LSX donor car for a 68 firebird

[firebirdzig]

I'm looking at getting a wrecked LS car. Not sure if I want to look at an LS1 or LS2. However if I get a GTO/camaro/Firebird which parts will I be able to use on my '68 firebird? I know with a different crossmember and motor mounts the motor and trans will work, but what about the rear end and the brakes on it? The front disc brakes? Fuel tank? Ect.... I understand I'll need a return fuel line to the tank and a different fuel pump, the engine wiring harness and ECU and things of that nature. Thanks for the help.

[charchri4]

On the fuel lines a lot of guys just use the fuel filter from a 99 corvette so you don't need the return fuel line from the engine. It has a regulator in it so you mount it back by the tank and just need a small return hose to the tank.

LS1 or 2 just depends on your budget. LS2 is a better motor but more expensive. GTOs have an independent rear so not sure how much of that you could or would want to use. Would be sweet to have ISD in a 68 bird though... For wrecked f bodies there is a little bit of an advantage to find a 2000 or newer car. No EGR and they have the LS6 intake, cam and injectors so it is a little better motor than the 98 / 99s. But really anything in the LS family is good stuff.

[Z06vet]

The LS6 intake was only on 01/02 Fbody and does have an EGR. It does not have LS6 cam, none of the F body cars came with it. The corvette LS6 intake will not have the egr. Not much difference in 99-02 cars, but 98 ECM sucks. Not worth using it unless you plan to leave the motor stock. You can use the front seats, brakes, console, rad, fans, and several other parts/pieces if you are resourceful. Then part everything else you dont use. I've done at least 5 or 6 like this. I've not used a GTO yet but should be able to do the same. I've never parted one out either so I can't say if it will part out as well as the F bodys do. Keep us posted on your progress

[firebirdzig]

Thanks for the replys. I'm going to be looking for a 00-02 f-body. However a guy near me is selling an ls2 with 65k for $2,000 obo. I might have to jump on that. However I like the idea of being able to drive a car with the motor and trans in it before I swap it into my car. That way I'll know if I screwed something up or if the motor/trans is screwed up.

[charchri4]

The LS6 intake was only on 01/02 Fbody and does have an EGR. It does not have LS6 cam, none of the F body cars came with it. The corvette LS6 intake will not have the egr. Not much difference in 99-02 cars, but 98 ECM sucks. Not worth using it unless you plan to leave the motor stock. You can use the front seats, brakes, console, rad, fans, and several other parts/pieces if you are resourceful. Then part everything else you dont use. I've done at least 5 or 6 like this. I've not used a GTO yet but should be able to do the same. I've never parted one out either so I can't say if it will part out as well as the F bodys do. Keep us posted on your progress

Don't mean to be a know it all newbe but I have owned 4, 4th gen F bodies over the last 10 years and I'm sorry but that is just not correct.
The 98-00 did have EGR but not after that. You won't find any 01-02 LS1 with an EGR valve on it. Maybe you are thinking of the AIR system? They all had that and is a very common delete. It only runs in the first minute or so of operation anyway.

With the manifold change in 01 came a cam change too and I do apologize for the way I worded my post above. It reads like the cam is an LS6 cam but it is is actually a truck cam with more overlap in it. Go look up these parts and specs in any catalog and you will see the cam and injector part numbers changed with the intake in 01 and there is no EGR part number for them.

Yes the 98 computers are different than the newer ones but there is no disadvantage to them. Any HP tuners or EFI live tuner will tune them just the same as the newer ones. You may get a tuner that doesn't want to mess with it because the tables are different but you don't want that tuner touching your car anyway.

If you want to get fussy the injectors changed for 99 and were unique to that year too. But none of this really matters. You are going to at least put a cam, headers and tune in it anyway and the differences across the years is so minor it makes little difference. All LS engines are excellent and so much better then what came out of your car it's not even funny.

Just a heads up on that LS2 engine it will be a drive by wire throttle body so it's a bit more effort to set up in it's new home.

Again I do apologize for being contrary it's just that I know 4th gens like the back of my hand...
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/04/982012s-1.jpg (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/charchri4/media/982012s.jpg.html)

[Z06vet]

No apologies needed, you were right on the LS6 not having the egr. I think I got crossed up (in my mind, lol) on the drive by wire & tied them together. I will disagree on the 98 computer. I use 2 different companies to mod the stock harnesses for swaps. They wont even touch the 98 harness because noone uses the 98 for performance applications. Sure it can be done, but most tuners will talk you out of it. That ecm is just slow & takes more time to tune. Kinda like old desktops/laptops with old technology. You can use them, but they're just limited in what can be done with them, especially on a cost basis. Thanks for catching my error on the intake. Scott

[charchri4]

Good point. I forgot it used the older baud rate. I’ve got a 98 bird just about ready to come out for spring (after todays 6" of snow is gone) and I may not look at her the same way now!

I didn't know there were companies that reworked wiring harnesses either and that is exactly why I jumped on this site. Good stuff here for sure.