total cost and newbie question
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Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5
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total cost and newbie question I want to do a restomod 75 firebird with the complete drivetain from a wrecked vette (ls1). Otherthan the cost of the donor parts what is the fabrication costs including necessary brackets, engine mounts, oil pans etc. Just trying to get a ball park figure. I know it will vary. Also is anyone borrowing the power steering and rack. What else would be beneficail to borrow from the donor vette w/o to much trouble. Thanks Simon
First problem w/ vette drivetrain is the transmission is in the rear. Other than that lots of other costs. I'm not going to price it all out. Do some research.
If you are talking about putting an LS1/4L60E or LS1/T56 it will probably cost 10k+-5k depending on how much you do yourself and what your goals are.
Now define complete drivetrain.
If you are talking about putting an LS1/4L60E or LS1/T56 it will probably cost 10k+-5k depending on how much you do yourself and what your goals are.
Now define complete drivetrain.
Ide say with just about any LS1 swap...figure on $10k - $15k to be safe. Ill tell you why. You can get a motor and trans for around 5k nowadays. Even if its only a few hundred to get mounts and all that stuff to make it fit...the little things will add up so far. For instance...and I KNOW im not the only person that went through this...
But its the old... "since i have my suspension apart i might as well rebuild it. might as well get new guages. might as well upgrade my brakes now. might as well replace all of the shocks and other suspsion goodies. while im in here i might as well etc etc etc." The domino effect.
If you plan to spend, and can afford $15k...and you only spend $8k...sweet! You are ahead! Add some go fast goodies into the mix...or get nicer tires to handle all the extra power.
Ive got almost $16k into my 87 TA right now... But my motor and trans was fully built. And Im using the 12-bolt from the donar car. And I basically replaced everything on the car except for body panels and glass...
Its all in how far you want to take it.
Justin
But its the old... "since i have my suspension apart i might as well rebuild it. might as well get new guages. might as well upgrade my brakes now. might as well replace all of the shocks and other suspsion goodies. while im in here i might as well etc etc etc." The domino effect.
If you plan to spend, and can afford $15k...and you only spend $8k...sweet! You are ahead! Add some go fast goodies into the mix...or get nicer tires to handle all the extra power.
Ive got almost $16k into my 87 TA right now... But my motor and trans was fully built. And Im using the 12-bolt from the donar car. And I basically replaced everything on the car except for body panels and glass...
Its all in how far you want to take it.
Justin
want to save some cash, get an aluminum 5.3L, or save even more cash & get an iron block
unless you plan on competitive racing or something, the 5.3's are a great alternative. there's not much demand for them, so prices are really cheap compared to 5.7. they come with around 300hp & can supposedly produce 350 pretty easy w/ headers & ecm reprogram
unless you plan on competitive racing or something, the 5.3's are a great alternative. there's not much demand for them, so prices are really cheap compared to 5.7. they come with around 300hp & can supposedly produce 350 pretty easy w/ headers & ecm reprogram
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 192
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From: S. Philly
Hey,
You don't have to look very far. I started a swap 3 weeks ago and I am almost done with it and here is a complete list of cost of everything.
1. Engine and trans package with wiring harness and PCM - $5000
2. Engine and trans mount kits from JCI - $430
3. JTR headers - $475
4. Flash the PCM - $40
5. C5 FPR/filter - $50.
6. O2 sensor bungs - $5
7. Paint for the engine compartment - $60
8. Aluminum radiator (BCI-65002) - $270
9. Electric fan (FLX-118) - $130
10. Groove pulley and belt - $40
11. Relays, fuses and batt connectors - $50
12. Fuel line/FPR fitting, connectors and clamps - $75
13. Sidepipes WLK-89300 - $310
14. JTR T fitting for steam line - $30
15. Speedometer ATM-4489 - $200
16. Tachometer ATM4498 - $130
17. Clutch master cylinder PN# 15033924 - $140
18. Radiator hoses - $40
19. Drive shaft shorten and balance with all new joints - $350
23. U bends for exhaust system - $50
24. Nuts and bolts for trans xmember - $10.
25. Water temp sensor - $17
26. Radiator cap and coolant $15.
27. Oil pressure sensor - $??
28. I did the wiring harness myself. The harness are stand alone already. You can go thru them and cut what you don't need. All you need is the wiring diagrams for the harness you are using.
