anyone LS swap an early c4? I’m almost done doing my 84. The car was pretty lackluster. Used and abused. Leaked and underpowered. Surprisingly, the car handled well even with every suspension bushing worn out. If you’re on social media, you may have seen my car. I don’t know, just sharing. I’m onto the nickel and dime stuff. I’m finishing the body side of the swap than taking the engine into the machine shop for upgrades

 

Been saying for years for the money these C-4s with a Eng. swap can be the 57 Chevy of the modern era, with a little mo power and a few suspensions mods run and handle with the best of them well maybe not a $150,000+ ride but for the money, Glad to see ya done this going to be a fun ride .. If want a new whatever go buy one if like me like moding old rides and getting big bang for the buck, and old C-4 will delver ..

 

It baffles me too why more people haven’t picked one up for a cheap LS swap 🤷🏻‍♂️. Only thing that comes to mind why it’s not more popular is the money it costs to fully redo the interior.

 

I know exactly what it costs 😆 mine was in terrible condition. It’s in better condition now but I would like to replace the door pads. The new ones cost an arm and a leg. If the plastic isn’t broken, you’re one lucky sob lol.

 

There are so much easier and more plentiful cars to swap LS motors into. The whole trans/c-beam/irs is a big issue.

You can take a beater 4spd or auto C4 and do a swap really cheap. If you start talking about t56 or tko, or keeping the zf6, you get into pricey situations to adapt those into the car. Then you are also dealing with a Vette. Not a lot of folks seem willing to hack them up, or are satisified if they can't keep AC inexpensively or easily make the Atari dash work.

 

i yanked the 700r4 out and swapped in a 4l60e. Not a hard swap. I used the tail shaft off the 700r4 and paired it an adapter. Using the original c beam unmodified and the stock driveshaft unmodified. I also am keeping ac in my car using the factory style r4 compressor. I did have to modify a ICT billet bracket that was supposed to fit the c4 but did not. As for the dash, I could have sent mine out to be repaired but I didn’t like it anyway. I went with an aftermarket digital unit. I put in a double din radio in place of the switch panel/idiot light display. I installed little led lights under the radio with images on them to replace what I removed. I also retained the factory alarm system. I made my own wire harness and adapted that in with the 84 harness. I’m even retaining the cruise control lever and running cruise control. I can do that because I’m running drive by wire. The computer is mounted under the passenger seat and the cruise control throttle body module is mounted up under the dash where the original computer used to live. All the wiring goes out the original hole in the firewall. Wasn’t too bad a swap to be honest. I also made my own shift shaft lever arm in the correct geometry to ensure the shifter would work correctly and the indicator would land on the right letter. And on top of that, I also LS swapped a 1978 Chevy Malibu wagon. So you are correct, any car can get swapped. Was the c4 an easy swap? Yes and no. If it wasn’t for how tight the car was made, the swap would have been easier.

 

It definitely isn't a physically/mechanically hard swap, especially with the auto cars. It just that there a ton of things to think about with different model years, transmissions, power levels, and stuff can get tricky for particular wants and goals.

I love my '84 swap car. Besides the crazy good power out of the cam/headers/bolt-ons with the otherwise stock long/block 6.0L..., it is hands down the easiest hot rod to work on that I have ever owned.

 

that’s what I’m working on. My 6 liter will be keeping the stock crank and rods. Putting in .030 over flat top pistons, afr heads, pretty decent sized cam, headers and full 3” exhaust. Matched lockup converter. Full e85 capable. The z51 suspension coupled with a small drop kit should make for a fun car.

 

Swapped mine all the way back in 2009. Still putting a smile on my face and runs great. Such a perfect swap for these cars.

 

Building old hot rods and worrying about money, I guess I never figured that one out, I be a car guy this is what I want this is what I have to do to make that happen, cost I never think about that, do I try to get a deal on work and parts yep but to achieve what I have in my mind I just make it happen . C-4s, years back I belonged to a big Corvette club about 25% had new Corvette, I said to myself I think I can build this old C-4 to run and handle with these newer Vettes, old school hot rod stuff, heck back in the day well a few years back big Corvette HD parts easy to come by ,made a few calls to some old time C-4 racers ,told me how to build one fast super handling C-4 , Now the Z0-6 - Z-16 with my 600HP built motor now that was a real GM build a real deal race vette yep that was fun , I guess some like to do the old school deal built their own some don't they just sign the check , Like I said an old C-4 with an LS-in it some Sup. mods for under $20,000 one hell of a sports car for the money., some build some buy whatever floats your boat.