i just bought a 1987 cavalier and want to make a autocross car ive found suspension upgrades and im gonna put a 3100 in the car but i want to know about bodykits or strut bars and springs, sway bars and interior pretty much anything you can tell me i want to know also the car came with a 4speed is it better to swap to a 5speed and which one all help is appreciated
is the car a 2.0l right now??? if so, you will need to swap to a v6 5 speed when you swap the motor.
as for suspention stuff, the suspention never realy changed 82-94. lots of companies list 88-94, but anything listed there will fit 82-94.
i was told the if the motor was an iron duke which it is that it shared the same bellhousing as the 60degree v6s the only thing is its a 4speed and i dont know what model i got the id number off of it 14073796. i have the motor its a 3100 out of a 95 beretta well the top in is but the block and guts are out of a van not sure what model. and as far as suspension what companies are there. if anything give a couple of websites that i could check out. last but not least when i install the 3100 could i use motor mounts from like a 2.8 or 3.1 out of a first or second gen will they bolt up to the 3100 anything will help
your motor is not an iron duke, they are a 2.5l and never put in a j-body. your tranny is an isuzu 4 speed. it would bolt up to the 3100 however they are weak and wont hold up to the power. a 5 speed from a v6 j-body would bolt right into the car, axles are the same, you will have to change the shifter and cables, no big deal, i did this swap in my old car.
as for the motor, if its out of a van it could be an ironhead motor from a lumina van with 3100 heads, however that would give you very high compression. more likley its a 3400 from a van with 3100 top end. either way, you need to find out what exactly it is so you can figure out what front motor mount you need (head over to www.60degreev6.com for more info on this). if it is a gen 3 motor (3100/3400) you need to get an aftermarket front motor mount bracket, if its a gen 2 any j-body front mount bracket for a v6 will work. the rear mount bracket is just a j-body v6 peice no matter what motor you have.
as for suspention stuff, addco makes swaybars, there are lots of companies that make springs, kyb gr2 struts are the best bet unless you go to $800+ in koni struts. there are various brake upgrades you can do using factory peices from other gm and dodge cars, have a look around the forums for that info, there is lots out there.
the 3100 bottom end is out of a front wheel drive van. the top end is out of a 95 beretta my friend owns he put in a 3400. you were saying that i have to get a tranny out of a second gen. what is the id numbers to look for on the tranny are some better than others also if u know anybody selling parts for my car definately let me know. i would like some seats or nice rims and what about body kits for the car. and headers. sorry i have so many questions this is my first fwd car ive want to build. before this i had a 1984 corolla and a 1974 olds omega both with small blocks in them. i got into this because of my friends own a z26 and z34 and i found my car for 150 dollars thank you for all the help
there never was a 3100 in a van, it was either the 3.1l ironhead (this was a real oddball motor) or a 3400.
the tranny you need is from an 87-91 2.8/3.1l v6 cavy/sunbird or beretta/corsica. if the car is a 90-91 you will need to change the slave cylender, may aswell grab the master/slave out of the car you get the tranny from. this will be the muncie/getrag tranny, this is the best option for the v6. there are different versions of it, however all the v6 versions are the same. it was also used behind the quad 4 ho and 92-94 had the favorable close ratio and 3.94 final drive thats great for performance. the downside to this is you need to change the front case half to a v6 case, and it gets rather complex. i am going ot be writing a how to on this for 60degreev6.com.
rims are 5x100, 38-45mm offset depending on width of the rim. body kits are non existant, aside form the factory z24 kit and hood. for a unique look (as if a 1st gen isnt unique enough) you can bolt and 1st gen j front clip to your car (sunbird, firenza, syhawk or cimmeron). as for seats most of the older small gm's share the same seat rails so most will bolt in.
cool thanks the guy who gave me the 3100 is now giving me the bottom end that originally went with the beretta so hopefully this would be better. it is going to get a rebuild do you have any ideas on what to build it with what to go for i was gonna get head studs and what ever else i can find are stock rods actually forged and what about the crank and headers also i didnt get what you meant on the rims and where can i find the stock z24 bodykit
if your not planning to boost it, dont bother with head studs or forged pistons, they are un needed. you can get speed pro hyperutectic pistons for a 3.1l that are slightly higher compression. stock rods are foorged and good to 7000rpm, however id still beam polish them and use arp rod bolts. the stock crank is steel, its been used in almost 500hp engine without issues. headers are going to have to be custom made, nobody makes headers to fit a v6 j-body. head over to www.60degreev6.com , its a site dedicated to these motors and has a wealth of info.
as for wheels, there are lots of companies that make them. you can also run 3rd gen j-body 16s, beretta wheels, ect, basicly anything that has a 5x100 bolt pattern. as for the body kit, there are no reproductions made, you have to find a factory kit in the junkyard. keep your eye on e-bay, some of the stuff pops up there.
thanks alot you been very helpful when i hava a question ill post it here
does anybody have stuff for sale for first gens or 3.1 stuff anything that you think would help let me know
well i got my 3100 in i also got the z26 springs will they work and the rear swaybar but its a weird one it goes in the center of the rear axle
PM sharkey he has lots of stuff forsale.
as for the z26 springs i believe they are the same. so there would be NO point in using them save up and get lowering springs...
as for the rear swaybar i don't belive it will work due to the fact that it's wider than the jbody one but i could be mistaken.
watch for flying sparks!!!
No point in the Z26 springs. They might have a slightly stiffer compression rate, but ride height and handling will be largely unchanged.
The inner sway bar has worked for some people in the past, as the N/L rear axles and the J rear axles are adaptable.
1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
