What's up guys, I'm about to start a fox body coupe LS swap budget build and would like to know which kit is the best for the money! I've found three kits with my research and reading build threads on here.
AJE PACKAGE-$799 Includes Kmember,Aarms,coil overs,engine mounts
TEAM Z PACKAGE-$739 Includes Kmember,Aarms,coil overs, no mounts
BRP kit-$499 Includes motor mounts, tranny mounts, hardware
If anybody else knows of any other available kits please post them with info. I think this info will help anybody starting a fox body LS swap. Any info is much appreciated!

 

I've used the AJE kit a lot, we sell alot of their items in my store. Fitment always seems really good especially with the Kooks headers we match with them.

Good luck with the build! Love LSX foxes!

 

Im in the same boat. Seems AJE was hit and miss for awhile but seem to have got it together now. Team Z has always been TOP NOTCH for everything. AJE's a-arm setup is a little janky from some things I have read on here with the bushings and whatnot. AJE is designed around Kooks headers which are pretty pricey. Team Z is designed around Dynatech, bout a $100 bucks cheaper than Kooks. With all that being said I think I will run Team Z stuff. Its pretty new and not sure anyone on here has ran it yet.

 

I have been researching this as well, I am going with the AJE K and am going to try an retain the stock control arms to keep costs down. I really dont want/need coil overs at this point. My concern is that the headers are known to have a clearance issue (at least Dynatechs) with the factory control arm. Seems you save $ on one end and cost some on the other end...... Keep us posted with what you go with, I read this section every day in an effort to see what works and what does not.


-Wes

 

Not trying to derail your thread but you also have an oil pan to address. All of them fit minus the GTO pan and the truck pan hangs down pretty low. Is anyone using the Hummer pan? Its a tad shorter than the truck and comes in the GMPP muscle car kit for $130 bucks. Way cheaper than a used F-body pan.

 

Im having trouble finding the right car on my budget. so far
80K mile 2004 4.8 $400
Dynatech headers $400
LS1 oil pan/pickup $40
LS1 intake $25
I have a buddy selling me a rebuilt turbo350 trans with 4K stall for $350.00 Now if I could find a roller that hasnt been banged up or twisted I'd buy the AJE K member.

 

Heres a link to a thread in the carb section. They used the BRP kit and headers and everything fit great with the stock kmember.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/carburete...3-foxbody.html

 

PM sent. Maybe that will help ya.

 

My fox already has a tubular front end, but set up for a ford, I hope I can find a work around without buying every thing again.

 

I would really like to see a budget/junkyard LSX fox body build with a spreadsheet of all parts bought and price list. I think it's very possible to build a 10sec with a small shot LSX fox body for under $5000. Feel free to post links to any budget builds. What's the advantage of using a tubular k member kit over the brp kit which is cheaper?

 

Just do a search on here labeled Mustang or Foxbody. There are quite a few on here that are pretty budget minded. I was planning to do mine pretty budget minded to start with but already bought a set of LS3 heads to go on it......LOL! And remember what one man has to pay for something the next man has to pay twice that amount.

As far as the BRP stuff its for your factory Kmember. With aftermarket K you get WAY more room to work around stuff under there and you shed some fat in the process. Kill two birds with one stone.

 

couldnt be done that cheap..least not right nore track legal.could be done if you wanted to make a one hit pass and maybe take out the guy next to you an eat the wall..you would snap axle though off the line more then likely and then get a good idea why c clip elems are made.if u have a caged chassis with work done suspension wise an such already then you could come in around 5k..


building a 12 sec car is nothing like building a 10 sec car..faster you want to go the more costly the **** gets with needing saftey **** and sfi ****..An half assing it at first only cost you more money not far down the rd.

 

Yeah you would have $5K wrapped up in it before you ever dropped the motor in it UNLESS you just had parts laying around the shop. Just a good fuel system runs $5-750 bucks and thats not counting a tank. Rear end to support the HP.....around $1K. Cage kit is around $750-1000 bucks, and thats counting on your having a nice welder and being able to run it. Tires and wheels $500 at cheapest (used). Transmission and converter, $1500. Then you got driveshaft, shifter, gauges, etc.

