Hey guy just wantring to know your thoughts I found a place that can swap my 3800 with a 327 for around 5 grand come tax season i can afford this my question is can my tranny hold up to the new engine? I dont want to swap that out as well. I do not know what type of trans i have right now as i have said before im new to cars. The shop im thinking about going through says it will be ok but im not so sure. Can anyone tell me the type of transmission i have or how to figure it out its a 96 RS automatic. I just dont want to go spend 5 grand and have the transmission give out the moment i step on the gas a lil thanks again guys. Til tax time im gonna tinker with this engine to do some learning. I just want to rip the lil ponys legs off and have some fun doing it. the guys where i work are all stang guys. I CANT STAND THEM ! looking to bring a little jsutice to this world and well make them cry. also if i do get this done what will the limits be that i can do before i have to drop a ton of cash into her..

My third child... her name is Tori.. she is a blonde right now but when im done with er she will definetly be a red head

P.S. yes i know it would prolly be cheaper to just buy a camaro with a V8 but you cant just discard your kids i feel the same way about my car.

 

The shop you are thinking about going to is clue less. Your tranny will not even bolt to the motor. Not to mention the motor will not bolt to the frame. If you want to convert to a V8 Step one. Find a doner car. You will need a bunch of V8 only parts. Old school V8 do not fit in forth gens very well. Go look at where your motor is. Now think about the the distributer sits. Now imagine setting the timing or changing a rotor.

To pay a shop to do the convertion right you could buy 2002 SS LS1 with low miles and make you 3800 into a planter or something.

 

essentially what your saying is sell this car! and go find a v8. thanks for the advice on the shop like i said just found them. Also how much HP can i get outta a 3.8 ? can i hit 300+ hp with it?

 

You can hit 220-225HP with boltons. Headers, exhaust and a CAI. There is a thread going right now of a guy building what I think will be a 300+ 3800. https://camaroforums.com/forum/93-02-general-41/project-l36-sleeper-40642/

Based on what we have seen 280 HP down is ok with a drive line. Much over that the stock tranny and rear with have trouble. As always the Candle that burns twice as brite burns half as long. Also if you have never pulled a motor out of a 4th gen you should click on the link in my sig below. You can get an idea whats involved.

I have a V6 and I love it but think real hard about your attachment to your V6, Spend all that time and money just to be out run by a LS1 with a coupe of bolt on mods. There is a good chance you will look back some day and wonder "What was I thinking"

 

I want a v8 in it and the wife says she dosent care what i do to this one. I explained to her how much it would take time and money wise and she dosent want me to sell the one i just bought. so im in quite a pickle. ...what should i do

 

Will you have to pay someone to do the work? if so 5K will not be enough. The convertion will take a doner car and 50-60 hours a labor. Could be close to 80 hour if you switch the gas tanks and rear like you should. Figure $2500 for the doner car. add in the 3-4K in Labor. Add in the little things like plugs, wires, motor mounts, gasketsetc. so another $500. So you will need around 7K on top of what you paid for your car. Now the $2500 will not get you a low miles engine. So lets say its an LT1 with 100K on it. So now you have a 96 LT1 with 7K+ what you paid for it in a car with 100K on it. Converted cars do not do well in resale. Most likely the car would be worth about what you paid for it, maybe less after the convertion. Many time if have seen these cars parted out after the owner was done with them cause they could not sell them.

Or
You sell your car for 4K (I have no clue what you paid) add 5K to it and buy a nice 2002 Z28 LS1. The LS1 has more power and is worth more, it has better brakeing, Better steering and most think the front end is much nicer.

The upgrade you are talking about made sense when the LT1s cost 25K but I can buy a 96 LT1 with a blown head gasket for $2500 and in 2 weekends plus $200 in parts I can have it back on the road.

 

ok i see what your saying im gonna try and explain this to my wife. i hope she listens! i just wish i could find a 4th gen v8 for some reason they are scarce where i am currently located. what would it cost me to just replace the 6 and mod it my goal is 300hp. i know a bt can be done with exhaust air filter ect ect but can i get 300 out of a 3.8 ? if so im happy. if I could what would have to be done.

 

got to remember the early z28s had 275 hp. so with some good heads cam and bolt ons u should get to that.

 

ok i have looked everything up that i want to do with my car im gonna make a thread and you guys can tell me what u think. most is esthetic as i dont have a whole lotta knowlege on teh mechanical side could use some advice on that ie heads pistons cam's what should i be lookin for. pics and new thread to come

 

i agree about going v8 route to make power without an insane amount of time and money, my only question is, what 327 is it? is it an older one, or is it perhaps a new generation 327? don't know how much difference that will make...