New to forum, diving into a Fox LS build
New to forum, diving into a Fox LS build I'm new to chevy motors and the LS in general. Last fall I finished a modular swap into a 86 coupe and wanted to try a new swap. I did some research on the LS1 but was very impressed with the potential of the 5.3 not to mention the price difference and availabilty of the 5.3. So I scored a good used truck motor that is almost complete(missing fuel rail and injectors and Alt). Now this is going to be a budget build. I want to try and beat the budget that was spent on the modular swap in the 86 which was somewhere around $2500 including what I paid for the car. So right now, I paid $300 for the motor, and $600 for 2 foxbody coupes. I plan to sell one of the coupes for at least $600, so basicaly I would end up with a free coupe and a $300 motor. So now I need to weigh my options. I do not have a wiring harness or ECU with the motor, or fuel rails and injectors. Do I piece together the parts I need to stay fuel injected? or do I just go carb. If I stay FI, what computer, harness ect do I go with? If I go carb, what do I lose or gain powerwise? I will be going with a mild cam(not sure which one) and most likely 4l60 trans that has been rebuilt with corvette gears(not sure what that means exactly since I know nothing about chevys).
Im guessing you will want to stay drive by cable. I would go with a 2002 setup which will include the 12200411 PCM mentioned above. The 0411 PCM is the most desired for a drive by cable setup. So you would just simply need a red/blue connector harness either new or used and that PCM. Keep in mind you will have to modify a factory harness to work, a new harness will be ready to rock and roll. 
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Joined: Apr 2011
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On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Lehigh Valley Pa
trans depends on power and highway use if you look around could can find a th400/350 with a stall converter and shifter for a couple hundred. A 4l60 can be built but you can get a 4l80 to hold a lot close to stock and can be ran by a factory ecu
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On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: Bowling Green, Missouri
I'm new to chevy motors and the LS in general. Last fall I finished a modular swap into a 86 coupe and wanted to try a new swap. I did some research on the LS1 but was very impressed with the potential of the 5.3 not to mention the price difference and availabilty of the 5.3. So I scored a good used truck motor that is almost complete(missing fuel rail and injectors and Alt). Now this is going to be a budget build. I want to try and beat the budget that was spent on the modular swap in the 86 which was somewhere around $2500 including what I paid for the car. So right now, I paid $300 for the motor, and $600 for 2 foxbody coupes. I plan to sell one of the coupes for at least $600, so basicaly I would end up with a free coupe and a $300 motor. So now I need to weigh my options. I do not have a wiring harness or ECU with the motor, or fuel rails and injectors. Do I piece together the parts I need to stay fuel injected? or do I just go carb. If I stay FI, what computer, harness ect do I go with? If I go carb, what do I lose or gain powerwise? I will be going with a mild cam(not sure which one) and most likely 4l60 trans that has been rebuilt with corvette gears(not sure what that means exactly since I know nothing about chevys).
Also, you should check out Hybrid-Pony.com ...nothing but engine swapped mustang stuff. Good luck with the build!
Sounds like you have a decent plan together already. I'm sure the transmission has a corvette servo as that's a common upgrade. Like most on here, I would prefer EFI and go with what the others have recommended. The trans choice to me is tricky. Since you already have a trans I would just save money and use it. It has overdrive so you don't have to worry about the highway and should last a while in a lighter mustang. I don't think I would like only having a 3 speed trans because I want to drive mine a lot.
Also, you should check out Hybrid-Pony.com ...nothing but engine swapped mustang stuff. Good luck with the build!
Also, you should check out Hybrid-Pony.com ...nothing but engine swapped mustang stuff. Good luck with the build!
I'll have to check that sight out. I may fit right in there with the modular swap and now this one. Which, now that the weather has been nice I have finally been able to break the mod fox out and drive it. I am very pleased with it! Which only makes me look even more forward to completing the LS swap.
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: Bowling Green, Missouri
I understand your desire to go with a manual. I just simply couldn't afford to pay $1500 for a T56 and then more to make it work by converting the car to hyd. clutch. This is the same reason many don't use the T5...you have to get a quicktime conversion bell housing which will run you around $500 I believe and then a different pilot bearing, 11" clutch dish I believe, and other odds and ends. The T5 is too cheap of a trans to justify all the needed swap parts IMO but it would still be fun. You really can't go wrong with a $100 4L60. I am going with a manual valve body in mine to make it more fun. Just another option.
I understand your desire to go with a manual. I just simply couldn't afford to pay $1500 for a T56 and then more to make it work by converting the car to hyd. clutch. This is the same reason many don't use the T5...you have to get a quicktime conversion bell housing which will run you around $500 I believe and then a different pilot bearing, 11" clutch dish I believe, and other odds and ends. The T5 is too cheap of a trans to justify all the needed swap parts IMO but it would still be fun. You really can't go wrong with a $100 4L60. I am going with a manual valve body in mine to make it more fun. Just another option.
i have a throttle body for $40 shipped if you want it. also, for headers look at the hedman 45840. they fit great and cost half what the dynatech and kooks cost. jegs have them for $380 shipped. are you keeping the stock kmember or going tubular?
I'm starting to lean toward going carb. I'm thinking that it might end up being the cheaper way to go by the time I buy a wiring harness, ECU and all the other good stuff I need to make the EFI work.
If you go with a carb you will have alot more hair on your head when your done.....you will also have more money in your pocket when done.....You also gain HP with a carb....but use a Prosystems carb........you can also save a little money if you use the front mount distributor conversion and they work excellent...and now your car will be lighter......now you don`t have to worry about MSD boxes going bad or coil packs going bad or bad signals from the reluctor wheel......
Thanks for all of the advice guys. I'm still in the planning stages. One thing I am trying to decide is do I paint it right away? Before I do the motor? Or should I put it together and pull everything before paint and reinstall everything. Right now, the motor is on the back burner as I don't really have the extra cash to throw at it. I'll put the other coupe together and sell it and use the funds to build this one. I'm hoping for nice weather this weekend(weatherman says otherwise) so I can get some pics and maybe start an official build thread some day.
I was wondering about this, whether I would lose or gain power with carb intake. And again, I think I am going to go with just Ls6 cam and springs to save $ on top of I want the car to be streetable and safe for the wife to drive as she can't drive stick and she loves my 86 but can't drive it.