hi guys im new to the site an i just bought a 96 v6 camaro its a clean car that i picked up really cheap i have a 450hp 355 that i wanna put in it i just need a lil help on where to start ? what im goin to need ? i have welding skill an can do some fab work just wanna do some home work an get some in put form any one that has done this thanks for any info that any one mite have

 

First off Welcome.

Secondly and I dont mean to be an a$$ but why the swap? Yea I know about the HP and there is alot of it but do you know where these engines go in these cars? 60% of the engine is UNDER the dash and front windshield. You will have limited to no access to the distributor (this is the reason for the Optispark in the LT1 engines), the use of a high rise intake will give you carb/hood and cowl issues. and your fuel system is designed for 50+ lbs of pressure.

These cars are built around the engine, the car is engine specific and swapping them and making everything work happy is not easy. Check out the V6-V8 thread in the V6 forum to get an idea. I have been involved in a 96 3800 to 2000 LS1 swap and basicly the 96 car is now a 2000. Dash, wiring, heater box, suspension, diff, brakes and lines, fuel system, hell everything but the seats and carpet just about had to be swapped to make the car work right. That was Camaro to Camaro and not Camaro to old skool custom. Your Tranny will need inputs from the computer to shift properly, if you have a manual tranny the T5 will not handle 450HP, and your auto tranny will NOT bolt up to the CSB.

Also where do you live? Most places will require emission checks for cars 96+ being OBDII. You will not be able to maintain OBDII systems with a carb'd engine.

IF you want power and lots of it and keep your car streetable I would suggest that you learn about fuel injection (it is not hard to learn about), find a totaled LS1 car (98-2002 Z28) and do the total swap and get your power that way. The LS1 created 305 HP according to GM but dyno tests show closer to 330HP new and around 310 after 100K of well maintained miles. The LS1 block can handle 1200HP using stock GM parts so you will be able to build an engine that is drivable with no special parts just stock stuff. (minus pistons and cam and headwork but you should have guessed all that already) The most difficult aspect of building FI engines is the tuning. Leave that to the dyno shop, they have the equipment and the knowledge to make your stuff happy and work together. Things like Timing, A/F metering and over all response and how the engine runs is now taken care of by a computer program that the Dyno shop can adjust to make your engine produce the most power possable and keep your emissions low. Proper A/F ratio will maximise HP gains and you can still make good mileage and emissions.

Back in the 60's cars were making 300+ HP with big block engines and 8MPG today we make 300 HP with a V6 and get 30+ MPG, and 400+ HP with a V8 and mid 20's in MPG. If you ask me TODAY is the muscle car era not the 60's

Massey

 

i agree with massey this job WONT be easy and odds are youll get half way thru the build and just sell the car enjoy the fact that you drive a camaro and leave it be if you want some power try force induction (ie turbo, s/c) if you have the 3.4 you can run about 5 lbs of boost witch will create about 100hp depending on you setup the 3.8 will do a little more around 8-10 lbs creating around 150-170hp thats what im going to do i just got a turbo and all the piping out of a saab today for 150$ just gotta fab it up it should bring me up to around 250-300hp but im gunna start at 3 lbs of boost and work my way up to 5 dont wanna ruin the wonderful 3.4 that gm has so greatly designed

 

 

There is also a sticky in the V6 section.

We have one member that has done it. I do not think your going to like what your up against. Since all the electronics are connected together you pretty much need to create an entire wiring harness and new dash. Should have done the research before you spent the money.

https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02-general-41/my-engine-swap-progress-3-4-5-7-a-45720/

 

please provide more details about the 355.

How do you know it makes 450 fwhp? Was it run on an engine dyno?

Do you have all the accessories for it? Is it a complete turn-key?

if so, how much?

I'm eyeballing an S10 that is screaming for a small block to be stuffed into it.

 

Wow did we scare this guy off?

 

Hahaha probably so.

 

Noramly they post "it can not be that hard" Then in a day or two we get the "I am going to do it anyway" then after a little more research they move on and we never see them again. I would expect atleast a few more posts before he gives up.

There is a guy about 20 miles from me that has had his converted 4th gen with SBC on craigs list for almost a year now. He got the motor in and running but never got all the wiring working. Its funny he started out asking 6K for it saying he had 8k in it. He had dropped all the way down to $2500. He is parting it out now.

 

3800 series= tanks. very well suited for boost.

i have a 96 Y87 shell and no heart :/... if i could get my hands on a complete LT1 setup i would.. even better an LS1 but i dont think i could afford that. But i might have to build a carbed 350 (& make i a 383 stroker!!!!) and somehow make it pass emissions...