I have read the stickie above and did find a few answers i was lookin for. I also found part numbers for a few parts that are needed as well. Before i start askin 9 million questions I would like to state that this car is ment for Street use as well as runnin on the 1/4 track. More like 90%street 10% track. I have made up my mind that i will be usin the 454 HO crate engine. 425hp and 500 ftlbs of tor is hard to beat for the price they are askin for. I have also read a bunch of the threads that have been posted. Might have missed a few simply from nit typin in the right words for the search so i thought it would be easier to make a list of questions i have so that i can get all the part numbers. My number one question is this. Can I keep my A/C in the car. I would love to be able to have my son in the car with me when i do go to car Shows with it. My Son is only 2 and half years old at the moment. If I can then that settles the pulley system of the engine. Second question I know has been answered but i could not get part numbers for it. Which headers would best used for the swap. The engine does not have rasied ports i dont believe and it is the crate 454 HO Mark VI engine. I also need the part numbers please. Third question I could not get an answer for at all. It concerns my rear end. How much torque can my 9 Bolt rear end handle. And if its not enough to handle this monster engine can you tell me the best bang for the buck rear end that is complete with gears (9 bolt will use a 3.7 gear ratio if it can handle the torque so i would need a rear end to be close to those gears as well) The transmission used for this combo is the T56 trans from a 4th gen camaro with the LT1 engine defintly not a 93 model because of the different gear ratios they had. so it will be between a 94-96 Transmission. the main reason for the 6th speed trans. is the fact of highway use. Once its in 6th gear doin about 70-80 mph i need to get really good gas milage so this is what i considered. yes I am aware that the fact that this a big block motor but with the gas price of today I want the performance yet the most i can get for MPG as well. Fourth question is concerning the Hood clearance. Will the Hawks 4th gen SS style hood clear the carb and a triangle edelbrock air cleaner that sits on top for the intake. if so that ia great news. Final and fifth question. What is the weight difference between the 350 TPI with all of its smog and air crap conpared to a 454 HO engine with the serpatine belt system with a/c. no smog or air. If i could get all these answers for these questions that would be outstanding. Knowing the fact that ill have a chevy Big Block under my hood makes me very happy considering the power. if all goes well in this project, I just might do it again as I do have another camaro in the yard. Might do a Father Son project when my son becomes old enough to understand the concept of the reason why Im doin such a thing lol. would be nice to see my son have somthing i could never have at the age of 16. I have a long ways before that happens but man kids grow up fast lol. Thank you all for your input and please do not hold back any information. For those who have already done such a swap, would any of ya'll have pics of the clearence from the water pump to the electric fans ( i have dual and since ill be usin a serpatine belt system hopfully this will not be an issue). Again Thank You for your time and have a good one. PFC Bevil, Johnathon E Co. 1/508th 82D ABN DIV (over in afghan atm)

1. You should be able to keep your A/C; that will be the LEAST of your problems with this swap...

2. Not sure about this one... I'll have to pass...

3. Rear ends, where to begin? Your rear is good for about 350 ft-lbs before destruction begins, I bet. Anyway, you can go a long time with it if you put a positraction unit inside that DOES NOT use "spider" gears and you replace your axleshafts with good aftermarket pieces. I would run somewhere in the 3.54 ratio area... If you search for Magilla on this site you will see a guy who put a 455 Buick in his 87 Trans Am and ran 11 second quarter mile times. He said "every once in a while" he had to put a part in the transmission or the rear end... his A/C worked, too. He just had to cut part of the heater box out to clear the valve covers and then fiberglass in a new shape to the box.

4. Pass (Firebirds can clear BBC engines with the 4th gen style ram air hoods -SO I AM TOLD- I did not do this myself) The guys who make and sell the hoods can give you measurements and then you should measure your engine yourself for clearance when you get home.

5. HUGE difference in weight. The Buick 455 is only 35 pounds over a SBC because it has a light weight block. BBC engines do not suffer this luxury. It's better for durability but you will need aluminum heads and intake minimum to get back near factory SBC weight.

Hope this helps!

P.S. I was over there from Jan 05 to Sep 06. Keep your chin up! There IS life after afg

.