Most "budget friendly" LS Swap parts

[John510]

Heres the deal, I have one car Im going all out on and went with the autocraft pan, speartech harness, stainless works headers, yada yada..... My second car is just going to be a driver with a LS1/4L60 and just want it done as cheap as possible (last swap was a lot of $$$ in parts). OEM Ls1 exhaust manifolds will work for me(if they fit)

Anyone know off the top of their head which mounts/headers/wire harness is the cheapest?

I know I can search and make a list of price comparisons of the many many parts available but that will take me hours and hours.

Anyone end up using some cheap Ebay parts/harness for their swaps?

[jack]

I have just started my swap but so far i have bought stainless shorty headers new from ebay for 200 bucks. they dump in about the same spot as an f body. next is a cts-v oil pan lookn to be about 225 and a custom harness with ecm programed for around 500 all from ebay.

[jack]

mounts i used were from trans dapt, I think they were like 50 bucks. converted ls to standard small block

[srh3trinity]

f-body accessory setup can be pieced together cheaply if you are patient on ebay. The oil pan is the part that took me the longest to pick up. I finally found an f-body pan for cheap, but I watched for months. I haven't gotten to the harness or the fuel system yet.

[John510]

I have just started my swap but so far i have bought stainless shorty headers new from ebay for 200 bucks. they dump in about the same spot as an f body. next is a cts-v oil pan lookn to be about 225 and a custom harness with ecm programed for around 500 all from ebay.

What brand do I search for on Ebay? Do you have the Ebay store name? I cant find the cheap wire harnesses or headers when I search for ls1 swap parts. Thanks

[jack]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160505192016&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX thats the headers

[jack]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LS1-LS6-Vortec-V8-fuel-injection-wiring-harness-pcm-/160517726341?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item255f9a2085 harness

[John510]

thanks. have you installed your headers yet? Wondering if they clear in a 67 camaro.

[jack]

they clear in my car but i have an 87 buick regal

[dhutton]

This guy sells a nice harness with ECM programmed for a swap. I bought one of these for my GTO and the harness appears to be well made. If you already have a harness and ECM you can sell them and recover some of the cost.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LS1-LS6-Vortec-V8-fuel-injection-wiring-harness-pcm_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33553QQihZ006QQitem Z160517726341QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Edit: Just noticed this is the same harness as listed above.

[mike w.]

i have ordered a set of those headers to see if the quality and fit is any good, its hard to get headers anywhere near this cheap in canada,i hope its not a case of get what you pay for! although they look good in photo, does anybody know anyone who has them? likewise the harness and pcm thats listed above.

[jack]

The welds look real good on my headers and all the bolts line up. Only down side is they will turn colors

[mike w.]

yeah , its ironic that "stainless" steel headers suffer heat stains! lol, it may be worth having them ceramic coated to help keep the heat down under the hood, its good news they fit though

[srh3trinity]

Those headers look pretty nice. Maybe I am in the minority, but I think the heat stains on stainless looks pretty cool.

[ProBell]

I have a modified 99 Camaro pan. We built it to keep the baffling in it unlike some of the units for sale. $225.00 . I also have a polished Street and Performance 90 Deg. intake tube with 3 pin MAF. $125.00 . Thanks Randy

[mike w.]

yeah, i dont have a problem with the heat stains either, at least you know it aint a trailer queen! lol

[tommycomfort]

I emailed the guys on ebay with the stainless headers twice to see if they were "American" made with no response.
Tom

[whytry]

Just getting ready to start this swap myself on my 68 Camaro, so I'm going to be patiently watching for now.. :)

[John510]

I found these today for cheap. Anyone used them?

http://carshop.carshopinc.com/product_info.php/products_id/113674/CSPH8076

[absintheisfun]

I have a CTS-V pan if you are interested, but if this is going into a First Gen Camaro, it won't fit without modification.

[67CamNKC]

Who's modifying the LS1 F-body pan these days?

[dhutton]

I think there is a thread here somewhere using an unmodified F body pan and Hooker mounts.

[PhillipM]

Really? It must sit up pretty high...

[dhutton]

Really? It must sit up pretty high...

Here it is:

https://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?40125-f-body-oil-pan-fits-1rst-gen-without-cutting&highlight=f++body+pan

Sounds like it was a tight fit...

