3rd gen camaro Z28 LS1 swap

[tracar91]

Well, after the L98 giving up after 237,000 good miles, I started my LS1 swap. I hope to document the step by step in this thread if I don't get too lazy.

1st step, List the scope of the project.

I use the car on nice days, weekends for car shows or autocross, and 3-5 weekends a year for open track days on various road courses. I very occasionally will take it down the drag strip. Within a couple years I'd like to compete in the NASA time trials for Ohio/Indiana and a high speed road race like the Silver State Classic.

In phase 1 I intend on getting the LS1 in the car and running, without alot of extra power improvement stuff. Phase 2 will be the beginning of the modfest.

2nd step, the preparation.

I have a 2000 trans am LS1 with all accessories on the engine stand. I won't be doing any internal stuff just yet, that will be phase 2. So for now, I intend to clean up the engine, and remove all the pollution stuff that isn't required.

The car already has a t-56 from a 97 trans am, but as we all know LT1 T-56's do not work with LS1 motors. So my plan is to remove all the LT1 trans stuff (master/slave, bellhousing, clutch, input shaft, front cover) and converting the trans for use.

I wish to retain AC, which means either:
1) Notching the K member
2) Using the third gen compressor with an adaptor
3) Or getting a tubular K-member.

I don't have the means to easily notch the K-member, and I don't like how the third-gen compressor looks (mounted high) when I can have the compressor hidden low. So I made a call to Thunderracing.com and ordered a Spohn tubular K member with all the extra bracing for street and road race applications. Unfortunately, it looks like a 8 weeks lead time.

The only major power improvement on tap for phase 1 is Hawk's stainless LS1 conversion longtube headers. I debated about this (because of the expense) but I knew I wanted to do them in the future and didn't want to do the exhaust twice. Plus I found a used set online at LS1tech.com for a greatly reduced price.

3rd step, Start the dissasembly.

[69 Red 540]

Good luck to you my man.

I am sure there will be a bunch of eyes on this build.

Bryan

[tracar91]

Big Day two. Over the last week I have been doing small stuff like pulling plugs and labeling wires, removing small stuff, and trying to organize the garage a little. My plan was to get a couple guys to come over on Friday night and put a big dent into the deconstruction phase of the project. I already had buyers for several of the old engine components, so they needed to be removed for delivery.
About 7:00 PM Friday, Speagle pulls in the driveway with Hodge and Mike M in the car. (Thanks guys!)
Heres how it looked when they arrived:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498658
We proceed to the unbolting:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498670
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498669
and by 11:00pm both the motor and trans are sitting on the floor beside the now much lighter car.
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498672 I think we left a loose nut under the car!
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498674
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498675 Man, the engine didn't look this dirty when it was in the car!
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498691 You think maybe I can beat my old best time of 14.011 @ 98 mph?
Sunday I got a chance to clean up the tools and straighten up the garage so here is where the swap is now:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498683
Next step is to strip out everything under the hood and prep it for a coat of the same paint as the rest of the car:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5498689 Boy, I have a lot of cleaning to do!

[tracar91]

I have collected all the parts I need, so I started working on the car again. My dad and my Cousin showed up at 9:30 this morning and we are done as I'm writing this. Finished disassembly, pulled it out in the driveway to powerwash and prep the surfaces. Pulled it back in, taped it up and away we sprayed. I guess the pictures will explain better than me typing.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248116) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248121) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248126) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248135) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248137) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248141) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248143) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248153) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248159) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7248163)

[WS6]

Looking good. I think I'll have to own a built third gen Formula or TA one day. I've always liked them.

[tracar91]

Looking good. I think I'll have to own a built third gen Formula or TA one day. I've always liked them.

On a budget, third gens are a pretty good choice. And I hope that over time they will gather a bit more respect than they currently get.

[BADNBLK]

Really nice project you got there! I am jealous of you, that is exactly what I am saving to do with mine. Your car looks familiar (another board?) maybe post a pre disassembly pic. I will check in on this one often.

[67SSDan]

Very very cool. I've always liked the third gens (I've owned 5). This is going to be cool when you're done.

Dan

[Young Gun]

looks cool...good luck with it man!!

[tracar91]

Really nice project you got there! I am jealous of you, that is exactly what I am saving to do with mine. Your car looks familiar (another board?) maybe post a pre disassembly pic. I will check in on this one often.

