Background: My 2001 Z28 has been t-boned. I have a 1993 Z28 minus drivetrain and front clip. I'm making 1 car out of 2.

Does anyone know what parts need to be changed over? I am swapping the k-member including engine and trans from the 01 Z to the 93 Z. Does anyone know any tips or hints that could make this a little less painfull of a project? Thanks in advance.

 

Nobody eh?

 

Somebody hook this brotha up.

 

Insurance not paying for it?

 

Moving over to the Hybrid section.

 

Well lets just say that I haven't told them. Plus I want to go a different route. I want a decently optioned daily driver now. Sometimes it sucks driving the boat around with skinnies and no sway bar, along with other weight saving mods. Not what I originally bought the 01 Z for. After the quarter panel is cut off and replaced the car will continue in it's primary roll of drag car. Albiet with more modded LS1 and an auto trans.

 

Just finishing my 94Z28 project

Glad to hear that you're not afraid of a little work (you did say that, right?).

Seriously, it has been a lot of work since I bought the 94 roller at Labor day. I have gutted the interior and completely redone mine. 99 Camaro dash. 98 Formula interior for remainder (it was in better shape than the 94 Camaro).

Wiring is a big deal. There are three basic wiring harnesses -- the engine harness, the front body harness, and the rear body harness. You'll need to swap all three. For the front body harness, that is not so bad. Since you're going from Camaro to Camaro yours might be a little easier than mine, but be ready to graft in some different connectors for lights, etc.

The engine harness is easy as it goes with the engine.

The rear harness (from the dash rearward) is a lot of work. Takes about a full day to two days to gut the interior, take the dash off, rewire the entire dash with the new (from your 2001) rear body harness and put it back together. You might just want to swap dashs, if the 2001 was not too damaged. If you don't do the rear harness and the associated 2001 gauge cluster you'll have a mess at the through the firewall junction points on the right and left side of the dash (the wiring will not nearly match), and also most of your gauges will not work (99+ moved to mostly serial data interfaces). Trust me, dash exchange with the rear harness is the way to go.

There is one more harness -- the cross body harness. This one brings the door wiring and a few other things to the Body Control Module and interfaces with the rear harness. I left the 94 cross body harness in the car and have had no problems.

Other thoughts:

Yes, there are K member differences. You must plan on swapping the K member from the 2001 to the 93. Hopefully it was not tweaked in the 2001 wreck. If your wreck was from the rear, you might want to move the entire front end (a-arms, calipers, etc.). Removal is easy -- 3 bolts each side, and 4 bolts with each strut tower, then lift the car up (I used an engine lift).
You can remove the engine from either the bottom or the top. BUT, since you will have to change the K member, then you should go from the bottom. You'll need a front end alignment, but you're not going to avoid this anyway due to the K member swap.

You should swap all the brake and fuel lines, as well as the plastic (99+) tank and pump. Since you're swapping the brake lines, the ABS modulator will go from the 2001 to the 93 also. Make sure to keep the sheet metal shielding for the engine bay fuel lines.

You should change the steering wheel so that your wheel/key match the BCM -- unless you are going to reprogram your 2001 PCM to bypass the VATS system. While you're changing the rear body harness/dash, changing the steering wheel is no biggie.

Now is the time to consider lightening the car (if you race). Mine is considerably lightened by removing bumpers, heat/airconditioning, ductwork, carpet insulation, etc. You're going to gut it anyway, so if you race a lot, you might want to think about it.

Since the engine is out, consider doing any engine work now (cam, heads, headers) unless you already have them done. It's a whole lot easier with the engine out and on a stand.

I left the 94 body front clip on mine. If you leave the 93 front clip, you will have problems clearancing the 2001 air induction (both lower air frame that braces the radiator on the top and the air induction lid). The clearance on my 94 is MUCH less than my 98, and I have an aftermarket cowl induction hood on the 94Z28 too. If you change the front clip and go the the 2001 hood you might not have the problem I faced. If you don't go with the later clip and new hood, and don't have another aftermarket hood for the 93 that gives you the clearance, then you'll have to figure this one out.

Rear ends should swap. Mine 94 roller came with a Ford 9" rear end, so I have a few more challanges.

If you don't change rears and/or add headers, you should be able to use the 2001 exhaust. Or maybe (like me) you want to change. I'm going to go with a 3" Y to a 3.5" intermediate and to a single 4" Magnaflow race muffler.

It's not too hard. But it is a lot of hard work. None of this is impossible. Access to the (in my case 1998) GM service manuals is invaluable!

 

The k-member, engine, front suspension, brakes, front clip, dashboard, A/C, rear axle and all the monsoon system are going to the other car. I am getting fog lights, cruise control, dash hatch popper, power door panels, power seats and power mirrors as add on's to the 93 as the 01 car was optioned without these things. It looks like all the plugs are there already, just plug and play. The 93 is already gutted too except for the dash, column and wiring. Only the right rear was damaged on the 01, so everything is good except the rear end of the car. I am not doing any lightening of the 93 as the 01 will be thouroghly lightened after everything is swapped over. Well, looks like I have more wiring to do than I wanted.

Anyone know about the redundant radio controls on the steering wheel? I don't have them on my 01, but want them on my 93. Can I just buy a wheel with the controls on it, or do I need a whole column? Also, does anyone know about the instrument cluster? I want to leave the 01 one in the 01 and buy a new one for the 93. That way I don't get the mileages mixed up or anything. Will the computer throw a fit?

Thanks for the replies.

 

You'll need the 01 instrument cluster to match the 01 PCM and wiring. Just try the junk yards. Or I have seen aftermarket ones set up with white backgrounds.

I have the 98 Formula steering wheel in mine, with the radio controls. The controls work, but remember I have all the 98 Formula wiring, and the Monsoon radio too.

Email me and I can send pics of the car and the engine install.

pat

 

You may be better served by just trying to find a 2000-02 Camaro steering column complete . That would would certainly be the EASIEST thing to do as all the parts wouls already be there . If not , the column from your 01 would work with a few changes . You would need to buy an air bag clockspring for a car that is supposed to have radio controls . And that would have to be swapped into your 01 column . The wires for the Airbag , radio controls and horn all go thru this clock spring . You will beable to see the clockspring when the steering wheel is removed , its a plastic disc right at the top of the column . You understand exactly what Im trying to explain .
I have never seen a non-radio contols column apart , so it is a possiblity the clock spring in the 01 column u have is already pre-wired for the radio controls . Given the fact that airbag wiring goes through there , I seriously doubt it though .
Other things to consider , if your 2001 did not have a monsoon radio you most likely have to have the correct monsoon radio harness . You may luck out here to , as the radio controls plug may already be pre-wired . GM seemed to do that with a few things .
If the your 2001 had a base radio , and there was nothing pre-wired what I would do is just buy an entire dash harness from a 2000-02 car that already had all the stuff you want as trying to splice in everything you need would just be pure hell to say the least .

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Derek
95 Trans Am convertible w/2001 Ram Air front clip
12.03@113 ...untuned