Hello, help. Camaro/duramax

[tombar67]

Hello my name is Tom. I have recently been turned on to your site and I love it. I am starting a new project and can use all the help I can get. I have a 67' camaro that I have decided to fit with a Duramax LBZ w/ the Allison 6 speed. I know, good luck right? If anyone could direct me to a few threads where someone has done similar projects that would be great. Any extra ideas always help. Threads that have firewall and transmission tunnel modifications (to fit the enormous size)? Motor mounts? Trans crossmember mods? Electrical wiring for the duramax/alision? You name it. Anything will help. Just to give you an idea of what scale I am building, here is what I want at the end. A street drivable car that will occasionally go to the track. Around a 600 hp mark. I don't want to tub it or make a drag car out of it. There will obviously be majoring strengthening but no cage. Thank you for your time. I will post picks soon. Also where should I post this?

[cheapthrillz]

First of all, welcome! One word for your project: SWEET!!!

Start a build thread in the project update section and then use the the search function to find info you need... If you can't find it there, then post a thread in the appropriate section.

Good luck with the project and I'm sure that most of your questions can be answered, but sometimes it is hard to get the answers out of us...

Welcome!

[WILWAXU]

Take lots of pictures! :D

Sounds like a very cool project.

[Steve Firebird]

Good luck and keep us posted. I just picked up a 2007 pickup with Duramax and it seems like a great engine and trans.

[ProdigyCustoms]

I was working with a customer that was trying to do it. He aborted the mission. The transmission is huge, and will swallow a lot of leg rom. And a front steer aftermarket subframe will be required. I am not saying it cannot be done, but this guy threw in the towel.

There was a 70 Chevelle at SEMA with one in it, but it did not run. Looked like it fit OK in that. It's going to take some money and time, I am not sure you will get paid when you finished.

[twosaturns]

Hello my name is Tom. ... I have a 67' camaro that I have decided to fit with a Duramax LBZ w/ the Allison 6 speed.

I would say there would be plenty of room in a 67 foot camaro.


:)

[pro-touringAK]

There was, I think, a 66 or 67 chevy impala that they did this conversion on....I know Pimp my Ride. It may have been West Coast Customs that did the conversion. The show is on MTV. It smoked a Lambo Gallardo on the 1/4 mile. Granted it had a bunch of Bully Dog stuff on it.

[70RS]

There is an article on a duramax conversion a guy did in 82 buick regal at www.dieselpowermag.com go there and check out the features. . Good luck with the conversion. I also heard Painless was working on Duramax wiring harness but I don't what generation motor it will be for.

[gearheads78]

Good luck you have a major undertaking. The whole reason GM does not do a Duramax Suburban is because they can't package the transmission in it. If you look at a 03 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton truck you will see the front bumper has the moulding on top of the bumper about 2" taller on the 3/4 ton. This is to take of the gap of how much taller the frame and higher the body was mounted to clear the Allison transmission.

Might be OK in a full size like an Impala but not a 1st gen f-body.

[2ndgener]

First off you might be a little crazy and second I hope you got deep pockets! lol. Sounds awesome! Being a diesel mechanic this type of project has often crossed my mind. I lack the knowledge it would take to set a chassis up for something like that but I can tell you, that thing is going to make some serious torque! Now you said you were shooting for 600hp? So a stock druamax puts out what like 300 somethin hp, so your gonna do some engine mods to bring it up to 600hp that is not going to be hard at all, the only problem is the hp to ftlbs ratio on that type of diesel engine is 1:2 or close to it. So what I am saying is do plenty of research before you build that engine up. You don't want to crinkle the car like a pop can the first you put your foot to the floor with 1000ftlbs! Now I know that Banks does lots of crazy stuff with the duramax engine and I believe they have cut the hp to ftlbs ratio down to like 1:1.5 or something like that. But if I remember right they cut like half the weight off the rotating assembly, changed compression ratio's and modified cam, so its possible if you have a budget like NASA's. I read an article in diesel power mag one time they talked about Isuzu's putting out a 4.9L V6 duramax engine that would be like the 6.6L minus 2 cylinders. The engine could be used for 1/2 ton pickup applications, suvs, stuff like that. I for one think that would be sweet! It would be just as tunable as the 6.6L and would fit in stuff a whole lots better! Also I here the engine will be backed by a 4L80E. Now doesn't that sound easier to put between the frame rails of a 67 camaro!


Sorry for the Bible but I have been thinking of this for awhile! GOOD LUCK KEEP US UPDATED!!!!

[Benoit23]

I think this is a great Idea! I will be following it, for sure.

Do you how much weight you will be adding with the duramax vs SBC or even a BBC?
What do you plan to do to the frame & suspension to compensate for the extra weight, if anything?

Thanks,