In need of advice
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3
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In need of advice Hey Guys,
I am in need of some advice. I have and would consider myself a big time car enthusiest, and own a 1988 Camaro IROC. The TPI that came with it has recently s*** the bed for lack of a better term, so now i am debating my options on what to do. Its an auto, but before the recent difficulties I had been looking into swapping it for a T-56. Now the plan has been extended to an LS1. Only issue is limited knowledge and money. I would just like to hear any information as to how much cost (outside of just engine and tranny) and labor im looking at, and whether with limited expenses if I would be better to just drop a crate 350 in it. Any advice on the whole idea would be appreciated too.
Thanks
I am in need of some advice. I have and would consider myself a big time car enthusiest, and own a 1988 Camaro IROC. The TPI that came with it has recently s*** the bed for lack of a better term, so now i am debating my options on what to do. Its an auto, but before the recent difficulties I had been looking into swapping it for a T-56. Now the plan has been extended to an LS1. Only issue is limited knowledge and money. I would just like to hear any information as to how much cost (outside of just engine and tranny) and labor im looking at, and whether with limited expenses if I would be better to just drop a crate 350 in it. Any advice on the whole idea would be appreciated too.
Thanks
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: shasta lake, north cali
it sounds like you would be better off to just put another tpi motor in it if you are worried about cost. you could probably get a decent one for around 1500 and you already have the equipment. an ls1 would be around 3500-4500 for the drop out and then you have to make it work. they are cool with an ls1 in them but that is a lot of work. search some of the threads for 3rd gens and see what you come up with. much easier to beef up a tpi and slap it in then to go with the swap also.
Also.. depending where you live and if your going to drive the car daily. SMOG laws.
FYI.. for you TPI motor.. I don't beleive that GM has a direct replacement Crate motor.. so, your left with a rebuild, unless your willing to go with a GM aftermarket Crate and hold all passes the SMOG laws.
Can't tell you what is involved or what it will cost to do the Gen III swap. But I have at lease $5+k involved to swap it into my Chevelle. (new and donor parts) and that is doing it on the Cheap. Clutch, Hyd's, mounts, fuel system conversion, cooling system, electrical, etc..
So.. if cost is a big factor.. just rebuild what you got. but if you got the $$$ and time.. go for it..
FYI.. for you TPI motor.. I don't beleive that GM has a direct replacement Crate motor.. so, your left with a rebuild, unless your willing to go with a GM aftermarket Crate and hold all passes the SMOG laws.
Can't tell you what is involved or what it will cost to do the Gen III swap. But I have at lease $5+k involved to swap it into my Chevelle. (new and donor parts) and that is doing it on the Cheap. Clutch, Hyd's, mounts, fuel system conversion, cooling system, electrical, etc..
So.. if cost is a big factor.. just rebuild what you got. but if you got the $$$ and time.. go for it..
As soon as you got to the money limitation, you ruled out an LS1 swap. $6K and upward seems to be the investment to get an LS1 running in a 3rd gen F-Body, and that's doing the bulk of the work and harness pinning yourself.
I'd go with a 350 gen-1 block with factory 1-piece rear main seal and roller lifter machining, roller cam with modern lobe profiles, Holley Stealth Ram intake instead of the TPI, and a set of Vortec or FastBurn heads as budget allows.
I'd go with a 350 gen-1 block with factory 1-piece rear main seal and roller lifter machining, roller cam with modern lobe profiles, Holley Stealth Ram intake instead of the TPI, and a set of Vortec or FastBurn heads as budget allows.
If you are dead set on doing the LS1 on a budget...it can be done...with lots of patience. I'm in the process of doing mine...and I did it the "wrong" way. I didn't buy a LS1/T56 dropout like most of the smart people do. I've been collecting parts for a little over a year, and I've spent around $4000. I got LS1, T56, every inch of wiring out of a 2001 Z28, dash, console, steering column, fuel tank also out of 2001 Z28, LS6 intake, thunder cam, tubular K-member, tubular control arms, front coilovers, god knows what else. My point is it can be done cheaper, but it takes a LOT of patience. Plus you can sell just about everything off your car to make up some of the money.
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i agree with fast. Im a college student and im doing it and budget is what it is all about. Good thing about an ls1 is that a lot of the stock components will handle good amounts of power. An ls1 is no more difficult to install than an lt1. Thats not speaking from experience but every adapter that you would need is readily available. As far as the install goes you need the motor mounts, tranny crossmember, and depending on if you want a/c or not there are mount plates available that allow you to use the thirdgen's a/c compressor. Is it more expensive than putting in a regular small block absolutely....but its cool.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Thanks a lot for the info. The reason for the budget is because i am in college, and the parents are supplimenting some money to be payed back. I can pay a bit extra, but the biggest issue is that the main concern is to get it running. Although the smart choice is to go with a crate drop in, or something more simple than a complete conversion i see this as my only chance to put a performance inspired engine in it without paying it all out of pocket (considering it would take me a long time to save all of the money up myself). Bottom line is I can pay half right now for an engine that is nicer than what i could pay for myself, but it needs to be do-able, and fairly reliable. Im thinking more of an LT1 now, because of less money needed to be spent in conversion parts but still need more information on what exactly it takes as far as parts and labor.
SBC Gen I (same or different crate) will be the cheapest and easy.
SBC Gen II (LT1) will go in with min work but fuel and electrical will add some cost. (Smog law?), Hardware and accessories is not a problem, everything should bolt up ok. Wiring Harness can be found and PCM can be programed (Speartech and others).
Gen III is $6k+ (on the cheap) and a lot of time.
Finish College and get a good job.. then you can do a better job on the car and swap ! Beside .. a 1988 Camaro IROC.. not much collector value there, dine a dozen right now. There were about 28,000 IROC producted that year, that is a little over 29% of all Camaro that year were IROC's
SBC Gen II (LT1) will go in with min work but fuel and electrical will add some cost. (Smog law?), Hardware and accessories is not a problem, everything should bolt up ok. Wiring Harness can be found and PCM can be programed (Speartech and others).
Gen III is $6k+ (on the cheap) and a lot of time.
Finish College and get a good job.. then you can do a better job on the car and swap ! Beside .. a 1988 Camaro IROC.. not much collector value there, dine a dozen right now. There were about 28,000 IROC producted that year, that is a little over 29% of all Camaro that year were IROC's
Lemme know where you can find Iroc's in "good" shape for a dime a dozen. Value on these thirdgens is going up because so many of them just get beat to crap and then junked. But yeah, a sbc is going to be the cheapest by far. LT1 swap would be a little cheaper but I cant see it being by a whole lot. Im hoping for some good mileage increases with my swap so thats one of the reasons im going LS1.