Ok. So here's the story.

Part 1.
A girl I know has a 2000 3.8L Firebird that needs a little TLC, (motor's on it's death bed, needs new paint, etc), and she'll sell it dirt cheap.

Here's Part 2.
My little brother has a '99GT that's he's pulling the 2v 4.6 out and swapping in a Lightning 5.4L. He's just gonna scrap the 4.6.

And if you haven't guessed already, Part 3.
Knowing full well that the 2v 4.6 is considerably wider and just all around larger than the 3.8L and 5.7L that the engine bay was designed to hold. What are the measurements of the engine bay?
-Max width from strut tower to strut tower
-Distance from firewall to radiator

And finally, I can already hear you saying "Why the hell would you swap that boat anchor in instead of an LS1, or even an LT1?" The answer . . . because who does that? No one, that's who. I do of course realize I'll end up spending an INSANE amount of $$$$ having things fabricated. But I figure that's what a good "project car" is for. This would be something I'd tinker with as a back burner project for the most part.

And yes the 2v is anything but a great starting point for a powerplant, but I figure the sheer uniqueness of this would be quite the spectacle. Just imagine popping the hood of a nice WS.6 (my personal favorite style) look-alike to find a blown Ford Mod motor there to greet you. Of course I'd build the motor with all the goodies (Twisted Wedge heads, cams, blower) before dropping it in.

TLDR?
How big is the engine bay in a 4th gen Firebird?

 

I moved this thread so that you can get measurement from the 4th Gen people who might be able to help. Just so everyone who posts here knows.... If this thread turns into a Flame thread It will be closed.

 

Not gonna flame. But, even if you can get the engine to fit, you'll have a car that no Chevy person is going to want to buy when time comes for you to sell it.
You're right, nobody does that, and for good reason.

 

strut tower to strut tower is 32 inches. fender to fender is 27.5 or so.

 

I have heard of Built Ford Tough Powered by Chevy Stuff but never the other way around. I dont think that this is going to be possible and leave the towers in place. I am going to go out on a limb here and say you are going to have to cut the car at the firewall and fabricate a stub frame and suspension and then some way to mount the sheet metal (plastic) back on the nose. I cant see of any other way to place an engine in a car that is almost 12" wider than the engine bay.

Massey

 

send it to the scrap heap where it belongs, an LSx between is framerails will eat that lightning motors lunch

 

Thanks, craby. I figured it was even tighter than that. The 2v Mod motor at its widest is 28 5/8". So not near as much cutting as I expected.

I appreciate you holding back on the . Believe me I understood that even while typing this thread I was rolling out the welcome mat for ridicule. And the only thing I can say is that if eventually I build this and absolutely no one but me wants it, so be it. Besides, I'd be building it for me not anyone else.

Thanks again guys, as it stands this is still all a pipe dream, but IF this ever gets some traction, I'll be sure to make a thread.

 

Your going to need to look real close at the height of the motor. On all the GM designs the motors fit very tight to the frame and intake are only slight higher then the valve covers. GM had to redesign its power steering system to get everything to fit on the motor and clear the hood.

If you do not have a machine shop of your own and know how to use it you looking 15-20K to do this job right. If I saw that car at a car show there would be no wow factor, I would just see waste. Change a car for change sake and not improving something?

 

I'd like to see it done. It gets boring looking at every other ordinary LS/LT 4th gen. Stupid swaps are the best swaps.