LS1 in '78 TA?
12-16-2005, 11:56 PM
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LS1 in '78 TA? Hey. I have a '78 TA that I'm restoring. The body & interior are done, now I'm ready for the rest.
I had been planning on rebuilding and modding the engine (pontiac 400) and replacing the xmission. But since I don't have the time/skills I need to have someone else do it at $100/hr :-/. The result is that the engine work and xmission would probably cost nearly $10K.
When I told my friend that, he suggested I just drop in an LS1. He said that I could get a mildly-used (~30K miles) LS1 + xmission for like $3500. With install, probably not much more than $5K. If that's true, that seems awfully tempting.
Anyone have experience doing something like this? What would the pros/cons be?
Thanks,
Dave
I had been planning on rebuilding and modding the engine (pontiac 400) and replacing the xmission. But since I don't have the time/skills I need to have someone else do it at $100/hr :-/. The result is that the engine work and xmission would probably cost nearly $10K.
When I told my friend that, he suggested I just drop in an LS1. He said that I could get a mildly-used (~30K miles) LS1 + xmission for like $3500. With install, probably not much more than $5K. If that's true, that seems awfully tempting.
Anyone have experience doing something like this? What would the pros/cons be?
Thanks,
Dave
12-17-2005, 11:26 AM
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Cool! I'd like to hear more about it.
Does anyone know what the rules are re: smog in CA? I did a few quick searches for LS1 crates and noticed that several sites mentioned "for '75 and earlier" which leads me to believe you can't do it to smog-controlled vehicles.
Does anyone know what the rules are re: smog in CA? I did a few quick searches for LS1 crates and noticed that several sites mentioned "for '75 and earlier" which leads me to believe you can't do it to smog-controlled vehicles.
12-17-2005, 03:41 PM
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That looks great 76LS1BIRD! Do you have any comments/advice after doing it? How hard was it? Any reasons I shouldn't do it? Is there any advantage to building up my pontiac 400 instead of switching to the LS1?
As for CA smog - actually based on my reading the cut-off is 1975. They used to have a 30 year rolling cutoff, but they just passed legislation capping it at 1975, so anything newer than '75 will always have to pass smog. Hopefully I'm mistaken, but I think that's the law. So if I do have to pass smog, am I even allowed to swap out the motor like this?
I look forward to hearing more about this!
Thanks,
Dave
As for CA smog - actually based on my reading the cut-off is 1975. They used to have a 30 year rolling cutoff, but they just passed legislation capping it at 1975, so anything newer than '75 will always have to pass smog. Hopefully I'm mistaken, but I think that's the law. So if I do have to pass smog, am I even allowed to swap out the motor like this?
I look forward to hearing more about this!
Thanks,
Dave
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12-17-2005, 05:17 PM
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Re: '77 in highschool - This '78 was my first car. Bought it when I was 15 and I've had it ever since (19 years!). Lots of sentimental value, which is one reason I'm reluctant to swap the engine - it feels like I'd be pulling the heart out of my baby. But maybe giving her a new heart is the loving thing to do. :-)
Re: smog - I hate to keep plugging away on this, but before I get too excited about the LS1 I want to make sure I can do it. I understand it puts out fewer emissions, but my question is - is it legal to swap in the LS1 engine? The smog laws say that all original emissions need to be connected. The LS1 emissions are completely different. So ... would I be violating the law, or would I be held to the emissions connections for the LS1 as opposed to the "78 TA"? Would the flunky smog tester at the gas station even know? :-)
Re: smog - I hate to keep plugging away on this, but before I get too excited about the LS1 I want to make sure I can do it. I understand it puts out fewer emissions, but my question is - is it legal to swap in the LS1 engine? The smog laws say that all original emissions need to be connected. The LS1 emissions are completely different. So ... would I be violating the law, or would I be held to the emissions connections for the LS1 as opposed to the "78 TA"? Would the flunky smog tester at the gas station even know? :-)
12-17-2005, 05:24 PM
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yea an LS1 would would be great! but why only put a 350ci? u have all that block room under the hood! for such a heavy chassis, i'd go with a large smallblock AT LEAST! u might as well get some significant grunt from a big block, rather than going through all the trouble modding out a smallblock.
12-17-2005, 09:32 PM
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...0&page=1&pp=20
My car is more 99' than it is 76'. I had a whole wrecked 99' for a parts car. I'm a machinest and i had to make a lot of custom one off parts. Look at my pictures they kind of tell the story.
Dale
My car is more 99' than it is 76'. I had a whole wrecked 99' for a parts car. I'm a machinest and i had to make a lot of custom one off parts. Look at my pictures they kind of tell the story.
Dale
12-22-2005, 05:54 PM
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I also got a 78 and I would love to get a spare 78 engine to build up and still have the stock look but have all the goodies in it. I would love to have one motor set up for nitrous and if you did the swap I would gladly take the old 400 off your hands and give it a full reworking.
Greg
Greg
01-05-2006, 10:50 PM
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I'd keep the 400 if I were you. I have an 02 TA, and also a 78 TA, 400 4spd. If your 78 was wrecked, blown motor, something like that, then I'd say swap the LS1. But since you plan on having it done, IMO I'd keep the original old school Ponitac V8 and just have it built to something that will beat even a new LS1. There's just something about the sound and feel of an old, carbed V8 with a hot cam that the best late model can't compete with.