I've done cardomain and Fquick pages, plus I frequent a few other boards. I'm sure our paths have crossed before.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/tracar91
www.fquick.com/Tracar91 (http://www.fquick.com/Tracar91)

If you want to come see the car in person, go to www.fbody-event.org (http://www.fbody-event.org) and register. I'm the one of the road course organizers and also one of the instructors. Nothing beats making a pretty car go really fast! :headbang:

[BADNBLK]

I've done cardomain and Fquick pages, plus I frequent a few other boards. I'm sure our paths have crossed before.

Yeah I have seen your car before, and I think met your buddies Speagle and Hodge on another board too! You Kentucky guys know how to do it right!

Are you splicing the factory harness, or using a Speartech harness??

[tracar91]

I haven't been able to get to the computer much, and almost less time in the garage. So I decided to spend more time doing than documenting. I am updating one message board thread instead of several.

Updates can be found here:

http://www.kyfbodies.org/vb/showthread.php?p=195802#post195802

[BADNBLK]

Slowly but surely! I like that you are taking the time to hide all of that unsightly wiring while you have her all apart. I will continue to check in with ya. Nice thread.

[tracar91]

Today I had a whole crew show up to help mate the engine and trans to the car. (Thanks Mike, Jesse, Tyson, and Dad)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013088)
First we got the engine and trans mated together, and went to add the starter......Road block #1
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013090)
Notice the black cover doesn't line up with the bellhousing. because of this the starter will not fit. We racked our brains to try to figure out why the bellhousing would fit perfectly for everything else and not the starter. I believe that I have somehow managed to get a 04-06 GTO bellhousing. I'll be heading to the parts store tommorow with the bellhousing and the F-body starter to compare.
So off comes the trans, and we decide to put the engine in and hold off on the trans until the mystery is solved.
after 3-4 times dropping and pulling the motor to adjust the chain on the hoist I realized that there are 2 positions that the engine mount can mount and I had the driver side one on wrong.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013356) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013357) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013358)
We managed to get the motor lined up after that and then roadblock #2 reared its ugly head! The expensive additional braces added to the tubular K member which allows the use of the Triangle braces got in the way of Everything. So off they come.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013366) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013362) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013377) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013378) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013379)
More to Come!

[tracar91]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013725)
After cutting out the braces, I tried to line up the ac compressor (I had not added it back to the motor yet. It appears I'm still in for one hell of a fight with the K member on that issue (later, after the motor runs). It also looks like the compressor will get in the way of the idler arm too, but maybe that will change once the engine and tranny are both in the car.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013726) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013727) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013728) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013729)
We did manage to get the motor settled into it's new home and drop the headers into place. I can't tighten them down until I get the trans mounted, but the hard part of installing them is over.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013731) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013732) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013733) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013734) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8013735)
Tieing all the loose ends will still take a while, but I'm still hopeful to have the car running and take it to the F-body event in Memphis May 15th-18th.

[BulldawgMusclecars]

You should bring it to the F-Body Gathering in Atlanta, the next weekend:

http://www.fbodygathering.com/

Looking great!

[tracar91]

I tracked down a replacement for the GTO bellhousing so I save $380 for a GTO starter.
Here is the difference :
F-body bellhousing
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059628)
GTO bellhousing
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059627)
Side by side compare it's really hard to tell the difference.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059626)

Now I need to drill a big A$$ hole in the firewall to route the harness.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059637)

[tracar91]

Another weekend, a little more progress. Saturday we got the trans up into the car, driveshaft in, and after several times taking the driver side header in and out, got enough clearance between it and the brake and fuel lines.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059656)
Of course, that means we completely removed the stock evap, return, and feed line and I'll be running the corvette filter/regulator in the back where the stock filter was located and running -8 an line up to the front for fuel. A change in plans but I think this way will be better in the long run.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059660) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059659)
I also added my new 2 guage oil block off plate (made courtesy of free time at work)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059649) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059651)
And Mike fabbed a nice bracket to keep the Clutch line tucked away from the header.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059658)
I also got my new SPD crossmember in , should give me more room for exhaust.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059653) https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://www.putfile.com/pic/8059652)
doesn't sound like a lot, but the motor and trans are solidly in the car now!

[van454]

Awesome car, what were the biggest hurdles in getting the LS1 up and running? It can't be as easy as it looks.......

[1971CHEVELLE]

Awesome car, what were the biggest hurdles in getting the LS1 up and running? It can't be as easy as it looks.......
looks cool.:1st:

[maroon88iroc]

im one of those die hard thirdgen guys!

your project looks good. good luck with the rest of the way.

[LSJUAN]

Nice work, any up dates? Im doing the same ls1/t56 to my 92 3rd gen camaro with front coilover conversion from spohn.