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Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2006
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Opinions Ok...to get right to the point, I have come across a fairly good deal on a 94 V6 Camaro. A gas line needs to be fixed, and it need's alittle body work but is otherwise good. Now, my question is what are everyone's opinion's on this car considering that a V8 swap is in the future. Now I know that it would be easier to just buy a V8 car, but I can grab this car for under $1000. So with that in mind..is it worth it?
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
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From: Downers Grove, IL
If you can find a wrecked LS1 car for cheap than it is worth it. IMO swapping a LS1 into a v6 car is going to be an expensive PITA if you just buy a pullout engine and do not have a complete LS1 donor car. But it seems like more than a few people have done it using just a pullout engine (and buying whatever else they need) so mabey it is easier to do than I thought.
It can be done but you will probably have just as much in the conversion as you would if you bought a 98+ LS1 f-body. Well maybe not quite that much but in the same ballpark probably.
I dont know what your looking for but if it was me and you were set on a f-body I would look at older models like a second or third gen. That would be a lot more orginal and a whole lot easier to work on.
Good luck with it though!
I dont know what your looking for but if it was me and you were set on a f-body I would look at older models like a second or third gen. That would be a lot more orginal and a whole lot easier to work on.
Good luck with it though!
I would do it. If you can get that car for under a grand I say go for it. If you are patient and look around you can score a totaled ls1 car for around 5-6k. And if you are really lucky you can find one killed in the back so you could swap the front clip too (if you like that, some people don't like the cross year breeding of bodies and interiors)
Originally Posted by Something
Ok...to get right to the point, I have come across a fairly good deal on a 94 V6 Camaro. A gas line needs to be fixed, and it need's alittle body work but is otherwise good. Now, my question is what are everyone's opinion's on this car considering that a V8 swap is in the future. Now I know that it would be easier to just buy a V8 car, but I can grab this car for under $1000. So with that in mind..is it worth it?
I would consider the following:
1- how much of the swap can you do yourself? If you have to farm it all out, then this will cost you more money and effort than to just buy a V-8 car upfront.
2- I would look into the prices of the donor engines, parts, etc. Consider the total dollars involved and compare. It's one thing to buy a pullout engine, but you'll need more than that. you'll need the wiring harness, the exhaust system, you'll want the driveshaft, I think the gaugues need ot be swapped over. You may want a rear axle, too (posi and disc brakes) You'll likely want to swap the entire braking system from the LS1 cars. They're larger than the LT1 cars, and the V6 versions, too. It's all bolt in, but adds to the cost.
One thing going for you is this is all bolt in stuff. you can get crossmembers, exhaust, brackets, fuel lines/ tanks, etc. (With my 3rd gen LS1 swap, some of this will need fabrication, which is more time and expense...)
3- one more thing to consider is your intended use of this. Will you drive this forever, or do you plan to roll this over for $$? I ask because in the end you'll have a v-6 car with an engine swap which will likely bring in less $ than an original V-8 LT1 car or an LS1 car. But, if you want to drive it, then this probably won't matter.
In the end, you'll have a custom car that you did, which is great for bragging rights. And if you can do the work yourself you could be $$ ahead. I don't know what state you live in- emmisions, insurance and all that jazz, it's more details to look into if you want to be legit.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
-BV
1- how much of the swap can you do yourself? If you have to farm it all out, then this will cost you more money and effort than to just buy a V-8 car upfront.
2- I would look into the prices of the donor engines, parts, etc. Consider the total dollars involved and compare. It's one thing to buy a pullout engine, but you'll need more than that. you'll need the wiring harness, the exhaust system, you'll want the driveshaft, I think the gaugues need ot be swapped over. You may want a rear axle, too (posi and disc brakes) You'll likely want to swap the entire braking system from the LS1 cars. They're larger than the LT1 cars, and the V6 versions, too. It's all bolt in, but adds to the cost.
One thing going for you is this is all bolt in stuff. you can get crossmembers, exhaust, brackets, fuel lines/ tanks, etc. (With my 3rd gen LS1 swap, some of this will need fabrication, which is more time and expense...)
3- one more thing to consider is your intended use of this. Will you drive this forever, or do you plan to roll this over for $$? I ask because in the end you'll have a v-6 car with an engine swap which will likely bring in less $ than an original V-8 LT1 car or an LS1 car. But, if you want to drive it, then this probably won't matter.
In the end, you'll have a custom car that you did, which is great for bragging rights. And if you can do the work yourself you could be $$ ahead. I don't know what state you live in- emmisions, insurance and all that jazz, it's more details to look into if you want to be legit.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
-BV
