3.8 to LT1

[Jeff Pristelski]

It'll cost you more to upgrade to a v8 than it's worth. Right now you can buy 2000 v8 camaros with under 30k on them for under $13,000, you can sell your v6 (provided it's low mileage) for around $11,000, the swap will cost much more than $2,000. The only way this would be reasonable is if you're not married and under 25 (and you don't let your insurance company know you did the swap...)

-Jeff

[ItalianStallion1]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Posted by Jeff:
The only way this would be reasonable is if you're not married and under 25 (and you don't let your insurance company know you did the swap...) <hr></blockquote>

Exactly. Insurance is a b*tch. How many companies go around checking to see if there is a V8 or a V6? This is an extreme plus. To have a V8and not pay the insurance for one is like getting away with robbery, beautiful. :cool:

[Amped96]

The way i look at it, the swap is in the price range of supercharging a V6 and that to me, makes it worth it. By the time im out of college and maybe get me another car, the V6 will have tons of miles on it, and a swap would probably be the best thing for it. The V8 swap is kind of our way at getting back at the insurance companies for bending us over so much anyways. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Bird_Of_Prey]

FWIW, you can't put an older engine in your car than the model year of the car due to emmissions. So if you have an annual inspection in your state, you could possibly be screwed. Just something to think about that hasn't been presented.

Tom
F#%K the EPA

[DominusEtDeusNatus]

A DS from a 99Z fit in my 96 3.8 just fine. It was stock from 99 up, all the same. Pre 99 is was called 1LE since the steel one was still stock. Hence only one part number cause there was only one size.

[Mayhem96]

my driveshaft is from a 2000 SS..wierd fits fine. [img]graemlins/fluffy.gif[/img]

[ February 25, 2002: Message edited by: Mayhem96 ]</p>

[Domestic Violence]

well, THIS GUY has a '98 with an LT1 in it. it will cost less than $5,000 for an LS1 in a complete swap. the motor with tranny, wiring, and hoses is around $3,000. an LT1 is anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000. HP Salvage is way too high. check your local REPUTABLE salvage yards, you will find one much cheaper, just use caution and make sure you're getting a good engine.

a complete swap with either motor will cost you less than $5,000, including putting it in. the components needed for the rest of the swap, ie. suspension, driveshaft, rearend, etc. is about $1,000 and you CAN find them much cheaper than that.

i've researched this extensively. it's not more sensible to just trade off your car and buy a new one, especially if you have a car that's close to being paid off or is paid off. you will lose the cost of the swap when you trade yours in. if Z28s are so cheap, think about what you will get for yours by trading it in on one....not very much.

the good thing about a swap is you have the motor out so you can do some work to it before you actually install it. i know a guy who swapped his 3.8 for an LS1 and he's had no problems with it and he's put over 30,000 miles on it thus far, so the reliability isn't a problem.

[Ted]

I'm going to be doing an lt1 swap soon. Theres a salvage yard in my city that sells just camaro parts. My friend got a '97 lt1 for about $500. I don't really care about the mileage on the engine. Maybee a little more about the condition. I am going to be completely rebuilding it, cleaning it up, and hooking it up. A school down by my area can port and polish for free. I'm going to get a better cam shaft, bore out the engine etc... And it still isn't going to cost me that much money. The prices you guys are naming for engine swaps are a lot of money. I don't think it should be that much unless you guys are buying an almost completely new engine.

Ted