Newbie LS swap advice
06-29-2011, 08:28 PM
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Newbie LS swap advice I bought a wrecked and running 1999 Z28 automatic for 2200$. My first option is to swap the engine into my 71 Camaro. The car is hit pretty hard in the left front, and has 155k on the clock. The kid I bought it from ditched it pretty hard and the whole front clip is trashed, to include the passenger door. The interior is not great. This is my first dip into the LS pool. Did I get a good price on this? It fires right up and does not smoke. The radiator is broken and water runs right out of it. It came with paperwork on a recent trans rebuild (still under warranty). Another option that I had considered was to purchase a non running v6 car and swap it all over, as I thought this may be a less complicated conversion. I am pretty mechanically adept, can weld and fab things, and have done quite a bit of reading on the subject. I was planning to swap the engine in stock for with long tube headers to start due to my budget. I will be giving up some horsepower in the 71, but hopefully picking up a bunch of driveability. Thanks in advance for all the help.
06-29-2011, 08:34 PM
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The swap into a 71 is very much doable, and swap the cam, and you will have more power than any old chevy engine. If you run a carb, it will be even easier.
06-29-2011, 09:27 PM
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I really wanted to keep the FI since I have the whole car, and wanted the driveability. I am making very decent hp now, but with a power brake sacrificing nasty idle. I do have a 200-4r and pulled down 20mpg on the highway portions of the power tour earlier this month, but only got 10 on the cruise nights due to the loose converter I have to run, and of course I have to run premium gas. I could probably swing a cam and the long tube headers to start and that might keep me happy. I was thinking that if I cut the cost of swap parts out of my budget I might be able to stick it in a 4th gen and familiarize myself with the LS1 and build a better one for my 71 later on. I have tons of 1st and 2nd gen small block stuff, but nothing for the 3rd gen. Just a little gun shy about taking my baby apart for that long really.