Lonnie P

Started my new project this past week.

Pieces are coming back from the body shop & I started collecting the engine swap pieces.

Picked up a T56 from a 4th gen F-body... Including pedals, slave cyl, shifter, & some misc pieces Saturday.

My engine should ship this week... A 2011 Camaro LS3.

Looking at the Hawks exhaust... Like the stainless, dislike the cost, but at least it will not rust.

Considered the LS3 wiring, but not a big fan of fly by wire throttle. I think I will go with the LS1 wiring & a converter box.

Starting to collect the remaining wiring, mounts, brackets etc. I need to pull things together rather quickly, so I can enjoy the summer. Nothing like putting a self imposed deadline on a rather large project.

I' ll post some pictures as I start to make some progress.

KiLLJ0Y

iTrader: (1)

Do note that the LS1 wiring and the Ls2/3 wiring for the cam sensor and knock sensors are different. I also think the Ls3 map sensor is located in the front and the ls1 in the rear on the manifold.

Hope this helps

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

good luck with the swap!

Killj0y is correct - knock sensors are no longer under intake, cam sensor's on the timing cover, map is directly behind TB.

if you do opt for drive by cable & ls1 type wiring, you may want to change the map out for an ls1 version; Frost noted there was some weird offset in the ls3 map readings when he did my tune. you'll also have to go aftermarket for the TB; there were no factory 4-bolt drive by cable ones offered. i nabbed an edelbrock version for pretty cheap on 'tech.

the hawk/sw headers are nice, but if you're looking to save a few dollars, the hustler mid length headers are a nice option (just got mine delivered last week, not yet installed).

Lonnie P

I looked at the Hedman Huslers... definitely a better price, but I want stainless.
Had too many issues with coated headers rusting. Also due to my limited time, I did not want to spend days with a pile of tubing & the TIG welder making a y-pipe.

Yes, there are quite a few variations between the LS1,2,3.
Good info on the gen3 map sensor.... I'll keep that in mind.

I am leaning toward the cable throttle, 5 wire MAF & LS1 wiring with the 24/58Tooth converter. I just hate the fly-by-wire throttle. Tuning it is somewhat a mystery.

Currently trying to figure out the front accessories. I was trying to research an AC compressor that would work with the Vette brackets. Not sure that will be possible....

Thanks for the info.

Lonnie P

Here is an engine picture... waiting on it to arrive.
Getting anxious now.

dannyboyemt

im jealous!

Lonnie P

Progress has been slow & financially painful.
I now have the engine, exhaust, all mounts, trans & pedals.

I am now waiting on the wiring harness & a few sensors, plus the front engine accessories.

Hawks was very helpful with the conversion info & many of their parts for this build.

I'll post a few pictures of things as I get organized.

camarozz383

iTrader: (2)

im in on this one!!

stereojnky

iTrader: (2)

Where did you get your Hustlers from and did you get the ceramic or uncoated?

Lonnie P

I've been gathering a lot of parts:

Hawks headers & 3" y-pipe
Hawks 3.5" cat back
Hawks mounts
2001 Camaro T-56
PSI harness
Fast 92mm throttle body
Corvette accessories
4th gen plastic tank w/ Racetronix pump
Custom fuel system by Lonnies Performance

Planning on a future Procharger kit

Now it is a matter of getting it all together in a reasonable time frame.

stereojnky

iTrader: (2)

You didn't happen to get the harness and computer with the engine did you?

Lonnie P

No I wanted the cable throttle, so I went with the 411 style computer.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

you've got PM!

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Subscribed..
saw the car today and it looks great although in many pieces. Motor is super clean! Its gonna be an awesome finished project!

Lonnie P

Orr89RocZ, nice talking with you today.

Spent the weekend cleaning the bottom of the car & under the hood... the most dreaded part of the build. After a bunch of hours with rags & lacquer thinner, the underside is down to the factory grey primer. I'll try to post some pictures in the next few days.

Any opinions on the color to paint the underside? Dark green like the car, black, or grey like it already is. Car was never undercoated, so it was basically grey with a little green overspray on everything. The only factory undercoating is the wheel wells, so I guess I'll leave that part alone.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Been there done that. Definitely no fun at all. It's nice to have it all clean though.

It always looks good to have the underside match the color of the car, but it's also a ton of work to do that. Have you considered using the bed liner coating, that they use on trucks, kind of like an undercoating? I think it would be much easier. I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to do on mine.

Lonnie P

Yes I thought about undercoating or textured "bedliner", but it is so nice under there I have to show off the near flawless floor. My only issue is the $400/gal that the factory paint cost.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I hear that. Do you have any pics of your car you can post?

Lonnie P

Here is the car before paint.



I'll post some pictures in it's disassembled state this weekend.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

That's a nice looking ride you have there Lonnie!

Lonnie P

I have been real busy lately, slowing my progress on the car.

Finally started on the crossmember last week.

Sandblasted.



Started cutting to fit the AC in place.
Just to be more complicated, I used C6 Corvette accessories.
Took a little more cutting than the Camaro accessories, but it turned out OK.

Spent the afternoon cutting pieces & TIG welding things back together.
Here is after the initial welding.




After paint.




Now, time to get the pedals in & the shifter hole in the floor.

jamieschott

iTrader: (2)

Interested in pics of the underbody after cleaning it with the lacquer thinner. If you have any.

