Hey, I'm not saying it's a waste of time. If cars are your hobby, then do it. Some may say I've put useless time and dollars into my cars over the years, but what do they know!
All I'm saying is, if you buy a V6 car, and you soon get to the point of smacking your forehead and saying "I coulda had a V8", then selling the V6 car and buying a Z28 makes more sense.
And if you can't do ALL the work yourself, I wouldn't even consider it. A complete ready to drive Z28 will cost you less in the end.
And the insurance savings of the V6 over the Z28....how many years is it going to take to recoup that difference?

 

Consider the fact that you're dealing with old/rusty/used parts with ancient hardware that often shears or crumbles. Add in the effort that is removing the entire front subframe (I wouldn't swap a car if half of the engine resides under the windshield), replacing the remaining drivetrain pieces, upgrading the front suspension, and rear brakes... It's a labor of love for your 4th gen but I don't think a swap is cost effective and rewarding enough for what it will ultimately be, even if you're that mechanically inclined. There's a lot of frustration involved and little gain over just buying a car that's already in once piece.

 

Hats off to Socom, but money wise not a good route to follow. You can find LT1 Z28's with blown heads gaskets for around $1200 and in a weekend and about $500 replace the gasket and do a ton of maintenance. Or buy a 93 LT1/6 speed with a a blown motor for $1500 then find a motor with 30K on it for a $1000 and end up with a decent car and a lot of spare parts for $2500

$5600 to me is a nice LS1 6 speed that needs a clutch


FYI if you do not inform you insurace company you have modified your car you are in breach of contract and they are not legally required to pay any claim you may have. Even telling your local agent may not save you butt unless you have it in writting and he is a legal rep for the company not just a free lance agent like most are. They won't pull that card in a fender bender but you hurt someone you are screwed. Your not the first person to go this route for getting cheaper insurance so the insurance companys worded the fine print on you policy very carfully, They started this back in the 70's when very powerful motors started showing up in junk yards. Even if they do not pull the card at all if you total the car your getting Blue Book value based in the mileage and vin Not the mods you did.

 

Well thanks for the info. My car was free. A buddy was letting it sit while he drove a new car around a few years ago. Long story short I haven't paid anything for it unless you include the driveshaft I replaced earlier this year and fixing the AC last year. I still need to replace the rear springs (Bottoms out bad and I replaced the shocks all over and the back still bottoms out with even a 90lb girl in the passenger seat). So that's on the to do list. It does need a new paint job, clear coat is coming off all over in splotches but the top has nothing left because it was in Georgia and they just let snow build on it. Also I want to upgrade the doors to power locks and power windows. I figure I could buy seat covers for the front seats in the mean time but eventually the inside will need to be redone because it's almost 20 years old.

There is some engine tappage though from the sound (it does go away when the engine warms up but and I'm kinda wondering what I might be getting myself into with that situation. I figure the earlier the better. Eventually I want to change the headlights bc it's a pain to take those brick lights out instead of just twisting something in. I may just keep the V6 right now bc Gas IS getting to be horrendous and I use this car everyday right now.

I mainly love driving it on the road or taking day trips or road trips with it.

Anyway, that and I dunno what I would look for in a donor car much less getting a lift to change out the engines etc...So yeah... kinda where I'm at. I wonder if I should just maintain it til I'm ready to do something that taxing. I live in an apartment right now and some stuff is easy to do in a parking lot....some not lol.

 

You should enjoy the car but not put huge money in it. I would try to change the oil every 1000 miles for 2 or 3 times. On the last short change put some mobil 1 in there it might quiet that lifter tap. Seat covers are a good idea and try some hvy wax like mothers on the paint. It might take the edge of the poor clear coat.
If you really like the body lines and the way the car drive keep an eye out next fall/early winter. It is the best time to buy a Camaro. V8s are great and the way to go if you are looking for power but the 3800 V6 (96 up) is a nice upgrade from the 3.4 and even gets a little better mileage on the highway.