Old Sedans to L Swap?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Old Sedans to L Swap? Hello, over the past year I have gotten into cars a fair amount, I was thinking about in the next few years ls swapping something but I'm not sure what and was wondering if you guys had any recommendations. There are a few criteria I would like it to meet
1. Sedan
2. Fairly simple (I do have a buddy who has probably built a new engine for his truck 5 times now that wants to help but no custom fab and stuff)
3. Considering my car probably has 4-5 years in it left, comfortable daily driver
4. Might get some hate but uh... automatic
1. Sedan
2. Fairly simple (I do have a buddy who has probably built a new engine for his truck 5 times now that wants to help but no custom fab and stuff)
3. Considering my car probably has 4-5 years in it left, comfortable daily driver
4. Might get some hate but uh... automatic
Last edited by PayJay; May 13, 2021 at 09:12 PM. Reason: Left something out
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,293
Likes: 3,617
From: Central Cal.
Find a late 60s-early 70s GM A body or X body (Nova or similar) and go for it.
Get a 5.3L truck engine with a 4L60E behind it, get the Holley swap parts, put it all together, and TA-DAAA!
Get a 5.3L truck engine with a 4L60E behind it, get the Holley swap parts, put it all together, and TA-DAAA!
Hidden trap here. You must zero in on what you want and stick with it. Old sedan means different things to different people. My "old sedan" is a '39 Chevy. To someone else it may mean tri-5s or mid '60s. It's what YOU want. If you want a 55 Chevy but accept a '60 Chevy there is a good chance it will never be finished. That's the trap.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Hidden trap here. You must zero in on what you want and stick with it. Old sedan means different things to different people. My "old sedan" is a '39 Chevy. To someone else it may mean tri-5s or mid '60s. It's what YOU want. If you want a 55 Chevy but accept a '60 Chevy there is a good chance it will never be finished. That's the trap.
Also yeah like I obviously want it to be something I like the appearance of but I’m more focused on under the hood, looking for something thats been documented and me and my buddy could probably swap in a weekend or 2 with a few cases of beer
Sounds like this will be your first swap, so I wouldn't count on getting it done in a couple of weekends. A first swap, even a well documented one will probably take you at least a month, if not several. Just an FYI.
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 199
Likes: 20
80's - 00's sedan, 78-87 or so G bodies come to mind. impala SS, caprice wagon. Plenty of BMW swaps
Pick what you like, in these years you may be upside down by the time you get a running driving swap and may end up owning for a long time or losing cash. If you can fab and tune yourself if prevents having to buy as many "kits"
mid 70's sedans are really nice cars. pre 1978 GM intermediate. cutlass, monte carlo, grand prix have a lot of engine bay space, allowing for less specialized, less costly mounts and headers oil pans etc.
Whatever vehicle you choose, see if you can use an F Body pan, china f body pans are very reasonably priced. Standard LS swap plates to GM mounts. Line up with a tuner and try to replicate a known tune and cam combo. Unless youre racing - someone else is using a setup that very close to what you need for a driver. Fuel tank, if theres anyway to get a factory efi tank either in your vehicle already, or swap into an older car, youre ahead on having to fab or buy one, stick with factory based fuel pumps if youre able.
Pick what you like, in these years you may be upside down by the time you get a running driving swap and may end up owning for a long time or losing cash. If you can fab and tune yourself if prevents having to buy as many "kits"
mid 70's sedans are really nice cars. pre 1978 GM intermediate. cutlass, monte carlo, grand prix have a lot of engine bay space, allowing for less specialized, less costly mounts and headers oil pans etc.
Whatever vehicle you choose, see if you can use an F Body pan, china f body pans are very reasonably priced. Standard LS swap plates to GM mounts. Line up with a tuner and try to replicate a known tune and cam combo. Unless youre racing - someone else is using a setup that very close to what you need for a driver. Fuel tank, if theres anyway to get a factory efi tank either in your vehicle already, or swap into an older car, youre ahead on having to fab or buy one, stick with factory based fuel pumps if youre able.
Last edited by indyjps; May 14, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
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"Old sedan" ...'80-2000! I only missed it by 60 years. Damn I'm getting old. At any rate, still some good info here. Go to some shows, find what really trips your trigger and then STICK WITH IT. Time to do the swap will expand and budget will expand even faster. Finally drive it and say "I did this".
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Add to the advice above - remember the relationship between the time it takes, the $ it costs and the quality of the build. Often referred to as 'you can have 2 of the 3': If you want a high quality swap, but don't have much time -- it's going to cost a TON of $. If you want a high quality swap, but don't have much $, it's going to take a TON of time. If you don't have much time or $, the quality is gonna suck. So - what do you have - what do you want?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 526
My advice is buy the best car you can afford as a starting point. Don't buy a rusty POS it will just add to time and cost. Take your time as you look. I looked for over 12 months before I bought my 1980 Camaro project. Have money in your pocket so if you see something your really want you have cash in hand. Cash talks.
As you are looking for the right car you could buy LS?/4l60E and check it over and have it ready to swap in when you find the right car.
As you are looking for the right car you could buy LS?/4l60E and check it over and have it ready to swap in when you find the right car.
Teching In
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 36
Likes: 15
From: Simi Valley, ca
Right! My advice is buy the best car you can afford as a starting point. Don't buy a rusty POS it will just add to time and cost. Take your time as you look. I looked for over 12 months before I bought my 1980 Camaro project. Have money in your pocket so if you see something your really want you have cash in hand. Cash talks.
As you are looking for the right car you could buy LS?/4l60E and check it over and have it ready to swap in when you find the right car.
As you are looking for the right car you could buy LS?/4l60E and check it over and have it ready to swap in when you find the right car.
