Henry R

iTrader: (3)

As you guys know I owe alot on my camaro its a V6. I see alot of LS1 short and long blocks for sale here. So my question guys is it worth the time and money to do a swap? Is there alot of things to switch over? And how much will that run? Thanks fellas

erikthegoalie

iTrader: (29)

hey dude, a year ago i had a 97 RS v6...
it was sweet but a bit slow...so i looked around and spoke to many shops about swapping the engines...
every one of the owners told me to save, wait, and buy the v8...
i know that thats NOT what you want to hear, cause it wasnt what i wanted to hear, but now that i have my SS, that i saved for for three years...well al i can say is WOW, and HOLY ****
Its all $$ man and YES there is a lot of swapping, basically everything but the body...
Erik "good things come to those who wait"

Syxx613

iTrader: (8)

actually its a very easy swap. just need to get an ls1/tranny combo (maybe 3k) swap it, and go. there are some little odds and ends but it doesnt bother me! besides, i planned on modding everything anyway so im going with an ls6 set-up, new suspension, etc etc... it could be done in about 3 or 4 full days working. even faster with the right tools.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

it'll nickle and dime you. save the money and buy an ls1 fbody. prices are comming down all the time.

http://www.dxsoftware.com/magnus/v8swap.htm

erikthegoalie

iTrader: (29)

Thats what Im saying.....its not worth it in the long run..and unless you have the access to a shop, lift, n everything else you need to install an engine and tranny thats going to run yo another couple g's....so now youre up to like 7 or 8 grad and you still have to upgrade suspension..rear end maybe...i dunno
its just not worth it
go on ebay, type in ls1 in passenger vehicles and see what you find man
I bought my 2002 SS m6 for $18k with only 6k miles on it!!!
Thats a deal...

3pnt4maro

iTrader: (2)

no it aint just a drop it in and ride type deal..the rearend may need upgrading according to what series carrier is in it...plus posi....the suspension will need to be beefed up...the computer and wiring harness have to be changed and the front k member has to be changed also..i did all the research about this..if im not mistaken the v6 fuel system wont work well either..so all in all just save your money by the time you spend all that money you could have just bought one out right..not to mention the guages etc

2000WS6TA

iTrader: (5)

i havent had my ws6 for long but i agree with the other guys save your money for the ls1 f-body i almost got tired of saving and trying to find the right car and almost bought a V6 but i waited and got my ws6(had to drive 2 hours to get it)but it was worth every penny saved and every minute spent finding the right one...save your pennies

Gary Z

If you prefer the cleaner lines of the basic F-body without T-tops, as I do, then converting a V6 to V8 may make sense. I'm told it is difficult to find LS1, 1SC strippers like mine.

Demon_Speeding

iTrader: (24)

I bought my '01 Z28 in Feb with 44K on it for $12,000. I had been waiting since '98 to get my hands on one. Do your time, save your cash and buy a V8. Then the money you'd use to do a swap can go into modding the V8. I can promise you it's worth the wait.

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

Its all depends... what year is your V6? Are you going to just drop in a stock LS1 or are you thinking of building up a modified Camaro?

You can find LS1 engine trans combos on ebay for $1200 and up. If you are 99+then you don't have to change over as much.

I am doing one, and probably wouldn't recommend it unless you are doing a lot or most of the work yourself and if you will be planning on modding everything on the car anyway.

blkZ28spt

It's much, much easier to just buy an LS1 car. That's what I'd do.

Cop Car

iTrader: (14)

if you are going to replace every suspension part, the heads, the transmission, the rear end, put a cage in it, do a 4 link ect, use your V6 car, no reason to pay lotso cash for a car you are going to take appart and replace half the stuff on.. but if you are just looking for a daily driver, id say buy an LS1 car, unless you are that desperate to save on insurance haha

joking511

iTrader: (5)

If you have a Ls1 donor car that you can take every thing you need off of then I say yes . But if your going to try to find all the parts one by one you'll spend a lot more than its worth . I have a 94 V6 that Im putting The drivetran out of a 98ss into right now . Its been a lot of work and all i had to do was take both cars apart and put one back together . If needed thou a tech. that works for me has a 02 z28 that he is parting out let me know if you need anything . I think the car only has 8000k miles on it . But It was hit hard and not much is good from the doors back .

Justin01SS

iTrader: (15)

All of the guys on here are right about the money issue but heres a little different side of it. If you do your LS1 swap, your insurance company only sees that as a V6. So take what they are telling you that little nickel and dime stuff, and factor in the money a month yer going to save in insurance. Plus, if you are into racing the car, items like suspension, and depending on how far your going to take it, your fuel and rear end, etc are all going to be swapped out anyway. If you wanna do it, do it. Been done plenty of times im sure by people who are in your exact position. Good Luck!!!!!!!

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

Not to mention monthly paymets. If you are buying the car on time $5000 vs $18000 makes a difference

blkZ28spt

Then what happens if he needs to make a claim to the insurance company? Or will this be a liability only coverage policy?

You either can't have the car itself fully covered or will have problems if anything should happen. After all, it was just a stock V6 that was stolen/totalled and that isn't worth much, is it?

Henry R

iTrader: (3)

I REMEMBER GETTING STUCK IN THE SNOW AND MY FRIEND SAID THAT MY V6 HAD A POSI REAR WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET OUT. DID V6 CAMAROS COME WITH THAT AS AN OPTION.

BBQLS1

Look for Camaro Zach, he did it.

3pnt4maro

iTrader: (2)

Well to answer a few questions if the car is in a wreck with a v6 basic coupe and the motor is a v8 the insurance will not pay for the car even in a liability only situation as what i was told by my insurance agent cause i had once considered it....and to cop car if he is swapping in a v8 i believe that a head swap would be understood...not flaming just didnt know if you meant something different by that...and henry yes some cars did come with a zexel torsen or i believe auburn limited slip unit in them...they were on cars with the optional y87 performance package that consisted of the zexel unit with 3.42, dual exhaust, rear disc brakes (i think they became standard i believe in 01) and a power steering box and ratio from the zs8 for better handling and tighter turning...anyone correct me if im wrong on this..and trust me the y87 added a good deal of pep and overall performance to the car.. i love mine

StealthZ06

iTrader: (1)

Say do the V8 swap, and then insure it as a V6. By some twist of fate you total the car. The insurance company sends out the adjuster to look over the car before sending you a check. They see you have swapped a V8 in there and not told them about it. Your claim would be denied and you wouldn't get a single dollar from the insurance company. Not to mention it's insurance fraud and against the law.

Bottom Line: If you do the V8 swap, you have to pay for V8 insurance. Also, insurance fraud is a felony (punishable atleast a year in prison). It's a lot to risk to save a few buck on insurance.