95 bird
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Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Wyoming
95 bird Hi all i am looking at a 95 firebird v6 with m5 and t tops and 95k and I was wondering what it would be roughly worth and how easy would it be to swap to a ls1 or ls6 thanks in advance
Greg
Greg
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 187
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From: AZ
You'd probably be better off just selling your car and getting a 98-99 LS1 Firebird instead. You can find them as low as $8k if you look hard enough. There are so many differences between V6 and V8 cars it's not really worth it to try and swap. Here are just some of the differences:
-Engine, obviously
-Transmission (and clutch assembly)- your 5 speed won't mate to an LS1
-Wiring/computer- you would need entirely new wiring harnesses and computer
-Brakes- most, if not all, 95 V6 cars had drum brakes in the rear. You would have to swap those for discs. Also the LS1 cars probably have bigger front brake discs than the 95 V6s
-Suspension- V8s have a beefier suspension
-Steering ratio- V8s have a higher steering ratio (less movement of the steering wheel required to make the car turn a certain amount)
-Gauge cluster- speedometer goes higher on V8s, LS1 cars also have digital odometer
-Fuel pump- V8s have larger fuel pumps
-Tires- V8s have wider tires, and you might want some bigger wheels as well
So, between the value of your car and how much you would have to spend in parts alone (not even counting labor), you'd end up spending more money probably than if you just sold your car and bought an LS1 car. Besides that, there is a chance that after you have done all that converting, you might have problems with something and have to go back and fine-tune it, or troubleshoot to find the problem. On top of that, an LS1 will have much better retail value than a converted V6 car would. Also, your insurance might not cover you if you get in an accident and they find your car has an LS1 instead of a V6.
I was in the same situation as you once, I had a 97 V6 Firebird and wanted a V8. After penciling it out over and over, it's just not worthwhile to do.
-Engine, obviously
-Transmission (and clutch assembly)- your 5 speed won't mate to an LS1
-Wiring/computer- you would need entirely new wiring harnesses and computer
-Brakes- most, if not all, 95 V6 cars had drum brakes in the rear. You would have to swap those for discs. Also the LS1 cars probably have bigger front brake discs than the 95 V6s
-Suspension- V8s have a beefier suspension
-Steering ratio- V8s have a higher steering ratio (less movement of the steering wheel required to make the car turn a certain amount)
-Gauge cluster- speedometer goes higher on V8s, LS1 cars also have digital odometer
-Fuel pump- V8s have larger fuel pumps
-Tires- V8s have wider tires, and you might want some bigger wheels as well
So, between the value of your car and how much you would have to spend in parts alone (not even counting labor), you'd end up spending more money probably than if you just sold your car and bought an LS1 car. Besides that, there is a chance that after you have done all that converting, you might have problems with something and have to go back and fine-tune it, or troubleshoot to find the problem. On top of that, an LS1 will have much better retail value than a converted V6 car would. Also, your insurance might not cover you if you get in an accident and they find your car has an LS1 instead of a V6.
I was in the same situation as you once, I had a 97 V6 Firebird and wanted a V8. After penciling it out over and over, it's just not worthwhile to do.
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
Originally Posted by gojo83
Hi all i am looking at a 95 firebird v6 with m5 and t tops and 95k and I was wondering what it would be roughly worth and how easy would it be to swap to a ls1 or ls6 thanks in advance
Greg
Greg
If expense and driving age is a contributing factor, then the V6 might not be a bad idea. Younger male drivers really pay the price when it comes to insurance. I've been there and done that
You'll save a little on insurance since it's not a V8 car, and unless you want to start racing right off the bat they're still fun cars. I had an '88 Camaro with a V6, and it was a really fun car. I swapped the wheels, hood, and exhaust and made it a fun car. I traded it with over 200,000 miles on the odometer.As far as a swap, there's just way too much to change out in order to go from a V6 to a V8 for a street car. If you were building a drag car, then picking up a lower-priced V6 car with a good body is the way to go. You'll be better off starting with a V8 car if that is what you want.
Scott
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Wyoming
I appreciate all the insight as you can tell I am sorta new to the whole scene but i just saw it sitting there and well I got an older truck that is from my ex wife and if i am going to have a vechile just sitting I would rather it be something fun to drive not something that brings up old memories but I also have my eye on a 69 TA with a bored out 455 and a full drag setup it just needs some tlc to get it back in top shape. The more I get to thinking about it I will just try to sell the truck and buy the 69 and use the money I have leftover to get the 69 back in racing condition and and actually have a car that is worth more than a little 4th gen v6.
Greg
Greg