 

Yep just the trans/converter,built rear end an the cheapest route you could take suspension wise would have you at 3k..now fuel system,n2o system,motor,harness,chassis,tires,tuning will toss you way over..

My car im doing now will be around 10k said an done an that's with me building my motor,trans,rear,tuning,wiring an such..i could of done the car for about 2k less but i wanted nice heads instead if ported stockers an have all adj tube suspension **** on it..but because i got a **** ton of deals on my car an do my own work to do a copy of it would put some one around 15-17k

An im running a stock short block for now..next short ill have another 3k into that..**** ads up really fast

 

Here's a rough rundown of my project so far. Yes, there are many areas I could have avoided costs (cam, wiring harness, torque converter, upgraded heads.....) but if I didn't do these upgrades now I'd probably never get around to them.


Spent so far:

95 GT- $2800
2000 LS1/4L60 pullout - $1800
AJE k-member, mounts, & trans crossmember - $557
Circle D 3200 RPM 278mm torque converter - $395
2010 camaro exhaust manifolds - $100
243 heads - $410
GM MLS head gaskets & tty bolts - $60

Still need:

Fuel filter and fittings – about $150
Trans rebuild - $500 (not taking a gamble on the trans)
Wiring harness - $500
f-body radiator & hoses - $250
cam/springs/pushrods/lifters - $750

Total - $8272. This doesn't include the walbro 255 that came with the car or all of the misc. nickel and dime parts needed.

Could you run a 10.X for $5K, I think so but you'd need some deals on used parts, a cheap *** donor car, and the willingness to cut every unneeded pound out of the car. What ever happened to Billy, he ran some serious numbers on a budget???

 

I'm talking about a 10sec carb lsx swap, there's a build thread with a red carbed hatch on here running 10s with a 5.3 ms2 cam, valve springs, used $100 converter, and gas. I've seen a lot of decent rollers on craigslist lately for $1000-1500 some with welds already on them and upgraded 8.8s. Then u got a junk yard 5.3 I've bought several from local bone yard for $250-350, used trans with converter $300 allay craigslist, used intake, carb, msd box, $500, fuel system on classifieds right now for $250, k mem and trans mem $350-400 used, or fabricate ur own way cheaper, $200 used headers, ect. Your right it might not be track legal but I think it could be done. Especially with some lucky finds at the local swap meet like my fully built ls6 I bought with a broken starter ear for $500!

 

he has over 5k in the car..the cage probley ran him 1500-2k alone

like i said and the guy above its not going to happen and if done it will be a death trap or you will blow **** up and break stuff right away,so what good is that and why build a car not track legal?to be able to beat your chest and say its a 10 sec car but yet when called out on it,you wont be able to go to the track an prove it or if you try an sale it you wont be able to prove it to the buyer at the track because your not allowed there anymore..pointless..trust me your better off to do it right the first time.yeah it cost more money up front but it saves you money in the long run..

trust me im all for budget builds an i was doing one at first.but i new i didnt want to buy **** twice..nothings worse then buying **** only to make some hits and go **** i need better stuff an having to buy **** all again.

remember this to..you may not care if its safe and legal an go to just make a pass..but that guy next to you might have every spare dime hes ever had put into his car an did it right, to be able to enjoy his hobby an you will maybe clip him because you got into your own fluids or snapped a axle and now hes left with a heap an hospital bills maybe because you didnt care about your **** but never thought about some one else **** or life.or you send your **** into a wall and are now out all the cash you just spent on the chassis and ****.what good is that.

 

$200 used headers, LOFL! Dream on buddy, been looking for a set for over a year, good luck.

 

****, if somebody took "****" out of your vocabulary you'd be **** out of luck.



Just giving you ****, you make some very good points. Safety should become a concern prior to clicking off a 10.

 

i was on the ******* when i was typing that so i had a **** load on my mind