03 5.3 In A 2000 V6 Firebird
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You can run a 4L60 from a truck as-is without swapping out the tailhousing from an LS1 4L60 if you use the Hooker transmission crossmember. If you look closely at the photo I previously posted of the 4L80 you can see that the torque arm is divorced from the transmission and mounted to the crossmember instead.
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My buddy that has the 2000 Firebird and 5.3 I am getting told me that the V6 transmission has a changeable bell housing. I can't find anything to either confirm nor deny that. (Since I haven't seen it myself.) If this is true, I should need the cross member or transmission adapters.
My buddy that has the 2000 Firebird and 5.3 I am getting told me that the V6 transmission has a changeable bell housing. I can't find anything to either confirm nor deny that. (Since I haven't seen it myself.) If this is true, I should need the cross member or transmission adapters.
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Yes, the bell housing is removable, however you are forgetting the fact that I told you the input shaft is different and requires disassembling the trans to swap it to an LS1 input shaft. Sell the trans from the v6 firebird and get a v8 trans, whether it be from a car or a truck.
Could I perhaps change the input shaft?
You'd have to source an input shaft from an LS style 4L60E, in that case you might as well source the whole transmission. If you haven't torn apart a 4L60E, I highly recommend that you don't start now unless you are up for the challenge and want to learn.
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My buddy is a mechanic and we are doing this project together. I love to learn about things I don't know about. The last tranny I tore apart was a 350 turbo that went into an El Camino I used to own. We were going to rebuild the tranny anyways and also put in Corvette servos.
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What do you think would be a better(and cheaper) option? Using the engine mounting brackets or finding a used LS1 K-member? Would the control arms and everything bolt up to the LS K-member?
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I think that would depend on what kind of deal you can find on the stock LS1 parts, but you'll need to carry over the brake system parts as well to be sure the swapped LS1 K-member/suspension/brake system is compatible with your car. You can spend some time on a GM parts website (like gmpartsdirect for example )cross referencing part numbers to see if the V6 and LS control arms are the same or not.
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You can run all the stock steering components, but you may need to install an LS1 steering rack and column if you want to run long-tube headers that are designed for 4th-gen LS1 cars. That would depend on the bend geometry of the specific long-tube headers you want to use, but I know the Hooker 4th-gen headers won't fit with the V6 rack and column. You can keep the stock steering rack and column for sure if you run stock LS1 exhaust manifolds.
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That’s going to depend on the bend geometry of the specific set of headers you have in mind and there’s no way for me to know which ones would fit and which ones won’t. The tighter they hug the block, the more likely they will be to clear the V6 steering shaft.
