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Well this is going to be a slow cheap build but I'm pretty pumped. I had a pipe dream to swap my Camaro but then I met Robert and his turbo 4.8 Mustang at my local drag strip. He inspired me to get back to the project. My car is a 1978 Camaro, it's a factory 305/350 car with A/C I have all the original documentation back to when it left the factory. My engine is a 4.8 out of a 99 Silverado with 184,000 miles. I plan on doing ARP head studs, ls6 head gaskets, pac 1218 springs, some sort of turbo cam (I haven't decided yet), 80lb injectors, F-body oil pan, all china turbo used off of Roberts mustang (thanks for the deal Robert!), and possibly some other stuff I'm missing. I plan on having a decently built th400 and I'm unsure on my rear end and suspension so far. I'll upload some pictures tonight but for 17 I think I'm making pretty big moves!
I don't see any dumb part in this thread yet, and you'll probably get even smarter along the way.
Are you planing on taking the 4.8 apart to see the condition?
Yeah I’m going to pull the heads to install the better gaskets and head studs also I’ll pull the oil pan when I swap on a F-body pan so I’ll check it out then. It came out of a 99 Silverado with 180,000 miles so not terrible.
Well its been a while since I've posted anything mainly because of how little work I've done. The original 305 is long out and sold for more parts. I have just about everything I need to throw my 4.8 together. I have the original manifolds at my welding class at vocational school so I can use that time to get stuff on the car done. As soon as the motor is back together ill be putting it in the car and building my hot side. This is all extremely new to me but I'm learning along the way and hope to have a halfway fast car before I graduate.
Nice! Looking forward to seeing more progress. I have a 1975 camaro that has been my first car since my Dad and I bought it back in 1996, a couple of months ago I bought a 2000 Tahoe with a 5.3 to use as a donor for its guts. Your build reminds me of mine since I was 15 when I got my '75, I was able to get that 305 running very well with performance upgrades, even a full paint job on it by the time I was 18. I daily drove it until one day I bought a 1994 LT1 Trans Am (hence my username here at LS1Tech). That 305, even with bolt on mods was no match for my LT1 with just headers, exhaust and MSD box, so I started daily driving the T/A, then since the '75 spent most of the time just sitting, plates expired and it was left parked. Then in 2007 I bought my 1999 LS1 Trans Am, it did not make sense in keeping the LT1 since it was now going through the same phase as the '75, just parked getting no love at all. Sold the LT1 and have since kept the 1975 and the 1999 LS1. Hopefully the donor 5.3 makes into the '75's engine bay one day. Good luck on your build, you got one solid base already!
Well I welded some V-band clamps on my stock manifolds and painted them too. Also I painted up the factory top radiator bracket. One step at a time and I'll finally get it done.
So, it has been a long time since my last post but progress has been made! The engine is done and in the car its all little stuff and fuel injection stuff now. I cant wait to drive this pos.
They are "centerlines" but in all reality I think the rears are Outlaw 1s and the fronts are Progressives which are both centerline copies that I got good deals on. I think I have $180 in the whole wheel and tire setup.
They are "centerlines" but in all reality I think the rears are Outlaw 1s and the fronts are Progressives which are both centerline copies that I got good deals on. I think I have $180 in the whole wheel and tire setup.
05-21-2019, 01:01 PM
Young, Dumb, and Broke 1978 Camaro turbo 4.8 swap 
