I know we have that monster thread on LSx installs in C3s at the top of the Tech/Perf section. It is so large that I get lost in it.

IMO, we need something in Tech Tips that documents a step-by-step procedure for LS1 installation in a C3. If I had any say in it, it would be a 'budget install' for those of us with less than $5,000 to spend on the whole project ($3,000 and under if possible).

Potential considerations/assumptions to make:

Trans to rear differential are 'bulletproof' to 400hp... no need to swap them out.
Optimal donor car/motor for budget install: donor motor has all accessories/computer attached (trans too?).

Is this worthwile? I've been considering a refresh of my L48 in 2009 and a BUDGET LS1 swap would be great!

 

i dont think any lsx swap is really an easy or low-cost adventure, but i could be wrong. most guys *seem* to end up nearer to 8-10k once all is said and done.

 

The problem is that everyone seems to do a slightly different swap according to what they want, their engine accessories, transmission, etc...
There are 3 different engine position swap plates that have been used.
Probably the most straitforward would be an LS1/T56. You might get someone to put together a step by step instruction manual with parts list for that combo.
Probably one of the more cost effective motors would be a Truck 6.0 LQ4/9 motor. That's what I'm using. It could have been a very cost effective swap if the original 4 speed trans would have been kept, but I just ordered a Richmond 6 speed today.

 

I did my swap for about 6k... of course I got most of my stuff used and went with a Carb and MSD box and kept my TH350 tranny.

You can get out Cheap running a 5.3 motor. GREAT ENGINE... LOW PRICE. You can buy them complete 40-60k miles for less than $1,000 all day long.

I seen a few of them out there. Cut corners and use your current Tranny (th350/Th400) all you need is a spacer and differnet flex plate (however you can mod a GM flex plate)

My motor is forward about 1 inch from stock (after market motor mounts from S&P)... had to relocate lower steering shafts with spacers, and custom hoses for LS power steering. USE C5 exhaust manifolds they drop right in and flow good.

Go with a Carb and intake with MSD box and you can keep your current fuel system... just add a HOLLEY E-pump ($100-$130) to push the fuel to the motor. You only need about 5lbs of pressure to feed a carb... cheaper than pulling tank and installing HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM and PUMP... also cheaper than installing computer wiring and getting it TUNED.

Your Stock hood will not fit... but a high rise L88 hood will with drop base filter.

BTW... I would change the cam and get a 3000 stall before your install...

IT HELPS YOU KICK SERIOUS BUTT.

OHHHH ...one more thing. If you end up with a NON-IRON motor (5.7 F-body, or corvette 6.0, 6.2) the front end will sit up high on you !!!

 

If you like awesome performance (I ran low 12s and drove to the track)... great drive ability, and a WOW FACTOR... Do it.

My old L48 with ported factory heads and mild cam couldn't even get out of the 14s and it cammed harder than the old LS1 setup, got worse mileage and ran hot most of the time.

 

Most of us that are doing LS1 swaps are too involved in the work to document every step and $ of the installation. Eventually some vendor will offer a kit but they don't exist now. The LS1-swap portion of my project is probably about as bare-bones as you will find. I have $2,200 in the motor and $1,100 in the T56 trans, plus a several hundred $ in the fuel system, exhaust headers, etc. So far. Costs add up quickly - intake plumbing, radiator hoses, wiring, clutch, etc. It's very easy to drop $100 for a few small items.

I have documented most of my project so far. There is a thread that I started a while back that you can look up if you want to see what I have done. There are a few extras like the body-off rebuild but it all started with the desire to do the LS1 swap.



Rick B.

 

I have the LS1/T56 in my car. The engine is certainly a lot lighter than the iron 350 but the trans is heavier than the Muncie 4-speed. I have the 550# coils in front and right now the front end is sitting at approximately stock ride height. It may lower a little bit more when I get all the parts on the car, fluids in and drive it a bit but it doesn't have the 4X4 look I was dreading.



Rick B.

 

.......a 'budget install' for those of us with less than $5,000 to spend on the whole project ($3,000 and under if possible)......


The only way I see that happening for <$3K is using the used 5.3l as suggested earlier and keeping your current tranny (or getting killer deal on the lsx engine/tranny). Definately best to get engine/tranny/computer/harness/possibly rad/fans and fuel pump from one donor car (preferably f-body) - keeps cost down, saves time finding all the parts, etc. - but little things still add up quickly (e.g. true duals/cats if need to be smog legal....).