That's come out around 8K roughly not including your labor. GL
Vinh
You don't have to look very far. I started a swap 3 weeks ago and I am almost done with it and here is a complete list of cost of everything.
1. Engine and trans package with wiring harness and PCM - $5000
2. Engine and trans mount kits from JCI - $430
3. JTR headers - $475
4. Flash the PCM - $40
5. C5 FPR/filter - $50.
6. O2 sensor bungs - $5
7. Paint for the engine compartment - $60
8. Aluminum radiator (BCI-65002) - $270
9. Electric fan (FLX-118) - $130
10. Groove pulley and belt - $40
11. Relays, fuses and batt connectors - $50
12. Fuel line/FPR fitting, connectors and clamps - $75
13. Sidepipes WLK-89300 - $310
14. JTR T fitting for steam line - $30
15. Speedometer ATM-4489 - $200
16. Tachometer ATM4498 - $130
17. Clutch master cylinder PN# 15033924 - $140
18. Radiator hoses - $40
19. Drive shaft shorten and balance with all new joints - $350
23. U bends for exhaust system - $50
24. Nuts and bolts for trans xmember - $10.
25. Water temp sensor - $17
26. Radiator cap and coolant $15.
27. Oil pressure sensor - $??
28. I did the wiring harness myself. The harness are stand alone already. You can go thru them and cut what you don't need. All you need is the wiring diagrams for the harness you are using.
That's come out around 8K roughly not including your labor. GL
Vinh
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TECH Regular
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 406
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From: Bay Area, CA
I did mine for negative 800 dollars and made out with perfect ebony T/A leather seats and full instrumentation as well, LoL.
If you have a welder, and a cutoff wheel the swap is easy and cheap. Build your own frame brackets, modify your own crossmember. If using an F-Body pullout, no need to mod the oil pan. I used the complete bucket assembly pump setup from an F-Body tank and dropped it into my '73 tank. Works absolutely flawlessly. Shortening driveshafts around here is $90. Computer/harness mods will run several hundred. Fuel lines were cheap, just used rubber lines to connect the tank outlet to the Vette regulator and return, used hardline (aluminum) after that with hardware store fittings. Radiator and fans out of a 4th gen. Pacesetter Headers (you could use the cast iron manifolds) arent a lot of money, relatively, and are fairly easily modified.
So, if you are a handy fabricator, it's not an expensive swap at all, well, not $10000 expensive, especially if you have a donor car to part out alongside. Thats the route I went. I still have parts to sell making the swap cheaper. I did sell my old drivetrain for a fair chunk of change, as well though.
If you have a welder, and a cutoff wheel the swap is easy and cheap. Build your own frame brackets, modify your own crossmember. If using an F-Body pullout, no need to mod the oil pan. I used the complete bucket assembly pump setup from an F-Body tank and dropped it into my '73 tank. Works absolutely flawlessly. Shortening driveshafts around here is $90. Computer/harness mods will run several hundred. Fuel lines were cheap, just used rubber lines to connect the tank outlet to the Vette regulator and return, used hardline (aluminum) after that with hardware store fittings. Radiator and fans out of a 4th gen. Pacesetter Headers (you could use the cast iron manifolds) arent a lot of money, relatively, and are fairly easily modified.
So, if you are a handy fabricator, it's not an expensive swap at all, well, not $10000 expensive, especially if you have a donor car to part out alongside. Thats the route I went. I still have parts to sell making the swap cheaper. I did sell my old drivetrain for a fair chunk of change, as well though.
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On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Quakertown, PA
The 5.3 is the truck version of the LSx engines. Iron block, aluminum heads, taller intake, deeper oil pan, longer overall due to a different accessory layout. Cheap, since there are many times more trucks made than all cars with LSx engines combined, figure no more than $1k for a perfect used engine. The trans is up to you. If you keep all the emissions stuff that came on the engine, then the only real programming need is VATS removal, which can be had cheap (<$50). I put a 5.3 in my Jeep, and total cost including engine and trans was $4000 give or take. That includes adapters to my transfer case, which obviously doesn't apply to your situation...
Originally Posted by Simondude4
What car does a 5.3 with 300 hp come from and what tranny are you talking? Also what rear end did you use?
4l60e
i'm using 10bolt than came in my 68 camaro
you can find a little more info in these listings EBAY