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5.3 to Corvette conversion - this budget reasonable?
Hi,
For my swap I need an engine that has CTS-V spacing and carintake.
Have I captured all the needed items to convert a 5.3 alu engine into a 5.3 "Car" engine?
Not sure about exhaust yet. But it seems like the OEM camaro manifolds, aftermarket cats and OEM porsche muffler works well.
Traditional long tube headers is going to be hard (911, engine in the back facing the wrong way). Maybe some shorty headers or huggers could work as well. The Porsche mufflers sits nicely under the fenders.
Fuel delivery will be Porsche pump and C5 regulator with aftermarket fuel rail (needed for clearance). There is a write up on it and doesn't seem to be that hard.
for what it's worth, I got most of a 1999 z28 camaro for $1700 (including LS1 and 4l60e) with 145k on the clock
sold a few bits and bobs off the car, scrapped the carcass, by the time all was said and done around $1500 for a well functioning ls1/4l60e combo with fbody accessory drive. This was a pretty good deal admittedly but they can be had.
That $3100 will turn into $5100 really quick. Fuel system, belts, hoses, fluids, exhaust, then factor in $500-$1000 for all the parts you dont know you need yet.
Considering what you are doing, AND that you are looking at just using a 5.3.... have you considered starting with an LS4? Those are a 5.3 aluminum car engines for the FWD applications. Aluminum block, Flat tops, 799/243 heads, car intake with 30# injectors, It's got a different bellohusing pattern, IIRC (the 60* V6 pattern) but if you are using an adapter, you might be able to work with it. Its designed to be as compact as possible. Even shorter accessory drive than a vette/cts-v setup.
To be fair, his post was the cost to convert a truck 5.3 into a car engine intake/accessories, not the cost to swap a whole vehicle. Its not gonna cost $7000 to put a car intake and FEAD on it.. (Cam costs and fuel filter shouldn't be there either, technically).
I would think the point others mentioned above is valid: For the money, you may be better served by finding a Corvette or CTS-V LS1, LS2, or LS6. You've outlined $3k to get an aluminum block with a car intake and short accessory drive (and yeah, probably need to swap the deep truck pan for something shallower). You might be able to find a complete engine with everything you need. Sometimes spending more is less in the long run. LS3 would be nice, although not likely in that price range.
I assume you've done the homework on the horizontal/vertical positioning of the AC compressor and alternator on which drive you need, and not just the offset spacing of the pulleys.
To be fair, his post was the cost to convert a truck 5.3 into a car engine intake/accessories, not the cost to swap a whole vehicle. Its not gonna cost $7000 to put a car intake and FEAD on it.. (Cam costs and fuel filter shouldn't be there either, technically).
I would think the point others mentioned above is valid: For the money, you may be better served by finding a Corvette or CTS-V LS1, LS2, or LS6. You've outlined $3k to get an aluminum block with a car intake and short accessory drive (and yeah, probably need to swap the deep truck pan for something shallower). You might be able to find a complete engine with everything you need. Sometimes spending more is less in the long run. LS3 would be nice, although not likely in that price range.
I assume you've done the homework on the horizontal/vertical positioning of the AC compressor and alternator on which drive you need, and not just the offset spacing of the pulleys.
Thanks everyone.
>For the money, you may be better served by finding a Corvette or CTS-V LS1, LS2, or LS6
This is exactly what I am trying to figure out, I read constantly how people manage to get a swap for cheap by using a truck engine but maybe that doesn't work in my case.
Seems like I will start with a car engine. A CTS-V engine would be easiest (has accessories in the right place), a LS3 would be coolest.
I guess the truck swap makes sense if you can just drop it in without fiddling to much with it.
I replaced the corvette fuel filter with a adjustable fuel pressure regulator and a second fuel pump relay activated by the starter wire .Car is a 1999 Porsche 996 /ls6 .The early 996's have a return fuel line which made it easy .I could not get the corvette regulator below 65 psi .The reason for the second relay is that the fuel pressure drops too quickly after the initial prime .
On my 1966 GTO swap I replaced the corvette fuel filter/regulator and in tank noisy fuel pump with a Ricks fuel tank with a 5th gen camaro fuel pump module which is internally regulated, it is very quiet and has O.E.M. reliability and is available at almost all local parts houses and definitely available at any G.M. dealership, it eliminates the return line to the tank that the corvette fuel filter/regulator has which also eliminates one more possible fuel leak. I purposefully added only a gallon of gas and it still worked great with no fuel starvation on turns, performed just like a modern car would.
If you are boosted and need more volume you can step up to a CTSV fuel pump module, if you want to or have to keep your stock tank and don’t want to spend money on a stainless fuel tank Ricks also makes stamped steel tanks for many popular car models that are ready for drop in modern fuel modules. They and others also sell the stamped fuel module trays that accept the modern fuel modules that can be welded into your existing tank if you have the skills and necessary depth for the fuel module.
For my swap I need an engine that has CTS-V spacing and carintake.
Have I captured all the needed items to convert a 5.3 alu engine into a 5.3 "Car" engine?
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5.3 to Corvette conversion - this budget reasonable? 
