LS1/4L60E in an A-body shopping list?

[derekf]

If I'm pricing out putting in a Camaro pullout LS1/4L60E in a 69 El Camino that's currently a 396/TH350, what else would I need to get?

I understand I'd need:


Motor Mounts
Headers
Fuel pump or complete tank
return fuel line
driveshaft length changed (?)
electric cooling fan
some sort of tranny linkage (?)
Computer reprogrammed to handle the VATS
A/C compressor relocation (or is that only Camaros?)
Adapter to allow the mechanical speedometer?
different/modified tranny crossmember

and it'd probably be a good idea to get a Painless LS1 harness instead of reusing the old harness.


What have I missed? What else should be done while I was at it - cam change? Shift kit? Aftermarket tranny controller and shrifter?

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Going with an LS1, Derek?


Definitely no shift kit. TCI or other tranny controller, and shrifter, for sure. Depending on what year LS1 you get, you may want to swap to an LS6 intake (all 01-02 F-bodies have the LS6 intake already), and a cam is always a good way to wake these engines up. On the headers, if you can't find a set of Long Tubes that will work, just go with some LS6 exhaust manifolds. Otherwise, you'd be wasting your money on shorties (they offer little to no power increases over LS6 manifods, just looks).

On the computer reprogramming, someone like Speed Inc (www.ls1speed.com) can remove the emissions stuff for about $150, but if you install a cam (or some other source of power), you'll probably want to have the car dyno tuned which runs about $500 bones. How much power are you looking to get? With the 4L60E and a moderatly sized cam (plus bolt-ons and LTs) you should see 380ish(+)rwhp, add stage 2 heads to the mix and 420+rwhp is within grasp.

Definitely either get a Painless harness or have yours reworked by a company like Speartech, if the engine comes with a harness. From what I've heard it's a huge PITA to modify the factory harness yourself and takes lots and lots and lots of time.

One thing I don't see in your list is a new radiator. I'm not sure, but I doubt the stock rad will work with the LS1.

[derekf]

Contemplating - I've got to do something; the 10mpg I get now out of the Camino really takes a lot of the fun out of my 50 mile commute.

Figured that maybe what I needed to do was get fuel injection and an overdrive tranny to bolt to my existing BBC, but once I'm dropping that kind of coin an LS1 starts to make a lot more sense.

Plus if I go LS1 in the Camino, then I've already got the engine/tranny for the Chevelle.

So.. I just watched a 1999 85k LS1/4L60E end on eBay for 2750 with a 6 month warranty.. is that about the right price or did I miss the bargain of the century?

Are the tranny controllers required or are they controlled by the engine computer and they're just a nice-to-have?

[Ralph LoGrasso]

If Gas Mileage is what you're after, the LS1 is the way to go. On my way home from Indiana I got 30mpg with my '01 SS. Around town I see about 15mpg, but this is not a daily driver, and my right foot is heavily dictating the 15mpg. Plus, I'm driving around the skip shift, so I'm usually shifting 2nd at no less than 3k.

I don't think you missed the deal of the century at all, 85k miles is a bit high, but that price was decent. The best place to search for pull-out LS1s is in the classifieds of LS1tech, as far as pricing goes. Also, there is one for sale on pt out of an '02 SS so the mileage can't be too high, he's asking 3000 obo. That may be you.

Tranny controller is not required for the Shrifter, but it's basically pointless without one. Without the controller, it's basically the same thing as shifting the tranny by hand. The controller is where the tuning is, and where most of the benifit comes from.

[derekf]

Ok, I can see how expensive this can get - with my incomplete shopping list, given an engine price of 3k, I've got a 6000 dollar shopping list so far.

3k for the engine
450 for the mounts/crossmember
250 for a good electric fan setup
600ish for Painless LS1 harness
300 for the adapter so the mechanical speedo works
800 for the radiator
850 for a custom tank

That doesn't even figure in tranny controller, shrifter, driveshaft modifications, fuel line modifications, the PROM or dyno tuning, engine upgrades, or any of the little things that are always needed.

I know I'm cheap. I can't justify 6k to the wife; I can't even justify it to myself.

I know some of these prices aren't great, I didn't shop around much - but just how cheaply can an LS1 conversion be done, given basic skills around a garage (I can weld, but I don't know that I'd trust motor mounts I made, etc)? Radiator, fans, and harness could likely all be picked up used. The Tanks, Inc. in-tank pump is only 300 but I'd be giving up the baffling and the sump. A cheap electronic speedometer would suck but it'd be quite a bit cheaper than the adapter.

If the lower end of the price range is low enough, I may be able to justify that, and then pick up the additional stuff as time/money permits. Otherwise, I guess I'm not going LS1 after all.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Derek,

Shoot me a PM on this.

[yody]

no way a raditator and fan will cost $1050, you can easily cut that in half, also you can get a autometer speedo with electric odometer for a less than $300, and then you have a Programable cool speedo