[Andrew McBride]

You can do an LS1 swap fairly cheap.

I had a local welder modify my pan for $100 and I extended the baffle myself. It looks a lot better than the S&P modified pans. The trick is making sure whoever welds it, does not warp the pan.
The carshop plates work great. $30 I used the ones that keep the engine in its current location
Dynatech Coated Headers $367.50 w/ my 15% discount
Wiring Harness and Tune $450-$475 www.chevythunder.com (He also sales the harnesses on ebay)
Rockauto-97+ fuel vette regulator.
Modify stock tank or use a 94 caprice tank (most guys run the walbro 255 in tank pump)
Russell-sales a kit with all the fittings to adapt all your fuel lines as (Jegs)
Custom Power Steering Lines -local shop $75-$100
Radiator-stock LS1 radiator and fans can be used with some fabrication of new brackets
Lokar throttle cable, stock 6 cylinder pedal or lokar pedal
trans X member-pretty easy to fab one up or modify a TH400 crossmember
Driveshaft shortened-local shop
oil pressure sensor and coolant sensor- S&P sales these, however they can be purchased out right a little cheaper.

I know I am leaving out a few things. This is kinda the route I am going.

[mike w.]

i received the headers today that were on the earlier link, they look good but had to grind off a bit of the block casting on the pass side at the back as the header was lightly touching, no big deal but the flanges appear to be plated mild steel, only the tubes are stainless, seem decent though for only 229 bucks!

[MarkM66]

Anyone using an external pump with good results? As in performance, and is it quiet?

Maybe something like this;

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/LS1-Fuel-Delivery-Kits,41791.html

[67CamNKC]

I have an F body pan that isn't modified yet. Any reason to go ahead an modify it vs. going with an Autokraft pan? Seems like I can sell the Fbody pan and take that money plus the welding costs money and buy the Autokraft pan. Curious if there's a reason to stay with the stock pan?

[ProBell]

A lot of us had to modify the F Body pans because the aftermarket stuff was not out yet. Be for you cut yours lets make a deal on mine. I am running the car on slicks and am out driving my pan, So I went to a aftermarket race pan. But my pan will work fine for any one until they get the car and driving dialed in at a road course. I have 25,000 miles on the car 3000 or so at the track on the modified pan.

Randy

[67CamNKC]

Sent you a PM Randy.

[rockytopper]

I have these LS1 and lS2 alt relocation bracket kit For Sale. Fits F-body ls1 and gto ls2 engines. Relocates the alt to the passenger side. This allows clearance to the steering box in A-body and other classic muscle applications. These are made from 3/8 thick aircraft grade aluminum plate. I have 2 left. 115$ Free shipping USA only via paypal.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/ls1altbrk-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/10/altkit-1.jpg

[1976CamaroGuy]

If your not completly sold on headers, the 1998-1999 F-body steel exhaust manifolds will fit most applications fine. Stay away from the 00-02 cast iron manifolds..the passenger flange will hit the frame

[1976CamaroGuy]

best of all you can find them for around $50 or so a pair. I attached pictures someone sent me of a side by side comparison of the 98-99 and 00-02 passenger manifolds.

One picture is a comparison, one is the 98-99 and other hitting the frame is a 00-02. This is in a 2nd gen f-body.

[youngdeezy]

Hey John good luck with this swap and I noticed your from the 510 like myself. I think I might do an ls1 swap this year too right after summer.

[pjku79]

Can someone repost a link to the ebay headers people are using that definatly fit? The link above is expired and when I search I come up with 112 different ones.

[duckmanjbr]

Not sure about exact fit or not but I found this oil pan in my searching and to date it's the cheapest one I have found that says it'll fit. Anyone have any experience w/ one of these?


http://sdparts.com/details/gm-factory-replacement-parts/19212593

[dhutton]

Not sure about exact fit or not but I found this oil pan in my searching and to date it's the cheapest one I have found that says it'll fit. Anyone have any experience w/ one of these?
http://sdparts.com/details/gm-factory-replacement-parts/19212593

That is the Hummer pan and as far as I know and it hangs well below the crossmember.

[SparkyRnD]

on the headers, if they are stainless and $200 a pair, it's a safe bet they aren't made here. Plus, the type of stainless used and thickness can make a difference.