While me and my brother were talking last night, I was questioning him bout my camaro and he was giving me the routine answers. At the same time, we were both searching for new motors, he wanted one for his truck, me for the maro. Each of us was looking for a ls series because we always try to out do each other. Sibling rivalry type thing For example, he was the first to own a 1st - 3rd gen camaro, I was the first to own a 4th gen. He was first to own a playstation, I was first to own a ps2 and ps3.

So anyway, as we talked, I said since I only got a v6 and he only got a v6, lets up the anti a bit. First one who can sucessfully buy a ls series motor, remove the v6 from our vehicles, install the ls and run it will have to pay the loser $500 or come wrench ont he vehicle for free for the next year at any given moment. We agreed to this, which I am fairly confident that i will win because the 4th gen marops already come with LS/LT motors. So what I am wondering is how easy will I win this bet by just buying a crate motor and throwing it in?

What all am I looking at for bolt-ons while doing this swap? Will I need a new transmission as well? I searched local pull a parts and haven't found a decent v8/LS maro to use as a donor. Hence why im having to buy a crate motor. I'm figuring I might have to get a new computer, definitely a wiring harness after that im kinda in the dark. I really want to win this bet. It'll be something that I can hold over his head for the rest of our lives.

Edit: Oh and http://www.jegs.com/i/GM%20Performan...0002/-1?CT=999 that motor is pretty much what i am going to get, unless i find out he got a higher series then ill get either the same series or a higher one depending on how high he goes.

 

Read the v6-v8 swap thread. All your answers are in there. Your going to have a lot of work on your hands doing this swap. Getting the motor in is the easy part. The wiring is going to be stressful and time consuming. Plus all the little things that go wrong after is going to drive you insane.

 

Should have done more research before you bet. Your's has a complete computer system to deal with. Your brother gages and brakes do not need a computer so he can just program all the out of the LS1 PCM. Your brothers biggest problem will be the exhaust but if he goes with stock manifold he will just need some pipes made. You need a complete doner car and you will have to swap all the parts over.

If I was given the choice between the 2 project I would do the 3rd Gen.

 

Your willing to spend 6 grand on just the motor..(Not including shipping) and all the necessary parts and wires etc. Your looking at around 7-8 grand or even more.. I know this is a sibling rivalry (Trust me I know what those are like, I have a twin brother) but if you really want the LS1 power find a decent LS1 around your area and buy some bolt ons equal to the amount you would have spent on all the parts and wiring (and possibly a complete donor car). If anything, to add to your budget, sell your v6 and add an extra 2-3k to your budget, the mods to the new LS1 with that much will blow the doors off your brother. This may require calling off the bet but it will save you ALOT of time, stress, and bloody knuckles

 

If he is looking at 6K for the motor he is going to need 2K for a tranny+ rebuld and another 1K for the rear. If he want everything new. But even then he will need a doner car for the frame and the other 100 parts he is going to need. Heck by the time he is done with computer and fuel system he will have over 10K in parts.

 

^^^^^^ This is why I would buy a stock LS1, do some mods (Maybe even a turbo/super?) and say vroom vroom to your brother.

 

Thats a better idea (buy a donor car) probably find one on CL. I mean as long as it has a ls/lt motor in it then all I would have to do is color match it. I didn't realize id have to buy a new frame and **** like that. I was thinking it could be a simple drop, re-wire, go. But after thinking bout it and searching all over the place i've come to the realization that findind a 4th gen Z on CL would be easier and cheaper then buying everything. Not to mention the security on mine is so freaking insane that it flips out when I pull the face off my radio and I have to reach under the dash to flip the reset switch. According to my bro-in-law, it's started doing that after he was hit in the passenger front. Imagine if I pull the entire brain out of it, then it'll probably lock everything up ad like "you will never get this!" and not let me reset it. Well luckily the only deadline we set was "First to get it done" lol I think ill grab a 4th gen off CL and color match it to mine. roughly 3-4k for the car, $300 for the paint.. yeah alot cheaper and easier.

Someday i will get a LS to drop into mine, but at the time my budge only allows for roughly 8k and I done spent that on the motor+shipping alone without doing enough research.

 

My plan is to 5.3 (LM7) swap my car. Everybody neglects these motors for some reason, but they have tons of potential. I want to put a larger lift cam into my swap, re gap the rings, and put an intake manifold on it and fab a single turbo kit. (with the supporting transmission and rear end of course.)

Have a read:
594HP 5.3L Gen III Small Block for $3,252 - Hot Rod Magazine

 

Now thats a nice motor!

Im currently still searching for a donor car. Its harder then i thought since the junkyards round here don't have much to choose from. I did find one on Cl close enough to me for 2k, but the guy said it has a really bad knock to it.

 

look for something wrecked in the side or rear most of the time the drivetrain is in working condition but the car is to damaged to drive