Converting L-83 to LT4
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
I did the swap from a L83 in my 84. Do a search and I cover it prety well several times. First off you do not need a trany, I reused my 700R4 from my 84 and it worked fine. When i did the swap i used a F-body LT1, corvette LT1 assy bracket and A/C, the F-body P/S pump and alt. I did all the wiring my self splicing the LT1 harness into the 84 stock wiring to give it a stock look and feel. When I sold the motor I did change the harness to a stand alone unit.
Here is a short list:
1 Use your stock motor mounts
2. stock trany, if auto need a lock up kit and 92/93 TB or S&P adaptor
3. you will have to fab some fuel lines, (any local hose shop should be able to take care of you here)
4. Will need A/C lines fabed
5. need to find a place to run the steam vent (I taped the low coolant sensor on the 84)
6. Wiring, Jims Performance will do it for you, painless is another option or do what I did, by Charles Probst Corvette fule injection book and wire it your self.
7. ECM VATS disabled and what ever other changes you want.
8. Impalla SS throtle cable
Here is a shot of the compleated project.
Here is a short list:
1 Use your stock motor mounts
2. stock trany, if auto need a lock up kit and 92/93 TB or S&P adaptor
3. you will have to fab some fuel lines, (any local hose shop should be able to take care of you here)
4. Will need A/C lines fabed
5. need to find a place to run the steam vent (I taped the low coolant sensor on the 84)
6. Wiring, Jims Performance will do it for you, painless is another option or do what I did, by Charles Probst Corvette fule injection book and wire it your self.
7. ECM VATS disabled and what ever other changes you want.
8. Impalla SS throtle cable
Here is a shot of the compleated project.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
Originally Posted by Monkeynutz
What is a TB or S/P adapter and where would I find one?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
I would advice, if you are taking your time, waiting and putting in an LS1. No harsh feelings to my LT1 brothers, great motor, but the motor was limited production, with limited source of blocks and it also has the opti. If you are going to do something that requires this much work, you might as well swap in the newest block, LS1. JMHO.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
I have no idea how much an LS1 conversion cost but I do know it is a lot more work. If I had to do it today I would probably go the LS1 rout if I had the funds. The LT1 swap cost me 3K including rebuilding the motor and made great power. There are a ton of LT1's out there dirt cheap at the moment. The upside of a LT1 swap is it bolts in with no mods to the motor mounts, exhaust, Frame, or trany.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 731
Likes: 0
From: British Columbia
Originally Posted by FD2BLK
I did the swap from a L83 in my 84. Do a search and I cover it prety well several times. First off you do not need a trany, I reused my 700R4 from my 84 and it worked fine. When i did the swap i used a F-body LT1, corvette LT1 assy bracket and A/C, the F-body P/S pump and alt. I did all the wiring my self splicing the LT1 harness into the 84 stock wiring to give it a stock look and feel. When I sold the motor I did change the harness to a stand alone unit.
Here is a short list:
1 Use your stock motor mounts
2. stock trany, if auto need a lock up kit and 92/93 TB or S&P adaptor
3. you will have to fab some fuel lines, (any local hose shop should be able to take care of you here)
4. Will need A/C lines fabed
5. need to find a place to run the steam vent (I taped the low coolant sensor on the 84)
6. Wiring, Jims Performance will do it for you, painless is another option or do what I did, by Charles Probst Corvette fule injection book and wire it your self.
7. ECM VATS disabled and what ever other changes you want.
8. Impalla SS throtle cable
Here is a shot of the compleated project.
Here is a short list:
1 Use your stock motor mounts
2. stock trany, if auto need a lock up kit and 92/93 TB or S&P adaptor
3. you will have to fab some fuel lines, (any local hose shop should be able to take care of you here)
4. Will need A/C lines fabed
5. need to find a place to run the steam vent (I taped the low coolant sensor on the 84)
6. Wiring, Jims Performance will do it for you, painless is another option or do what I did, by Charles Probst Corvette fule injection book and wire it your self.
7. ECM VATS disabled and what ever other changes you want.
8. Impalla SS throtle cable
Here is a shot of the compleated project.
In corvette fever, I have the issue somewhere, It said it costed about 15,000 to do the complete swap. But they said some of your dash won't work, all that stuff in the information screen, oil temp,milage etc.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 731
Likes: 0
From: British Columbia
You should just buy a 96 lt4 for what it costs, and you will have the first and last c4, that would be sweet! You could grag race them and compare everything each has and I bet you will find something on the 84 better than the 96.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
Originally Posted by nelson84
How much did it cost to swap the lt4 in?
In corvette fever, I have the issue somewhere, It said it costed about 15,000 to do the complete swap. But they said some of your dash won't work, all that stuff in the information screen, oil temp,milage etc.
In corvette fever, I have the issue somewhere, It said it costed about 15,000 to do the complete swap. But they said some of your dash won't work, all that stuff in the information screen, oil temp,milage etc.
It was an LT1 but it was right at 3K. As far as the dash goes the only thing that did not work was the MPG. I don't read Corvette Fever and have no doubt they could some how tie up 15K in the swap and still not have the dash working correctly. The sensors the dash uses are a direct fit into the LT1 block, oil temp, Oil Presure, and coolant temp sensors, so if they could not figure that out then perhaps they should not have wrote the article.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Originally Posted by nelson84
You should just buy a 96 lt4 for what it costs, and you will have the first and last c4, that would be sweet!
Larry
code5coupe
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Rockford IL
I'm in the process of a 84 L-83 (Crossfire) to LT1 swap.I'm pretty sure I'll have under 3k in it , and thats including the price of the car. Thats an estimate but, still i'm 80% of the way done.
