Hello,
First time here and first time building a camaro.
I am more a ford guy but i appreciate my chevys, as so being that my girlfriend is a die hard chevy girl we went and picked up a 97 30th anniversary Camaro rs with a seized v6 with a 5 speed. Got it for next to nothing in great shape (cometically) and plan on building it (mild) with the her in the free time. Her dad has a few SBC parts laying around from his days building camaros, and he has a complete 307 sbc sitting there that was pulled running. I want to go retro and swap a carbed 350 or (307 free) into it and keep the stock t5. Now before you advise me not to do this swap or its a waste of my time hear me out. This project is intended more for the experience for her to enjoy building a camaro. Im not shooting for high HP or street monster just want to put together a decent as possible combo to drop this in the rs. So here is my dilemma, i have a stock 307 sitting here, a set of 350 vortec heads (casting 14096217) and a adapter to bolt a stock sbc bellhousing to the WCZ ford style t5 trans. I cant find the stock CR of the 307 but i know it was low. I also have a 350 vortec block from a 97 but it is pitted bad from rust in cyl 1 from a bent valve and leaky tarp.. so anyone have suggestions on what would be a good cam to use with flat tappet lifters (bummed i couldnt keep the roller block) and vortec heads? Any ideas on what kind of pistons i should get to bump compression up a bit? All criticism and opinions are welcome, just want to get pushed or shoved in the right direction here with what ive got. Ill update the casting number on the block soon!

 

the best kinda swap for these cars is the lsx engine 5.3l with a very experienced mechanic ,there has been a few builds with success not many though,the guy who did lsx engine very experienced ,your better off to find a z28 car ,A flat tappet cam goes well with those lifters ,you will want high zinc oil wich is hard to find these days an ZddP ,I don't want to say you cant do it ,but it could turn out to be a lot of work an a lot more money then one would think ,one thing I would do is make sure you got a good engine otherwise the work is for nothing ,someone else will chime in on this to give you better info good luck though,like you I owned fords all my life couse I am tall I like the crown vic ,but there heading out ,I had a mercury marquis 2001 loved the 4.6.l an leg room almost got a 2009 mustang gt 500 look alike with the 4.6l sweet looking car white an blue with all the looks of the gt 500 ,but I did not have the $20.000 at the time was brand new an a good price for that car an the fact we had resssesion 2008 ,so I got the 95 z28 in 08 paid for it owed me nothing then put the 406 in it wich I have few regrets ,its a runner ,but looking back I could have put an ls3 in it ,so I have 1974 Camaro in 95 frame ,the biggest problem with swaps in the 4th gens is room in the engine bay the 1 2 3 gens all have better room under the hood for swaps,these 4th gens to close to fire wall ,your best bet would be 92 or older Camaro ,since getting my 95 chevy ford comes second the mustang has less leg room for the tall driver too I think so ,when push comes to shove I love anything with an engine,if is will will there is a way ,but I could be at a cost, an alot of work ,you need to have a lot of experience ,look at that lsx build in projects

 

personally i would find a low miles series 3 3.8 and after replacing some gaskets, install it. pick up 20 or so more hp and dont have to cut up the car. have a look at this thread, its a 3.4 to carb'd v8 which includes pretty much what you will need to do. https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02...4-5-7-a-45720/ remember once your done the car will not be worth much. frankencars dont sell.

 

info on series 3 3.8 replacement
https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02...nt-info-57568/

link to another young lady working on a nice 3.8 camaro https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02...o-build-79480/

 

Just an FYI, the 3.8 T5 won't bolt up to a SBC. Even if it did, it can't handle the power.

You can get plenty experience pulling and building the factory 3.8. A lot easier, less headache, and worth more when all said and done in case you every need/want to sell

 

Well i torn down the 307 and it is in great condition, picked up a set of 305 HO (416 casting) heads for dirt cheap in good condition.) The t5 is being bolted to a early 90's 305 t5 bell with a cnc milled adapter to adapt the ford to chevy patterns and keep the tilt. I like things that are one off.. here dad has a 94 lt1 he just rebuilt and rolled it a week ago so if i wanted to just do a straight across swap i would use all his parts as he is parting it out. The lt1 mounts will bolt into the subframe and ill run 2 of the 3 bolts. I wont have to do much cutting on the car as i am running a crab style distributor and low rise intake with a demon carb. Itll be topped off by a carb hat and custom intake piping.
Im sticking with a v8 and carbed as i have decided. I got the car for pretty much nothing so i wont be looking to sell it. I already have one frankencar so this will make 2! The t5z is rated for 330f lbs of torque and is newer, as the previous owner replaced it at 125,000. The end goal is not high HP street car, but rather a retro fun cruiser that will be built with memories and one off quirks. Honestly who do you know that has a 4th gen has a carbed 307?

