Need technical help. I have the opportunity to get the engine and 700r4 trans from a 1988 vette for a real bargin. The car was totaled when a huge tree branch fell on the car. I have a 1973 camaro without an engine or trans so I want to put the vette engine and trans in the camaro. Here are several questions I have. Can the swap be made with a minimum of cutting and welding on the camaro ? The camaro had a v-8 and an auto trans. Are there aftermarket components that I can buy that will allow me to run the engine and trans in the camaro without having to pull all the electronics (ecm and pcm) out of the vette? Since the vette has the electronic dash can I replace the vette sensors so that they will function with the type of analog gauges in the camaro? Also the ignition key on the vette has a resistance element so will I need to use the vette steering colume in the camaro? Any advice is welcome or if someone has done such a swap I would appreciate your detailed input. Thank you.

 

1. the trans tailshaft will not work in the camaro because it is too short.
A. get some trans shop to swap the tailshaft and housing. They might do it for free to
get the corvette tailshaft & housing. You need a speedo cable drive gear. Get the trans shop to install it for you.
B. Then get a camaro trans crossmember from transdapt and have a driveshaft cut locally... You will need a later camaro shifter. You need to get a bezel that indicates the right gears (PRND D2 D1 L)
2. the engine harness will work out of the corvette into the camaro. There will be extra wires.
You can cut them out of the harness or just stow them out of sight.
3. go to the auto parts store to get the sensors for the camaro's gauges. The corvette ones won't work. and you can't use the corvette digital dash anyway.
4. You can get a later camaro gas tank that will bolt up to your car that has a fuel pump in it already. You just need to swap in a return line and a vent to the charcoal cannister unless your car already has one, and the vette's higher pressure pump.
5. Use a camaro V8 radiator and hoses.
6. you might run into interference problems with the serpentine belt setup, but if you have the camaro v belt pieces, then use those.
7. If you look hard enough, you can get a 78 firebird TPI air filter and rubber elbow and coupling. You need to improvise here.
8. If you use the corvette exhaust, your whole exhaust will have to be custom fabricated. Any muffler shop can do it for less than $500, or check the wrecking yards for camaro V8 exhaust systems.

 

Aftermarket ECM's and harnesses are expensive
You could buy a engine only harness ($250+ ) to use with the Vette ECM for a cleaner install
http://fuelinjectionconnection.com/gpage.html

Some reading
http://chevythunder.com/chevythunder%20introduction.htm

http://www.hotrodhandbooks.com.au/eBooks/TPI/IX.html

Will need one of these with a cable drive speedo to generate the correct speed signal for the ECM
http://tpiparts.net/inc/sdetail/7586

 

The 88 vette is a SBC motor so just buy a intake and a carb and get rid of all the EFI and computers and senors ya don't need. The 700R4 would be a great upgrade so a tailshaft swap as mentioned and minor tweeking and your golden.

 

Terrible idea. If you don't want to use the TPI stuff, don't bother going with the '88 Vette motor.

If you for some crazy reason want to put a carb on it, then buy a 96-99 Vortec 350 (found in trucks and SUVs) and put a carb on that. It will be cheaper, better, and give you more power than a carbed L98.

 

The OP stated he didn't want to pull the original CCM and ECM .... so without those brains then the EFI is no good, and buying a aftermarket one to plug and play is expensive as well. I see no use in swapping a steering wheel and entire harness either. The condition of the donor car other than missing a engine and trans was not listed. So I guess the OP needs to be more specfic on how he wants the project to end up. A 73 Camaro with a functioning EFI and C4 suspension would be way kool. A sweet 73 Camaro on a budget and a cheap engine and trans swap to fill the missing void is a whole different story.

 

Thanks to all the responders to my question about swaping the 88 vette engine and trans into the 73 camaro. There were several points brought up that I did not even think of. The donor 1988 corvette was damaged beyond repair by a large tree limb. the engine and trans survived and only have 78,000 miles of use. I will utilize the info provided and see if its even feasible to go forward wih the project. Thanks again.

 

Certainly it's feasible. The 73 came with a 350 so why not put another in. I totally disagree you are going backwards. In this case carb that bad boy and go. Dump the digi dash and use a the instruments that came with the 73. Yes you will have to replace all the pick ups but that is easier than trying to wire in the dash. The trans swap is another matter that I'll leave to people who have done it.