My buddy has a 1985 berlinetta camaro with a blown 2.8/5 speed. He's on a tight budget, but has access to his shop at his automotive technical school. Plus the local yard is having a 75$ engine sale.
I'm pushing him to consider a turbo L61, but more realistically he will probably end up with a 3.8 from the 2000-2002 V6 camaros. I don't think there is an easily obtainable RWD trans that will bolt to the eco (kappa trans are not cheap). I'm betting the 3.8 will bolt up to the trans he has now.
We've also seen Lt1's for around 200-300$. I guess it would be advisable to grab the harness/ECU from the donor car.
Comments/suggestions? Remember the two qualifications - low budget for parts, free skill/labor
Just put a carburated 350 and TH350 automatic in it. No need for harnesses and expensive ECUs. Just drop in and drive. Won't be as fast as a late model 3.8 V6 and won't be as economical, but will sound a hell of a lot meaner and you can modify the hell out of it.
Why not a SBC? Parts are plentiful and cheap.
"Project 69'"
1969 Chevrolet C/10, 1/2 ton, 2wd
-Boosted LS1?
-Richmond ROD 6-speed(will get sometime)
-Posi 12-bolt(built w/eaton posi unit and richmond 3.73 gears)
-Disc brake and 5 lug swap
+little extras
Tinkles wrote:Why not a SBC? Parts are plentiful and cheap.
this
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
small block chev with th350
or he could use his 5 speed as the bell housings are the same sould just need a new flywheel and clutch
any chance of getting a running SBC for under 250?
yeah bone stock 305 or 350 go for around that much
I've found one lt-1 in my area for 250 and it had unknown milage. You are only getting like 275hp at most for a stock LT-1. Forget the 305 dog ass motor...
After doing some research - his best bet looks to be a 3400 swap. Direct bolt in, plentiful, 50hp gain over the 2.8. Hopefully we find one at the yard tomorrow with that 75$ engine special.
im a traditionalist on certain cars and if its a camaro it should have a 350 in it, if not that the 3.8 V6 is a good choice and honestly it makes better power than the worthless 305
305 is the worst V8 gm ever made
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
a set of 305HO heads on a 350 bottom end makes good power as they are 1.94 valved but only 58CC so they really up the compression.
a 300ish hp 350 is NOT expensive
we bought a bone stock 350 put in a cam, intake headers and ran 13.3@102 in a 3500lbs car........total invest ment was 550 CDN so thats like pennies american haha
Rodimus Prime wrote:
305 is the worst V8 gm ever made
Wow, you're seriously on crack.
The 305 was a fantastic motor. It was a little under powered in stock form. It was a terrific work horse motor though. In a chevy 1500 it was very reliable, easy as hell to work on, and shared any aftermarket parts with a 350 making it plentyful for parts. It had more than enough tq to tow needed stuff. In its times fuel economy on it wasn't too bad. You could do a few boltons and have it fun to drive. Of course the 350 was the better motor. Doesn't make the 305 a bad motor. But saying 305 was the worst v8 gm ever made is a horrible and very incorrect statement.
350 or bust
look for a 96-99/2000 vortec 350 in a van or truck. Buy a used aftermarket intake and you're done.
An lt1 swap with a used aftermarket carb intake wouldn't be bad either. If you can't find either I'd opt for the oldest 350 that you can find hope pre 1971 so it'll have decent compression and hp stock.
Even a smogger 350 with a set of junkyard vortec 350 heads, used aftermarket intake, summit headers, cheap cam, used carb, and good exhaust will make that car scream for very little money.
To cheaply put an auto tranny in an 3rd/4th gen you need to find a trans that's out of one because of the torque arm set up.
The 267 sbc from the late 70's was the worst sbc ever made and the olds 350 diesel is a boat anchor of the whole gm v8's IMO
Low budget LT1 swap? lmao you're insane. If you're saving money go to the junk yard find a 350 out of an old truck. Carbed is your best bet. I guarntee you can swap that in easier and cheaper than any newer v6. Even if its slower at first, SBC parts are cheap and good give power gains.
