Hello all! Just some questions/concerns regarding engine swapping my camaro. Currently, she has no rust so and engine swap isn't bad, the car and engine have almost 190k on them. Now, I want the lt1 350, but I'm open to recommendations as to what would be more feasible for her. Onto questions:
1 - using the lt1 350, what auto trans would be feasible to use? She'll be N/A for the next few years, so just stock power is what we'll be dealing with.
2 - what suspension upgrades should be done with the swap?
3 - drivetrain upgrades?
4 - braking upgrades?
5 - where should I look for buying a crate engine? I've checked eBay (lol), and jegs. But I can't find something that's drop in, turn key. Everything seems to need waterpump, pulleys, plugs and wires, etc.


Thank you so much in advance for the help. If you need any more information, let me know!

-95v6

 

sell it and find a good z28. cost to do this is more than cost of z. you will need a donor lt1 car for parts.

 

Even buying just the crate engine? I'm not trying to sell this car, it was my uncle's and I bought it from him, so got some sentimental value to her. But would a different engine be an easier swap?

 

Yes, true.

Another V6 would be your best bet, but then you would be losing the matching number engine and I don't think you would do this. So, rebuild the present engine to keep it numbers matching.

 

no with carb'ed engine you will have to cut the body. the 4th gen is engine specific, the computer, suspension, drivetrain and wiring is different for the 6 and 8 cylinder. if you want to switch to 8 you will need to find a wrecked one to use for parts. is this a 3.8 or 3.4?

 

It's a 3.4

 

yes an the 3.4l cars are getting hard to find parts for ,thats why it was said to find a z28 if you want to put carbed crate engine in it ,but way to much work for either ,your just better off with a rebuild ,or to find a nice z28 car ,couse even with that wich I did with my z28 yes any sbc will drop in with low a profile intake but the mounts have to be modified then everything is mock up mock up ,an mod after mod to make it work right ,I would just find a nice z28 car with low miles there cheap, right time right place,with your 3.4l there is 10X the work to make a v8 work vs a v8 car ,so rebuild or,or get a z28 for 5k an there are some nice ones for that $ if you look I seen them with 50k for 5k ,if the sentimental value is that much rebuild the 3.4l ,couse the 15k + or more it would take to put v8 in that car ,or the 10k for a z28 roller an crate engine .just keep that one for parts an find desent v8 car for a lot less saves a lot of hassle time an money ,guys only put v8 engines in those cars for raceing an got more money then brains,though my z28 v8 swap turned out ok ,looking back I should have had a nice ls1 car ,an 5 years down the road or sooner I may do so ,to much to list ,but everything under the hood is new or ramaned an not lt1 anymore ,cost about 8k + for 150 more hp an tlbs over an lt1 car ,1.5 years working the quirks though its running pretty good it allways has ,but there was so much modified work to do ,there is some regrets ,but I got to live with it for now an once I get my exhaust up higher I should be ok ,the ls1 there is so much one can do with them so that's next for me ,for now got to feel like I paid this one off before I let it go for a lot less ,then if I would have put an ls3 engine in it ,gets complicated with 4th gen engine swaps for the most part ,now I have learned how it could have been so much more simple ,though we installed the engine an did the swap in 40 hours ,its the quirks that gets most an relize the time is a lot more then that 40 hours to make it done right,an some get into the builds an relize it was to much or lose the butt ,or its never right ,money runs out so on ,I know my post is long ,but these swaps don't happen in a few weeks

 

Thank you so much for the response.
So, as far as rebuilding my 3.4 goes...
Right now, it's got a warped head and just over 190k...so what would I need to replace internally this winter?
What manufacturers are good to use? Personal preference and based on cash for product.
I've got another project that I've gotta get some love to as well, so I gotta make sure I'm not spending tens of thousands on my girl haha.

 

What if I bought a 95 z28 lt1 and just swapped everything over to mine? It has everything already there so I should just be able to move it over aside from motor mounts?

 

Did you not read my post ,I would just find a nice z28 car for 5k an forget the project ,cant happen without big money ,I have seen to many lt1 cars ls1 cars for cheap ,like said even if you had v8 car,an lt1 then you need to take that one an put an engine in it ,but no that wont work ,its rebuild you 3.4l or get a z28 car an build it ,or simple like I said find I good used one for the price of a crate engine,i told you in the post mine is a 95 z28 car wich you can put another v8 in it .but at a cost ,then your 3.4l at even more cost,so your better off with nice z28 roller an put the lt1 back in it or fix it ,but with v6 cars even the 3.8l there is so much work basically you strip it down to a shell then start your build for 20 k ,with a z28 car you got more to work with couse its is v8 car ,but still a lot of wireing needs to be done ,,for 6 to 8k you can get a nice ss an move on ,there all over craigs list,i seen a 454 in one of those cars an most yes need to be cut on top of the start from a shell to ,years worth of work ,if you think your doing it yourself , the 454 car I seen was done by pros ,that do it for a living ,your car can not be converted to v8 without a lot of work an money for a shop that knows how to do it 30k for a streetable version ,again you can convert a v8 car for less but still at a cost ,you should be able to find the parts to rebuild that car ,just seen a ramaned 3.4l for $1900.00 ebay long block 3 year warranty under 1995 3.4l engine ,then all you have to do is put your stuff on it, matching#s meens nothing with those cars they will never have value,thats the cheapest way out right there an you keep your uncles car