French Fry

I have a 92 Camaro with a 305 and I need to change motors so I want to put a 350 in it so what would be the easiest change over and I have to keep the ac for the wife

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

A Chevy small block. They're all just about the same. There are acoupla detail differences among some; a different flex plate or flywheel if the one you want to put in is 85 or older, or the intake manifold if you want 96 or newer. But none of those things is particularly difficult or expensive. Of all the issues you're likely to encounter, the AC isn't one of them, unless you make it one by shooting yourself in the shorts.

Best to approach your planning from a few other angles first, then identify motors that fit your needs. What will the car be used for? Do you care about gas mileage, emissions tests, "big cam" hassles, ...? Who's doing the work? Who's driving it? How long can it be down for? What's the budget? Do you want "new" (as in, from the GM dealer or equivalent), or "rebuilt" (anything other than "new GM")? What else are you willing to change besides "350", that might add to the overall quality and end-result of the installation? And so on...

French Fry

I was thinking about an LT1 from a friends wrecked vet it runs good and has under 60k on it he only drove it on weekends he's had it since new

aliceempire

iTrader: (14)

I love the old LT1s but that is certainly not the easiest to swap AND retaining the AC is much more difficult as the compressor is going to make contact with the K member without notching it or replacing it with a tubular setup of some type. I would not recommend you consider it.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

I agree, the LT1 is not a good choice for a swap, especially not for somebody whose question is "how about one I can get for cheeeeep". It takes far more knowledge, preparation, and fiddling around, than a traditional Chevy small block. It's not just your casual "throw it in over the weekend" kind of a deal.

What about those other questions?

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

I've always been a fan of the Vortec/L31/L31R 350 longblock. Like Sofa says though, what about those other questions?

ironwill

That specific topic gets covered in this forum almost weekly. So far, I can't recall any of those inquiring posters in the recent past who actually followed through.

Personally, I wouldn't waste a penny or a minute of my time with such an outdated and problematic engine package. Either go the easy route and drop in a vortec 350, or, if you don't care about any sort of originality and have some previous swap experience, step up to an LS swap.

French Fry

Ok I was thinking of using the lt1 because it was offered to me heard it was a pain to swap and an ls is probably out of my price range but a vortec 350 is a good possibility so is anything salvagable from the 305 or so I go with a new intake and carb any other info would be appreciated I'm going to have a shop install it it sucks not allowed to do mechanical work wjere I live a would like to get everything together and send it to the shop

French Fry

This is what I am thinking of using now. Chevrolet Performance 12691673 - GM Replacement Small Block Chevy Crate Engine [1996-2002 L31 LD Vortec 350 ci/5.7L V8]

DonutGuard

Honestly, if you want to keep your project on the cheap, I would highly recommend staying away from crate motors. Speaking from experience here. I put a crate into my G-Body wagon and although I'm happy with it, hindsight is 20/20 and I would have had a much better time getting a motor from a junk yard. Even getting it shipped and doing a minor rebuild for seals and gaskets, I would have spent a lot less, and likely would have ended up with something that was more street friendly, and thus more fun to drive.

Even if you just look for a cheap junker donor car that still runs (in other words, a car with a totally wasted body) you'll end up paying less and have a nice, seasoned motor to work with. Just pull the engine, do a minor rebuild on it for gaskets and seals, don't go to crazy... maybe new intake manifold or something nice, and then send it. You'll even get the pulleys, brackets, accessories, and everything. If you need anything from the wiring harness, just take that too.

Check out sites like Copart, offerup, craigslist, facebook marketplace... there are lots of places to look.

This is a link to copart - all the vehicles listed have 5.7L engines (it doesn't differentiate between LT, LS and SBC but you'll be able to tell the difference). Some trucks are on there going for less than a thousand bucks, and I'm sure there are locations near you.

Wrecked, Used & Salvage Chevrolet,[1987 TO 1999] for Auction at Copart Auto Auctions

DonutGuard

Though, looking at the cam specs on that crate motor, that WOULD actually be quite a nice driver. Duration and lift aren't too crazy at all. But for similar performance you can get something much cheaper and spend that extra money on a basic rebuild kit, a nice intake and exhaust system, nice chrome valve and timing covers, and still have money left over to maybe even bring it to a machine shop to have it properly cleaned, honed, rebuilt with the same rotating assembly and cam with new bearings and PAINTED... and STILL have money left over.

I understand that it isn't as easy to do that as it is to get that one since it's available and you've already found it, and if I'm being honest, that engine you picked out is MUCH better than the crate I picked out for my wagon in terms of street friendliness and drivability. I believe you absolutely WILL be happy with that engine, I'm just trying to help you save some money by offering an alternative.

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

I rebuilt mine. Machine work, headwork, engine rebuild kit... Wish Id just went with the L31-R. $1700 doesn't look too bad now I have close to that in mine and around the same HP

vorteciroc

The "Original" LT1 would be as easy as it gets for an Engine-Swap.
Or using the Cylinder-Heads that were used on an LT1 or another Engine that shared those Cylinder-Heads.

Realistically though; the best bang for the buck (retaining the use of a Gen-1 SBC) is swapping to the Vortec Cylinder-heads.
400 to 500 HP for very little money.
... and if you would be happy with 300 HP; just rebuild a stock Vortec-350 (260 HP Stock) from the Scrap-Yard.
They will make a solid 300 HP with Headers and an Edelbrock Vortec Performer (non-RPM) Air-Gap Intake-Manifold and Carburetor.

The Vortec-350 Engine was GMs "last-hurrah" with the Gen-1 SBC.
It is by far the best Factory/ Production Gen-1 SBC Engine that GM ever produced.
The manufacturing quality leaves a lot to be desired...
However, the Roller-Camshaft/ Lifters, and the Cylinder-Head design (well at least the Intake-Runner and Combustion-Chamber designs)
...make it the best Factory/ Production Gen-1 SBC Engine that GM ever produced.

Until the Gen-3/ Gen-IV Engines became plentiful and grew massive aftermarket parts/ high-performance parts support...
I was building TONs of the Vortec-350 Engines from a near stock 300 HP to 550 HP normally-aspirated...
to double those HP numbers via forced-induction.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Okay, nobody else has, so I'll ask: What induction system does your '92 have?