I currently have an LQ4 bolted up to a TH400 but need something to put it in. Not a bad problem to be have, right?

I bought an 86 z28 camaro but its pretty rotted, I don't think its worth putting any money/effort into since it won't be able to take a roll cage. My question is this: Would there be any problem with buying a beat-up but not-rusted early 1990s v6 camaro and dropping my powertrain into it?

This car would be strip only, not street legal, no A/C, no emissions. Just want to know if this is a good route for a rolling chassis. I realize that I may need to replace the front springs and guts out of the rear end.

 

i believe the 3rd gens are a couple hundred pounds lighter. the 98 up may be a little easier to match up. just gotta find a k frame for a ls. or buy a tube one.

 

Didn't 98 up come with ls engines? Were there completely different subframes for the v6 and v8 fourth Gen camaros?

 

yes the v6 has a different k frame, trans, pcm, rear end, bcm and suspension,,, all i can think of.

 

If you search you can find a project of a 5.3 being put in a V6 with a complete bill of materials but that was for a street car. You can also find a Ls1 to LQ4 conversion.

If you are not in a rush people are buying 98-02 Camaros for the drive trains. Mostly the 6 speeds versions. You could then buy one of those bodies and bolt right in except of course your trans but since you are going th400 you are dealing with that no mater what the car came with. I saw a black SS roller last summer for $1000. Sure you could find a v6 roller for $600 but you will need to deal with rear and radiator day one. This one had the 17in rims and all the external SS parts.

Honestly I would go with a 3rd gens. If this just a drag car they are lighter and a lot easier to work on. If you have a lift for engine removal and you want to go around corners fast then the 4th gen is the one.

 

IIRC, '82 is the second lightest throughout the history, only being beat by '67.

 

yup seen 98 zs8 roller $800.00 an a 02 ss $1400.00 both just need engine an trans with pcm,i agree with like 92 roller on back 3rd gen car ,one can put big block in those if you can find 350 car or 305 car better even,there is so much more space under the hood