vantess0221

Hi first post, don't know what I'm doing. Been reading stuff on here for a while now, thank you everyone for all the useful information. Never done anything beyond basic maintenance on any vehicles up until about two years ago, learned a whole lot the past few years so feel free to point out anything I've screwed up.

Here's my 1988 Camaro that I put together in my driveway. Bought it from another member on here a few months ago, he traded a rifle for it when he got it and I traded him a rifle for it when I got it. I had started an LS swap on a junk Berlinetta and after doing most of the work decided I was going to redo everything on a nicer vehicle so I wouldn't hate myself later. Here are some pictures and a list of stuff that's done so far, still more to go. Car started as a stock 88 sport coupe v6 5 speed.

Transplanted as much as I possibly could from a 1999 trans am.
List of things and stuff::
LS1 - Ported 243 heads, custom cam, ls6 intake, cheap ebay 302-2 oil pan
T56 Magnum F close ratio - diamond stage 2 clutch, 98-02 tick performance master cylinder, modified 3rd gen pedals, tick speed bleeder
Moser 12 bolt rear truetrac with 3.73 gears (4th gen width)
4th gen front and rear disc brakes big brake conversion front ls1
speed engineering headers, used the exhaust out of the 4th gen and made a really ugly Y pipe, was like my 4th time touching a welder ever
Used the hooker engine mounts and crossmember
4th gen gas tank and fuel pump. switched to 0-90ohm
Umi performance stuff - front/rear lowering springs, adjustable panhard bar, adjustable strut tower mounts, adjustable strut tower brace, adjustable panhard bar, panhard relocation bar, subframe connectors. Koni Yellow adjustable struts/shocks
Used the fuse box+wiring from the 4th gen
4th gen radiator and fans
cheap amazon air filter kit for a silverado
4th gen seats

I still need to weld in the sub frame connectors and hook up a tachometer/speedometer, then a bunch of cosmetic stuff. Also have more wiring/cleaning up the wiring to do. It's a bit messy.

First drive

Messy engine bay

Would've been cool to use the lift when actually putting everything in the car, did 99% of the work in my gravel driveway


4th gen seats

Cool brakes painted red for more stopping power

OSHA approved engine removal from the 4th gen

Removing the engine from the junk berlinetta after I accepted that it was junk

The old V6

Cam before I put it in

Picture from heads/cam install (did it while the engine was in the 4th gen, wasn't the most fun thing in the world)


If you have any kind of questions feel free to ask, again thanks everyone for all the useful information on here.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Hi vantess0221, This was W.E.G. 's car, yes? I remember the story of him trading a rifle for it, and I'm happy to see what you've done with it

Here is his thread from when he first got it back in 2013.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...wner-88-a.html

dannyual320

vantess0221, I'm very interested in hearing more. I love LS swaps. I'm about to "complete" my 5-year LS376/480/Tremec T56 Magnum swapped Foxbody Mustang project. It should be on the road during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.


1. Did you use the T56 out of the 1999 Trans Am or did you use a true, Tremec T56 Magnum F transmission?
2. You used the Hooker engine mounts and the fancy transmission mount along with Speed Engineering headers. Did the SE headers fit well with the Holley designed components? Holley no longer offers the headers that were engineered to work with their swap systems.
3. What SFCs are you welding in?

Edwardgp

Vantess I am feeling the gravel driveway used for a shop. The only place we had to work. Looking good keep the pictures coming.

alan91z28

looks like a great swap!

dannyual320

Another question; did you use the '99 Trans Am hydraulics for the clutch? If not, what did you use?

vantess0221

Yep that's the car! drove from ohio to virginia to get it, cool guy.

vantess0221

Sounds like a cool combo, the trans am was originally an automatic, then switched to a t56, then to the magnum f, then the whole setup was swapped over.

1. The transmission is the Magnum F, a t56 would work the same though they're almost identical.
2. the speed engineering headers do work with the holley system, here's the crossmember and mounts.
https://www.holley.com/products/engi...ts/71222005HKR
https://www.holley.com/products/engi...ts/71221003HKR
3. The Sfcs im welding in are the UMI performance ones, figure everything else on the car came from there so why not.

As for clutch hydraulics using a Tick performance adjustable master for a 4th gen f body, i had to sort of grind down the peg on the pedals for the rod to fit.

vantess0221

Here's a picture of the header/y pipe area, welds are super ugly was like my 4th time ever. Probably didnt help that i cut the pipe with a grinder and not a single cut was straight, had to fill a bunch of holes with weld as a result. I used a 4th gen y pipe i had lying around and tore that apart to make it

vantess0221

was even more fun doing it by myself only had help when i took the engine out of the 4th gen, but with enough ratchet straps and jacks you can do anything.

Edit: think i hit the wrong button somewhere this is supposed to be a reply to @Edwardgp

Edwardgp

The welding will come along with some practice. I welded my duel exhaust much the same way. Holding together so far.

dannyual320

Thank you for your reply. You've got a Magnum F and you're using the Tick adjustable MC.

It's great to get confirmation that the Speed Engineering headers work with the Hooker Blackheart LS swap engine mounts and transmission crossmember.

vantess0221

I will say I did need my driveshaft shortened by 1 inch using the hooker system, but I'm not sure if that's just a me problem. Also I welded in those subframe connectors and it feels amazing 10/10 absolutely recommend them

vantess0221

Update to the engine bay, cleaned up some wiring and put in a 4th gen coolant overflow, think i may have screwed something up car struggles to idle a little bit at times, not sure if tps or iac are screwed up or a wires not hooked up

ShiftyCapone

iTrader: (7)

Did you have the car tuned after the cam install? If not, that's probably your issue.