New Guy: Thinking about an LS Swap (Clueless)
 

Hi my name is Dave every one calls me Reebz.
I have a 62 Buick Skylark (small in size like early Chevy II) I want to do an LS swap. The catch is I have zero knowledge of these motors. I have been into Buick 455's for 30 years.
I plan to back half the 62 and make a street/ strip car out of it. I'm thinking of an LQ4 or LQ9 for the swap. I'm clueless about the wiring and computer and my understanding is there are ways around these items.

It depends on what you want to do really. Is this for a racer or a driver? Are you planning on doing fuel injection or staying carburetor?

01 CamaroSSTx
Just a weekend fun car/street strip. Like to be in the 10's. I could go carb. or go fuel injection. My understanding is there are wiring harness that can eliminate the computer and fuel injection like FiTech EFI.

Yes that's correct. So your planning on keeping this engine on pump gas I take it. You know there is also intake manifolds setup for 4150 series carburetors that use an MSD 6LS box that's plug and go.

I'm 56 years old there is sooooooooooo much to learn. Gone are the days of Chevy 350, stroker 383 or in my case 455 Buick. I think if I pick one motor that will help to reduce the data over load I'm feeling. I will look into the intake carb combo and the msd box. Yes pump gas Thanks

What is the consensus of "The Motor" to get? I called about 10-20 yards today only a few had the LQ9 motors. Some offer the motor on a pallet for between $3000-4000.

LQ9, LQ4 and LY6's

Thank you. I will look into the LY6. The wiring has me scarred as does a computer. I'm thinking of the clipped stock harness which could bypass/replace/remove many wires and the computer. Is that correct? Here is a link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/LS1-wiring...997-2006-DBC-4L60e-transmission-/401717067849
I think I can run a carb or FiTech?

Find a whole running donor truck if you can, use everything you need, sell the rest. They are rusted out and go for $2-3K around Ohio all day long. A 5.3 would be fine but a 6.0 would be better, look for some ragged out HD trucks. Craigslist or stop by some landscape shop see if they are selling some fleet trucks. You can make it what you want when you rebuild it. I built mine, first motor rebuild, still running.

Something like this, https://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/...812987102.html

You you can run either and a carb setup may simplify things for wiring up the engine but that's a stand alone wire harness for LS. Don't be afraid of all the connections either as the LS is pretty easy to follow.

You may be able to find a good ecm and engine harness from a donor vehicle for sure.

In this thread: Beginner asks similar questions, I made a rough pass over needs and costs. The surprising part is the cost of all the "extras". The engine itself is less meaningful (I know this sounds stupid but have a look at the thread). You can get a 5.3 engine for 400-600 bucks with harness and 100K miles. You may spend 5 or 6 thousand on "the rest" (headers, motor mounts, front of engine brackets, FITech system, Transmission, blah, blah blah. If you want a 5.7 (all were aluminum), 6.0 (aluminum and iron version), 6.2 (all aluminum I think), you'll be paying through the nose - starting at 900 dollars for an iron 6.0.
I'm starting with a 5.3 (got it cheap) and gritting my teeth as I assemble the "externals".
Have fun!

I started on a 99 Camaro V6-V8 conversion project last year and I've been slowly gathering parts. The car came with an aftermarket hood and some halo lights which had never been installed for $1200 and below is a run down of the parts I've purchased so far.

LQ9 block: $500
Machine work to block: $300
823 cylinder heads: $500
Custom grind camshaft: $400 (But thinking I want to go bigger)
Lunati High RPM link bar lifters: $850
Wiseco pistons: $900
Callies rods: $700
Engine harness: $150.00

I'm over $5,000 in and don't even have a running engine yet.

What I got, what I want, and what I need:

T56 with fresh Centerforce clutch and flywheel (got it but really want to do a powerglide or th400 so cha-ching
K-member from 01 Camaro (got it)
10 bolt from 01 Camaro (got it and may throw a gear in it and run it until it grenades but really want a MWC fab9 so cha-ching

Needs:
Intake manifold and fuel rails (Decisions) cha-ching
Fuel injectors (1000cc's from FIC) cha-ching
Throttle body (NW 102) cha-ching
Exhaust manifolds (1-7/8 stainless) cha-ching
Rocker arms (Harland Sharp adjustable 1.8 ratio) cha-ching
.660 lift spring kit (TSP or BTR) cha-ching

We're not even close to being done spending money as there still the fuel system, suspension, fab work, paint and body, etc.. and the sad part about all of this is you'll never get back what you put into it if you go try and sell it.

I have called a more than a few yards thus far.
I found 3 motors:
1. $1,000 with 222,500 miles
2. $1,300 with 137,000 miles
3. $2,000 with 84,000 miles

What do you think of the above prices? I have a few more yards to call in my area.

Bump
Is the price out of line????????????????????

I use flea bay to get a price spread,, then check a couple local yards.

FWIW ,, I've helped tune a lot of track cars and by the time its running in anger,, a carb or EFI end up being about the same amount of work, and not too dissimilar cost..

Cheers!

Flea Bay. I thought that was a joke about E bay. I googled it, its a real thing. Thanks

Those engine prices seem a bit high but you didn't say if they were complete or stripped. If you want more than 5.3 those blocks can easily be bored to 5.7 and all the LS1 stuff will fit. I just bought a 4.8 complete with harness and 4L60E trans for 400 bucks. it was Hydro locked and I completely rebuilt it in my spare time and shopped Ebay etc for the parts I needed. The machine work was about 1200 bucks but that was boring, decking, vatting, align honing the mains, installing the pistons on the rods and balancing the unit. I had the 862 heads opened up to 2.02 intake and the exhaust to 1.57 and did the porting my self. I did the bronze upgrade on the rockers with a Smith Brothers kit. It has a Howards ASA cam and LS7 lifters. LS six intake and a PSI harness. Got the computer re flashed at Texas Speed. Merges well in our 94 GMC SWB truck. My Grand son and I had a blast putting all this together over a year and a half time frame... Take your time! It doesn't hurt so bad if you stretch it out!!

I'm still looking. I'm headed to W.V. this weekend (I live in N.East Ohio) to help my folks I may call some yards around there to see if I can get a better price

There is a discussion on the new product by Holley EFI, It would work perfect in your application. There are some video's posted on page 6.
Swaps just got way easier...Holley Terminator X I use Holley EFI myself and have been very happy with it and the new product is cheaper and yet still has lots to offer for it's price point.