Have fun with the wiring up of the LT1. Not to mention it wont take long to bust that 5-speed. Plus the adapter kit is going to cost more than you want to spend on the entire project.
Why all the hate on the 305? It's just a 350 sbc with 45 less cubic inches. Yeah, if you can get a 350, get one for sure! I mean, there's billions of the things and as long as you have a choice, go for the larger engine every single time. However, the only difference between the two is the bore and stroke really. Most 350 parts will either bolt right on or fit with minor modification. So if you can get 300hp out of a 350, you can get 260hp out of a 305. Simple math. It's not a bad engine, just a smaller one.
I'm not saying "Go out of your way to buy one." but if a car comes with it standard, like a 1980's Monte-Carlo SS, there's no real point in swapping it out unless you really really want to crack the 400hp barrier.
I completely disreguard pretty much anything made from 1975 to at least mid 80s because EVERYTHING at that time was pathetically down on power. In the 70s they werent great on making power unless its a huge engine anyway
also just as a point of reference even the turbo 301 was lethargic and only rated at 215hp, in 1979 a year earlier they only got 220hp from a 400ci engine, seriously what can you expect from a 301 NA of the same time period?
and bitch please do not ever question my f-body knowledge, it would make your south park canuk head spin
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Thursday, July 23, 2009 9:44 AM
1989 Turbo Trans Am #82, 2007 Cobalt SS G85
Chris my dad has a 80 Vette its 350 is a whopping 180hp LOL it can barely spin the tires when its raining
Rodimus Prime wrote:I completely disreguard pretty much anything made from 1975 to at least mid 80s because EVERYTHING at that time was pathetically down on power. In the 70s they werent great on making power unless its a huge engine anyway
also just as a point of reference even the turbo 301 was lethargic and only rated at 215hp, in 1979 a year earlier they only got 220hp from a 400ci engine, seriously what can you expect from a 301 NA of the same time period?
and bitch please do not ever question my f-body knowledge, it would make your south park canuk head spin
Yes, because thus far you've done so well showing us just how knowledgeable you are.
Damn Rodi.....you like to pick fights for absolutely no reason? I don't remember the definition of fact being "Rodimus's opinions".
But I could be wrong.
Find any small block in the yard, but shoot for the mid 80's truck 350 for the 4 bolt main caps.
Ditch the 5-speed, I bent the cases on 2 regular t-5's and 1 t-5WC with a mild 350 in my car. Although I still have the small block
bell housing for that trans lying around somewhere.
Grab a th-350 from the local trans shop if you don't want to rebuild your own. Around here you can pick one up for about 500.
Get the adapter crossmember from Hawks Third Gen to relocate your torque arm mount. 370
Random other goodies like torque converter, distributer, carb and what not can be picked up almost anywhere for cheap.
And you now have yourself a runner. Now slowly fix the things that you didn't think about when you started this project.
When you have the time and cash, start to make the power.
All the power in a small block is made in the head selection.
You can go on summit and get a set of cast iron vortec heads and carb'd intake for 900.00 which includes the bolts and some gaskets.
Whether that goes on a 305 or a 350 it will wake up any small block.
That will take you up to the power point where you will need to start addressing chassis issues.
Trust me, I scrapped an 82 firebird due to to much motor and not enough bracing.
These are just options and opinions. Use all or none it doesn't matter.
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
as ^ said is true.
just don't let people tell you that those blocks are no good the only difference from them and the 78 and older blocks is that the dipstick is on the other side of the engine
and they were painted blue from the factory and not orange
But orange = performance so they must be faster right?
just swap in an LSJ and be done with it
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
Rabbit(AKA RedAssassin) wrote:But orange = performance so they must be faster right?
The orange blocks just had better heads on it.
I have 462 Casting camel hump (300hp fuelie whatever you wanna callem) heads on my motor
882 is a good flowing head for the street
920 also is
newer Vortec heads with a vortec carb intake is the way to go they flow amazing.