I tried keeping mine fairly low cost ($2.2K used vette ls1 engine w/o pcm&harness, $1K T56 w/clutch-good start), but had to switch to f-body accessories, get true dual exhaust fab, cats, hp tuners as computer/harness were for stroked firebird w/bigger injectors, went al rad and electric fans, f-body oilpan to replace vette batwing, and on and on, and on.... Ended up around $7 or 8K used mainly used parts from vette/ls1/gto forums (splurged for new al rad, new master/slave clutch parts....) but very, very happy with it all now that it's mostly done ( supercharger would sure be nice....).

I almost bought a totalled 99 camaro Z28 for $3.5K from a local wrecking yard, but had auto and I wanted stick - AND more importantly, the oil had anti-freeze in it and might have had bad block/heads??? But would have been able to salvage most of the parts to do the conversion from the wreck...that would be a good way to go low cost if you can find a good late model f-body wreck with good engine/tranny.....

 

I've thought about doing the same but finding an LS2/T56 GTO instead. I wonder how the accesories compare to a F-Body. Anyone know?

 

notice...these guys are are all... fuel injected... with manual trans.



='s more money

 

I put heads, cam, intake and a supercharger on an 05' LS2 GTO and below is a shot of the front. I'd say the power steering pump and alternator would be a little problem with the driver side frame and control arm not to mention the A/C Compressor on the passenger side.

 

So are you thinking that pretty much the Goat accesory drive would have to be scrapped? Isn't there a company selling some brackets to mount all of this in a C3 friendly kind of way? I'm really just scratcing the surface of my research for the swap.

 

I Used F-body accessories (alt and power steering) somebody makes an aftermarket AC setup. I think paul newman.

 

Paul Newman........the ACTOR? (sorry woulda been funnier if his name was Ronald Regan. lol)


Do you have any links or info?

 

LOL.... yeah.

anyway

paul newman makes killer frames for vettes also

http://www.newmancarcreations.com/

 

Here is a pic of the F-body accessories. No clearance problems on the driver side with the adapter plates that I used. It looks like the power steering pump is a closer fit to the block than the GTO mounting. The stock AC compressor will not fit on the lower right side but it looks like a Sanden compact compressor will fit. Don't know if the Sanden unit will work with the stock compressor bracket. There are other compressor mounting alternatives that have been discussed in the swap thread.



Rick B.

 

There are a number of companies (Street & Performance, Billett Specialties, March, Vintage Air, and more) but doing it on a budget is a different story. These systems with all the bells and whistles are around $2500.

I used the Street & Performance setup but my purpose was a little different and although I drive the car a lot in the summer, I also built it to show.

 

I think my swap was one of the cheapest, but back then nobody wanted to mess with a LS motor. Motors were cheap, but everything else was expensive. (GM dealer parts) Now you can buy just about every part you need aftermarket. I agree with the other guys a 5.3 would be the most cost effective now. Lots of donors from wreck tahoe, etc. 5.7 are drying up, so if you want cubes you might have to look for a 6 liter.

Also if you go with a steel 5.3, you want have to deal with the front end weight lost issue. It took me a year to work out the kinks of the lost weight in the front. Cutting coils didn't work, so I had to go to semi-coilover, the steering never felt right, so I had to switch to rack and pinion. Even after all that, if I stomped on it to hard the A$$ wound win the battle of who wanted to lead.... Install a 5.3 would solve that, by adding weight.

Regarding power. That only depends on your pocket book. A cam equal money and tuning. My stock LS1/6 put down 319rwhp at the back tires and equated to 12.8 at the track. That was with a slipping clutch and zero added performance parts. Header, tuning,aftermarket MAF, 4.11 and I would guess I was a solid 12.7 to 12.8.

Hope this helps. Buddy

 

Frankly I'm not really sure what the attraction to the LS motors is, other than to be able to say "I swapped in an LS". You can buy a 350 or 383 crate that will make the same power for far less money and don't have to swap anything else to make it work. And they come with a warranty.

 

Like he said 5.3 will not have the front end weight issues.

I didnt go with coil overs. I went cheap... and cut 1.5 coils out of my springs. Car has a Nice rake to it and drives fine.

If you change the cam and or head or add headers... but stick with a CARB setup... you will not need tuning using the MSD control BOX. I had all that stuff... car drove great until I blew the motor in the garage!! LOL