Caddy83

Has anyone here installed an LS engine in a Cadillac from the 80's. I have a 2 door brougham with a 4.1L V8 engine RWD. I was planning on installing a LT1 from a 96 impala ss. After reading on the impala ss forum and the cadillac forum, best thing to do is have a more modern drivetrain like an LS power plant. Any pointers on were to start. Or if anyone knows of anybody who has done this conversion, please send me a link or an attachment so I can begin with my research. Thanks guys!! OH!!! I live in Norwalk/cerritos CA about 10 minutes south of Long Beach and 10 minutes east of L.A

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Did you forget about the answers given on the same topic you posted four years ago?
LSX swap into a 83 Caddy Fleetwood brougham

I'm all about sharing knowledge and helping where I can. With that said, I'm also not not trying to be a jerk but...

• If you had the skills, it would already be done.
• If you had the money, you could have sent it to someone (there are far too many options to list on this)
• If you truly had the drive, you could have made one of the first two options happen.

I realize today is a different day and we are all in a different (hopefully better) place than four years ago. However a little research and a lot of effort on your part goes a long way. There is no magic bullet, it's all custom which means trial and error. Sometimes a LOT of error.

In short, we can't help you if you can't help yourself. If you want someone to build the car for you, start saving cash. If you want to build the car yourself, it could have been done several times over between your original post and now.

********************

PS:
What is even funnier is I just remembered I've actually done a swap on one of these cars between when you posted this thread and now. Total cake swap. It took longer to get certain parts we ordered than the physical work did and it was so easy (compared to some others) I had completely forgotten about it.

Caddy83

gofastwclass do you have a write up on this conversion. Can you send a link thanks

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

You have too good of a memory, I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday...

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

I can see by the way you ask questions what you are looking for is a parts list or formula for a successful swap. We can't give you this because it's different for every swap by every person and may change as goals or knowledge changes.

I didn't make a build topic for the car. The owner didn't want everyone to know about it and I have to respect his decision. There are several projects I've worked on with no build topics for various reasons. I have a few in-process pictures but honestly between respect for the vehicle's owner I won't share them. Add the fact that it was one of the simpler swaps I've been part of, there simply wasn't anything amazing to take photos of beyond the car itself. The coolest part was the car has a custom paint job which was also the biggest challenge because I had to work around that and not scratch anything.

For parts the car was a basic "I'm doing a swap" with a few owner chosen upgrades. The main complication is the engine was a drive by wire truck motor with stock intake and he wanted to keep it that way so a fabricator friend of mine made a bolt in custom mount to keep the throttle pedal at the right position and angle while I was doing other bits. The owner also didn't want to hassle with finding and changing intakes so we made the factory truck intake fit under the stock hood.

I think I mentioned this in your previous topic, there is a topic in the sticky section about budget swaps by MeanYellowZ. Only read the parts by MeanYellowZ and pretty much ignore the rest (first two or three pages). If you can't comprehend that and make it fit your car, I hate to bring bad news but doing a swap like this isn't for you. The other option is paying someone to do the hard / dirty work and you enjoy their labour.

Yeah, but ask me something important like which belt or oil filter one of my custom cars uses...

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

Labour? What are you canadian now? Maybe British?

I can't remember oil filter numbers either, I must be getting old.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

LS1Nova71.. you must have that "Age Related" issue called CRS (Can't Remember ****).... I am slowly getting there too ! LOL...

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Hahaha. It comes from a British ex and a Canadian coworker. We would get in comedic discussions about how to spell things from time to time... I guess this means they won!

I make an Excel spreadsheet that goes in each car with all the vital stuff like that. The problem is I usually forget to put it back.

omc8

iTrader: (7)

Cant remember **** Well today I was trying to remember where a set of heads were , after about 3 hours of searching I finally found them they were still on the motor and I totally forgot about. This tells me 2 things my memory is getting bad and I have too much ****.

Caddy83

any write ups for this conversion will be a good start for me. I need to start getting parts together.

reedld

iTrader: (7)

Before you get ANY parts...remember that you live in California. ANY engine swap needs to be checked and inspected by the SMOG police.

That being said...I think the LS family engine swap is out of the question or extremely difficult in your state. A guy on nastyz28 (from Cali) chose to do a LT1 over the LS family because it was cheaper and easier to pass. Check your DMV site or go to an emission inspection center FIRST!!

brewster240

iTrader: (1)

i think they guy that chose the lt just didnt do much research.

you can buy kits to put ls in that are smog legal. if youre savy you can piece it together yourself.

my ls swap passes obd2 inspection in ny, which i admit isnt as bad as california, is still pretty difficult to get swapped cars newer than 96 inspected in.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

I agree with brewster240. Cheaper and easier? Possibly, but likely only because it's older so the requirements to pass are lower. Bczee has a few Gen III / IV swapped cars as does Stucool and several others on this board.

The ERod package from GM is 50 state smog legal and even if you don't use it I believe the rules say something like engine or vehicle, whichever is newer. This would mean all the EGR and EVAP stuff most of us toss would have to stay.

This all gets back to my original point in this and the OP's four year old thread I linked which I basically say "where there is desire and motivation there is a way." I've talked to guys in Australia and their inspection process for modified vehicles makes most of ours look like we don't have one.

reedld

iTrader: (7)

The erod swap is real nice..but real pricey! That eliminates a lot of hot rodders. I believe the guy on nastyz28 chose LT over LS mainly due to the obdI vs obdII... I'm just glad in NY I am not in the same boat! I don't know the CA rules, I just know that they are the strickest of any state, not just a few counties BUT the entire state! Rules apply to all vehicles 1975 and earlier.

I don't think the OP is informed enough...4 years ...same question...no progress. That's why I suggested he speak with a smog ref.

brewster240

iTrader: (1)

again, you can do it it without buying the expensive e-rod swap.

obd 2 is better than obd1 in my opinion, not a plus.

T76s10

iTrader: (6)

1. move out of California
2. wing it on the swap and learn for yourself
3. drive it

Caddy83

is there a shop in southern Ca (norwalk/Cerritos) that have experience with these type of conversions. I can probably take them the car and see what they can come up with. Need a shop who has experience with ls conversions. Thanks guys