LT5 in First Gen Camaro Questions

[marculan]

Hi,



I'm planning a 68 Camaro PT build and I love the idea of putting an LT5 in it. I freely admit that there is no real logic behind this, and it could very well be outside of my price range, but please humor me. To round things out, I am planning an Art Morrison front clip and suspension parts, and their triangulated 4-link rear. I'm fine doing some light fabrication and welding, but I don't have a machine shop at my disposal. With all this in mind, I'm trying to understand two things:

1) How many of the inherent problems of an LT5 in a first gen have been ironed out and can be overcome with aftermarket parts and/or light fabrication? I'm thinking of things like the dry sump system, the intercoolers, the accessory drive system, the possible conflicts with the firewall and hood, etc. If I were to do this swap, with a T56 transmission, how close to "plug and play" would it be? I know Holley has a number of parts aimed at making the swap easier, so perhaps these help: https://www.holley.com/products/engi...wap_components

2) Considering the mods that would need to be made to get the LT5 to work in the First Gen, Is GM's "Connect & Cruise" a better option than sourcing the parts separately? Just high level pricing, the C&C option is ~$31k incl. engine and trans controllers. Separately, the engine is ~$19k, the trans with clutch ~$6k, leaving another $6k to buy the controllers and other stuff.

Like I said, there is no logical reason to do this swap. I will not be racing the car, and under no situation will I ever need 755hp. But I can't get over how cool it would be to have Chevy's most powerful small block ever tucked inside a nicely done 68 Camaro.

Thanks in advance for your insight.
Marc

[dhutton]

Some good reading here:

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=57667

Don

[srode]

Don's thread is an excellent one that I've been using to plan mine. I'm going to put the oil tank up front though where the battery tray goes to preserve the hidden number under the fender and for simplicity. The oil tank, the hood clearance, routing oil cooling lines, and deciding where to put the controller are the bigger differences between the LT5 and any other supercharged choice. Most subframes need a little tweeking which a good shop can do for you. The LT5 also needs some messaging of the firewall to give clearance for direct injection pump at the rear of the motor - you would see this with any Gen V motor though, they all have the same DI pump.

Comparing cruise and connect vs buying separate parts, you will save a fair amount buying separate. GM dealer cost on the T56 is about $600 more than you can purchase one from any of the big sellers of the Magnum online. There is a difference though, the cruise and connect package comes with a transmission with a 40 tooth reluctor ring, the T56 Magnum bought elsewhere has a 12 tooth stock which either needs changed or the tune needs to be changed to calibrate the transmission and according to the documentation on the LT5 to get the engine to run correctly. The tune is changed by using HP tuner to set the 3rd member gear ratio to something like 1.17 ish to compensate for the ring count difference.

My current plans are using a Speedtech subframe but the DSE frame and set up in the post is pretty sorted out and well documented which is tempting, I like the tire clearance on the Speedtech though.

If you are going to go with an LT5, you probably need to move fairly quickly as there aren't many left. Summit has 4, Jegs has 1, and there are a few GM performance dealers than have one in stock but not many. PM me if you decide to and I can point you to a good price on one from a dealer and where to get a controller which are on backorder most everywhere.

The Cool factor you spoke of pushed me over the edge!

[marculan]

Wow, the pics are not helping me to accept the reality of my situation, because they just reinforce the coolness of the LT5.

Don, thank you for the link to the post. I only made it to where he does the clutch pedal fabrication, but if I go with the LT5 I will read it all the way through.

Srode, seeing that box arrive had to be a happy day! I didn't realize that they may be hard to come by. Unfortunately (for me), my build is financially behind a couple of other large investments we are making to our house, so perhaps availability will make the decision for me.

Thanks for the info on Connect & Cruise. This is my first foray into the modern GM platforms, so I have a lot of reading and learning to do to learn how to setup and tune these motors. If the LT5 doesn't work out, I'm considering the LS427 (again, the coolness factor) or maybe, if I'm feeling brave, piecing together a supercharged LS3.

[srode]

You will probably be able to find an LT5 for another year or so. The LT4 wetsump would be a great choice too and that's not discontinued to my knowledge.

We were pretty excited to get the delivery for sure, and unwrapping it was like Christmas

[Perry M]

Here is my LT 5/Camaro project. Good luck with yours.

[stab6902]

Here is my LT 5/Camaro project. Good luck with yours.

Wow, that's something I've never seen before. Nice work! The original LT5 is so much prettier than the new one, especially yours with everything polished/chrome.

[BonzoHansen]

I kick myself for not buying an NOS crate zr1 LT5 and trans for $5,000 many years ago. The cool factor alone would have been worth it.