How much elbow grease did you have in that job? How much thinner did you go through?

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Good job on the k member!

And the underbody has a factory new finish after all the laquer thinner work! It really is clean looking. That had to be a tough job.

Lonnie P

Mine did not have a lot of undercoating on the floor pans, so I only used about 1/2 gal of thinner & a huge box of rags (about 30 shop towels).

I left the factory undercoating in the rear wheel wells & will just lightly recoat them.
I figured this area will only get chipped anyway, so there is little use in stripping & painting it only to have it get chipped.



If the car was completely undercoated, it would have been a nightmare.
I did cars like that before.

It is better scrape as much as possible first. Then repeatedly spray the underside with kerosene (mixed with some dish washing liquid) to soften the undercoat over a few day period. Gasoline works faster than kero for the final application, but remember how easily it can burn. I used a garden sprayer to apply it. After this a strong pressure washer should take most of it off.

Be prepared to make a mess & ruin some clothes. You will want to do this outside where you do not mind killing the grass or getting tar everywhere... not something to do in your concrete driveway.

Lonnie P

Here are some before paint pictures of the underside.
It actually looked pretty nice, but I had to do something since it was all apart.
It will never be this easy to paint again





Got the underside painted today.
Nothing like 4hrs of laying in paint overspray.

Will post some pictures after the paint is dry.

Lonnie P

Here are some pictures under the fenders.

Just touched up the factory sound deadener.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Wow Lonnie, you've been busy! Looks great!

Lonnie P

Process is going much slower than I would like.

I wanted to be driving it by July, but workload has prevented me from working on it like I wanted to.

Got the engine & trans together.







Still debating on putting a cam in it before I install the engine.
It is easy to install now.... hence the reason I did not put the water pump & crank pulley on. Yes those are Corvette accessories with A/C.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Very clean. Looks good! If you cam it do something mild to keep it very smooth and driveable. Ls3's make big numbers with even small cams

Lonnie P

I was thinking of somewhere around a 215/230 on a 117 or 118 LSA.
smooth idle, no overlap. LS3's seem to like a large intake to exhaust spread.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

More pics of the car!! Damn that thing is nice! Are the door ground effects removed?

Lonnie P

I'll post finished pictures of the car later. Currently every body part that unbolts is off of the car.

As for ground effects, it never had any.

Painting under the hood next.

camarozz383

iTrader: (2)

really nice car there bud!!

1985WS6TA

It's a Formula, they don't have ground effects.

rlewi771

where did you source the LS3 from?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Like the car and color! Not sure of the wheels tho...
Doesn't look like it would really need paint either
It all seems to work well tho!!

Lonnie P

Paint was very nice, but the clear was starting to come loose.
GM had some poor paint in the early base/clear coat days.

Contemplated the style of wheel quite a bit...
Didn't want bare aluminum that required polishing constantly as I drive this car, it isn't a garage queen. Also, most new style whels are not capable of clearing the front hubs without a spacer & I like the deeper dish look... So I was limited in choice & was not putting $3K of wheels on my daily driver. For the price I'm happy.

LS3 was a take-out from a new Camaro.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Tell me more about the wheels! I'm lovin everything about this car.

Lonnie P

They are discontinued American Racing Rebels.
17" x 9" 5.95" BS. Will not fit without an approx 5/8" front spacer & hub modifications or a brake upgrade that spaces the wheel out some.

I used the C4HD Vette brakes & the factory rear wheel shim/spacer on the front.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Oh how I know about the clear pealing..
If its your driver, i'd say leave the paint for awhile because when you paint it you'll be more crazy about what you do with the car.
I have a painted one an a few factory paint cars and I have waay more fun in the cars that I'm not as worried about..
Just my .02 cents

Lonnie P

Too late, already spent a few thousand on new paint.
I get aggravated if it doesn't look good.
Besides it looked good on original paint for 20yrs, so I expect it to look nice for quite a while with the new paint.

I'll have new underside pictures this weekend. The black paint was too dark to show up in the pictures, so I'll re-take a few this weekend with some better lighting.

Getting ready to install the frame connectors.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Are you going to repaint it the same color? Are you going to paint it yourself or have a body shop do it?

Yes, more pics please

Lonnie P

It is already re-painted the same color.

I like doing things myself & I worked at a body shop years ago, but no longer have the time to do it all on my own. I have a friend that owns a body shop so I do a lot of my own work there.

This way I get it done the way I want & it ends up taking me half the time & costs me half the regular amount.

I disassembled the car, stripped the entire car to bare metal & had it painted in pieces so the jambs, inside the doors etc. were all nicely painted. Everything was epoxy primed, block sanded & finished in base/clear PPG paint.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Nice! Now don't be shy with the pics! I don't know about everyone else, but I'd like to see your progress.

khulsebus

iTrader: (2)

Looking real nice, looking forward to seeing more work done. I'll be doing a LS swap when I get back to the states.

Lonnie P

Here are a few underbody pictures.
They did not come out too well as I cannot get any good shots without a lot of reflections.

















Under the hood will be next.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

So is that black? My computer is silly. Keeping the car green? or did I ask that already??

Lonnie P

The floor was painted black. It is hard to tell as it reflects every color around.

Yes the car is still green.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Soo are you going black or green in the engine compartment??