Hello- I'm a little new on this site. I picked up an '83 Berlinetta shell that was previously owned by a body shop owner. He took care of all the items that I find annoying- like panel repair, sanding, priming, sanding, painting, sanding, and sanding a little more.

I recieved it as a rolling chasis and have a donor car that I'm getting the interior and other little exterior parts from.

I have a 454 SS motor and a fresh turbo 400 sitting on the shop floor ready to drop in it once I finish the cage.

My question is: on these 3rd gen Camaros- do you drop the motor in from the top like a traditional motor swap, or drop the sub-frame and raise it up into the engine compartment?

Thanks!

 

See the stickies associated with swaps.....

In your case a big block th400 swap requires a lot more than a drop. There is significant fabrication that needs to be done to the firewall, and possibly the trans tunnel to make everything right, and then from there all the normal stuff involving swaps. The big block 3rd gen swap in most, not all cases, is simply not worth it.

 

I build rock crawlers on the side. I'm not scared of a little speed bump like a firewall mod. That's just a little sheet metal work....

They do go in from the top though, right? I'm just asking since I haven't had the time to measure it out. Too many other projects I'm working on right now. Just planning ahead for a month from now.

Thanks!

 

I've never done any other method beside going in from the top, dropping the front end, seems counterproductive to me. Others have done it with sucess, but why remove something you don't need to. For the guys doing suspension work at the same time, then i would get it.

 

OK- thanks! Another buddy I ran into last night that has already done this swap told me the same thing. He actually said that his cleared the firewall! He told me that getting the exhaust handled was a bigger pain in the butt than anything else on the whole project.

 

you will more than likely need custom fabbed headers as its tight. may need to make them go around the steering shaft. and a custom trans crossmember is a must. but have fun changing spark plugs once its done

 

Oh....I like this guy.....

 

Yes- I've been shopping for a good one- or I'll just fab one. Is it Schotz or something like that??? They have some really nice ones that look like they have plenty of room to route the exhaust through by the time you add in the tranny mount.

 

i couldnt direct you which brand to buy. just pointing out some areas that most people forget to think about

 

I just finished my last rock buggy project this weekend, so I'll be starting a build thread here shortly. Right now I just have a caged shell and a donor car for the interior and other plastic exterior parts.
It really shouldn't take more than a month or 2 to complete working on it Wed nights and a few saturdays.