 

well good luck ,I know my car is a one man car ,I don't think of mine as franken car a few guys like it ,go for it man ,one guy had 454 in one of these he also cut out the dash an winshield an put in plexy glass wind shield it was a quarter mile car ,an he striped the whole car down too ,it was a pretty nice hot rod actually ,the car was built by a pro too I had pictures lost them,the only thing on my car lt1 are the engine mounts an the headers .otherwise its the modified 95 camaro 406 ,soon to be ss want to be look,oh an mine is a z28 too or was,oh an you should move over to 93-02 projects an start from begining with lots of pictures of I have carb too,see a lot of guys are trying to put EFi in there older cars ,but one thing you will have is conversation car ,guys that love carbed cars love them ,I had friend he never owned anything that did not have carb ,an another thing is if there was cybor attack that took out computers ,carbed cars will still run hehehehe ,make sure you don't have to put a cowal hood though or hole in the hood ,with a low intake an low profile air cleaner,i sometimes fit in better with the 70 -81 Camaro guys ,couse I like the look of an oldshcool engine too,also there are a ton of guys that do these swaps that never join a forum ,so there out there ,but seeing is truth ,an lots of guys who talk BS out there in the real world ,one kid had 454 then a 350 ,then back to the 3.8l he was full of you know

 

You are right I have never seen it. I have also never seen a BMW M3 with 20 hp 2.9l out of a model T but that does not make it something that should be built. IMO putting old tech in new cars is not impressive. Anyone with a stick welder and basic mechanic skills can do that. It is a great project for someone just learning that needs to understand the basics. Impressive is going to the junk yard picking up a 6.0 Lq4/4L80e getting a cross member, PCM from a 99, Swapping in a new Cam and intake and build a 500 hp car that get 20 mpg has AC and your mom could drive across the country with no problems. Do all that for under $2500. Now take that to a car show with a dyno sheet and your budget posted in the front. You will get "How the heck" all day long. If you are parked next to a carb 4th gen watch the carb'ed car get ignored.

By all means build what is fun for you just keep in mind that fact that "no one has done it before" should not be a major motivator on a 20 year old car. There could be a very good reason no one has done it. Fuel injected 6.0 will have a huge power band it would really be a fun car to drive. Back in the day we use to scrap 307s to install real motors. The 307 was base model V8 2 barrel engine. Yes they can be built it is just a 2 bolt main 283 with a 327 crank. Just keep in mind any of the original parts off the 307 where the cheapest GM could find. If you are building a real motor only the original block should be used.

 

This is not a BMW and a 20 hp engine is not being put into it, however the 307 was a shamed motor, or under dog as you can say, it came with small valves and 70+ cc heads, and somewhere in the 8s for CR. I bought the car for 400 bucks because it was so clean i thought why not? Ive already made halkf that back parting out the blown up 3.8 that it came with. Honestly would i love to take the engine out of my dads wrecked 03 escalade he has sitting in the yard... Sure, or maybe the lt1 drivetrain out of her dads camaro he just rolled and is now parting out sure... but the goal is not a high hp car, ill be happy with 2-300 hp and mid 300's torque from the 307. I like things a little different, im not the typical jump on the bandwagon type of guy so if i can enjoy having a 307 carbed in a 4th gen when no one else has done it, good for me. I mean i wont be taking it to shows or drag racing people, just a fun cruiser built with memories as this is her first time building one. She decided on the 307 because it has some sentimental value as well. The engine her dad has was pulled from her grandpas running truck before he passed, which adds another point of why im sticking with the 307 .The build will be done with a experienced mechanic (myself) and my gf (unexperienced). If anyone wants to see updates along the way all you have to do is request, other wise i wont waste the time to post if no one will turn a head at it.. mehh

 

one thing to remember gorn is most of us that come hear are not pro builders ,what your, talking about takes mis fit garage to build an 5 guys on the crew ,I don't hear anyone talking about a car show though where I live you,see some real winners cars not even painted yet ,I kinda see the one off thing ,an in much worse shape then mine for instance ,I was going to agree with the guys an say 3.8l would be a good start ,but if he wants to do it the least we can do is support the guy ,at the same time many have failed at theses builds an I see gorns point ,so far so good with mine but mine aslo had 350 in it ,I used a crate engine too,check the progects section an see the many failed ones out there .in the real world my car gets so many more kudos then hear ,an cant go anywhere without some asking me whats in it Beauitful car over an over ,like said guys with older cars like them ,an the red one yes but not even close my friends are allways asking still got that purple one .yup be on the road soon again after just 6 months off the road couse of the wreck,an the fact I got the 3800 2 now that the one with AC ,I don't even want to put AC back in mine ,wich was what I was going to do ,down the road a stock ss is a goal,my car was up an running in about 6 weeks ,but I think moveing to fast ,couse while it was a good time ,still thing to tweak minor though,alot of these cars turn out to be short ride cars ,well in my case it very loud with the 350,so getting in my v6 can be more comforting for long rides an saves gas ,do I think when I make some adjustments could I got most anywhere you bet,but couse its a hod rod an I got 2 other cars well?????