Nv3500 swap in 1984 camaro
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Nv3500 swap in 1984 camaro
I have a 1984 Camaro that had a 305 and auto trans. I didn't get either when I bought the car. I'm swapping a built 4.3 out of a 1999 GMC Sonoma in it with an edelbrock intake, 500cfm performer carb, headers, dual exhaust, 3.08 gears, and a 270hr comp cams camshaft (.500 lift and 215 duration on exhaust and intake). Im hoping for 300hp at the crank but iI think I'll fall a little short. I want to know if an nv3500 would be a good choice for this. There's one for $500 low miles on Craigslist that I'm thinking of buying. Im choosing the nv3500 or a t56 and I'm having trouble finding a reasonable t56. I'm also concerned with the shifter lining up with where it needs to be on the center console.
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The NV3500 is a commonly used transmission used in swaps the search will be for adapters to the 4.3. The GM/camaro bell house rotates a manual transmission 15 degree. I just say that because it will add to your headaches. So the question is can you fabricate brackets and adapters? Unless you can find the adapters you will need to make them. On the plus side the 4.3 has the same rear configuration as a small block chevy.
I understand wanting to be different I have a friend who put a V6 VW engine in a S10 truck with a NV3500. He had access to a machine shop but it still took him two years and cost 2-3 times what it would have cost to do an LS swap. The NV3500 is a short trans, the custom long drive shaft will be pricey and unless you use some kind of carrier bearing its length will limit your top end speed.
IMO the 4.3 is a bad choice, at best they are as weaker than a stock cast small block. It is a very old design and we had failures back when they where in bone stock cars while still under warranty. Adding horsepower to a stock 4.3 almost always ends the same way. assuming you drive it to its potential.
There is a reason GM did not put a 6 speed behind these older V6’s. They simply do not have a torque at low RPMs to make a second overdrive usable. Anything you do to raise HP in the upper RPMs will always hurt the torque at the lower RPM.
If you really want to do the 4.3 I would suggest a Super T5, Basically any T5 that came in a 3rd gen V8 camaro.
Just say’n the 4.8’s out of 2000+ trucks are super cheap are easy to mount in the camaro. If your 4.3 is in decent shape it may be worth more than a 4.8 just because there are so many. You could easily hit 300HP with a CAM and headers and you could back that up with just about anything since almost everything has a kit for a LS swap. You could beat the crap out of 300hp 4.8 and not have to worry if the crank shaft will break in half.
I understand wanting to be different I have a friend who put a V6 VW engine in a S10 truck with a NV3500. He had access to a machine shop but it still took him two years and cost 2-3 times what it would have cost to do an LS swap. The NV3500 is a short trans, the custom long drive shaft will be pricey and unless you use some kind of carrier bearing its length will limit your top end speed.
IMO the 4.3 is a bad choice, at best they are as weaker than a stock cast small block. It is a very old design and we had failures back when they where in bone stock cars while still under warranty. Adding horsepower to a stock 4.3 almost always ends the same way. assuming you drive it to its potential.
There is a reason GM did not put a 6 speed behind these older V6’s. They simply do not have a torque at low RPMs to make a second overdrive usable. Anything you do to raise HP in the upper RPMs will always hurt the torque at the lower RPM.
If you really want to do the 4.3 I would suggest a Super T5, Basically any T5 that came in a 3rd gen V8 camaro.
Just say’n the 4.8’s out of 2000+ trucks are super cheap are easy to mount in the camaro. If your 4.3 is in decent shape it may be worth more than a 4.8 just because there are so many. You could easily hit 300HP with a CAM and headers and you could back that up with just about anything since almost everything has a kit for a LS swap. You could beat the crap out of 300hp 4.8 and not have to worry if the crank shaft will break in half.
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