Here is a "real world" update on the LS2 85 Vette. Some of you have seen the install article currently on the shelf (December issue) of Corvette Enthusiast magazine. Next month - which in magazine terms is already here - the electronic aspect will be covered and ALL the part numbers will be provided along with quick contacts to the folks that can make it happen.

The current status of the car:

My wife as planned, is using it as her daily driver. I only had a couple hundred miles on it when we left from Florida to drive to Carlisle in August. That was about 2,400 miles total. She has since been closing in on 1,000 daily driven miles.

Outside of some annoying typical early C4 issues (rattle - rattle - rattle - leak - leak - leak - clunk/bunk - bam) the car has been working as planned. We have since added a keyless entry system and are currently laying down plans for a stereo since the stock bose is ill and she can't listen to CDs. My 3.5 year old son rides with her in a specially prepared child seat to and from (his day care is at her work). He calls the car "Herbie Corvette" since he loves Herbie the Love Bug and at one time we had a white hood on the car that made him call it that.

There are only two non-functional aspects of the car at this time. One is the fuel computer doesn't work. That was a function of the old TPI system and is not compatible with the LS2 stuff. We just turn that switch off. Also - we have a SES light/code because the transmission in the car is a 2001 model and the 2007 computer is looking for a input speed sensor that does not exist on the older unit. HP tuners has yet to catch up with the code to turn that off. At one point we didn't have lock up on the TCC so gas mileage suffered. I just found out we had a wire reversed in the TCM harness - so all is well now.
Waiting for updated stats there. It was getting 16 in town and 27 on the highway - I now expect to see 20 in town and 30 on the highway.

Long story short - not only can this swap be done - but it can be done and serve an actual transportation purpose. We haven't had it to the track yet - but HOLY COW - this car is fast. Between the 400 hp LS2, 3,000 stall converter - headers, and hot tune on the computer it wants to just twist that car in half when you drop the hammer - yet will cruise on the highway with the cruise control set like a Caddi!

Any questions about the swap - just fire away and either me or my wife (since she now really knows more about the personality of the car) will answer.


Oh...I also have the GM hot cam with the L76 L92 intake/heads waiting on the shelf to go in. That is going to be a hoot!

 

Nice! I live in Highland City, FL! Not too far from Auburndale!

 

Sounds like a wicked car I'm envious.

 

awesome job there , besides price of motor and trans, what was the price of getting the swap done?(fabwork)

 

I have a $350 Lincoln 90 amp (plug in the wall) mig welder I bought from home depot years ago that is worth its weight in gold. I use it all the time - and it really came in handy here.

WIth that in hand and a few saw blades and scrap metal - that is all that is needed to prep the car. The motor mounts are $4 each (that isn't a typo) from Advanceauto parts / Parts America - and miscl nuts/bolts are another $15 or so.


Total raw cost out of pocket was under $50 not counting any tools I already had on hand.

 

We will have it at a car show on 11/3 here:

http://www.fbclakeland.org/clientima...lyer4LongJ.pdf

You should bring your ride out and get a free lunch and we'll check the rides out.

 

So there was zero cost for wiring harness, PCM, interface to old dash, headers, exhaust, tuning, etc?

 

is there a link to the project or is it just in the magazine. didnt uahve to change the driveshaft? or fab work on the c-beam?, i heard these were things u had to do?

 

Of course not, I thought the question was only related to getting the engine to fit the car. There was a cost on all the other items - but is subject to ones ability to price shop, used parts shop, and find pacakage deals.

Neither the drive shaft or C beam had to be modified...how cool is that?

 

sit back and grab a cold drink - then cruise through here for more info:


http://www.mcspeed.homestead.com/Frankenvette.html

 

Sounds sweet, if I could afford the engine and tranny I would so do this to my '85

 

im thinking about doing it with a ls1 and 4l60e

 

So what's a ballpark cost for the whole swap, with you doing most of the fab work yourself?

 

Mine is more expensive because we used a crate LS2 new in the box, and all new GM parts.

$5,200 = crate LS2 - 400 hp, 400 ft lbs of tq
$1,200 = accessories + PCM/TCM (sensors, belts, etc etc)
$550 = Harness
$700 = 3,000 stall converter, shift kit, and trans upgrades
#1,000 = misc stuff and computer tuning

This is a balpark on the high side to make sure we didn't miss anything.

Obviously had we done a used take out from a 05 GTO, Caddi - or built a truck block it would have been cheaper. Also, had we just done an LS1 take out from a 97-04 Vette with all the accessories and parts included it would have been WAY cheaper. (Even a 05-07 used take out from a C6 would have come out less).

Now to contrast too, I have a spare LS1 out in my shop that just needs to be rebuilt that I have very little money in. Had I used that baby, my biggest expense would have been rounding up the accessory stuff - and LS1 computers are cheaper to wire and run.

We wanted to blaze the newest trail we could running as much 2007 stuff as possible - which more than doubled the price that you might otherwise expect to pay - and increased power output and reliability.

 

Thanks for the info.