberised paintable undercoating I saw at the parts store. The undercoating would be cheaper for now and would allow more money for the fuel system and other stuff that will be needed.

Jimbo1367

Thats why I was wondering if you would just get it running now, then down the road when money permits, tear it apart and detail it. I fight with that decision too. I was hoping to maybe have my swap all done this summer but two surgeries pushed it back to next summer

Either way............ good luck and TAKE PICS. lol

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

Thanks. Process will be a bit slow as money allows, but for sure I will be taking pictures.