Hey, if all goes as planned, I should be getting a wrecked 94 z28 and I want to do the entire drivetrain swap.
How expensive is this swap, minus labor? It's all pretty minimal, but you do need a couple of harnesses, and a couple new lines, and a couple adapters, but it's not too bad is it? I'll have the entire car so that'll help me a lot i think.
It's an auto 94 z28, 50k on it, lt1, and a rear end with disc brakes, (which i assume is posied and geared fairly low).
I just hope I can do it!! And skill and labor is not a question in this swap as my dad has done some of the craziest swaps, like a 383 in a rolls royce, dual transferred cased toyota sbc trucks, etc.
And what's a fair estimate of a quarter mile? Mid 13 - low 14?

I searched and couldn't find exactly what i was looking for

thanks

 

With just a stock LT1 and 3.42 gears, you're looking at high 13's. Swap costs very, just depends on how cheap you can find the parts and how good you want it to look. Some have done it for around $2000, others have put over $5000 into there's. Its not that hard of a swap at all, just gotta pay attention when doing the wiring.

 

The hardest part out of the whole swap is just knowing what to do for what. In this swap, knowing is 3/4's of the battle.

 

any idea what a lt1 with 1.6:1 roller rockers and shorty headers with a t5 and 3.73's would get me? i didn't tweak timing or anything in the pcm yet except vats etc.

 

any hey, for wiring, i have zero mechanical background, basic wiring, limited knowledge of electrical prints, I did the swap. was my first engine job..

Used '96 LT1, 90K Km Junk Yard $1200cdn
LT1 Acc off '96 Junk Yard.. $550 includes AC cdn.
Harness from 94LT1 OBD1, $160 cdn
Stupid *** purchase of wrong harness ..not my fault $160cdn
Headers, $180cdn
Misc Purchases $400 cdn.
Custom Y Pipe $FREEBIE hacked original since it was better then headmans.

ish

Had I've known what I was doing, I would have gotten a 350 which would have run my acc.. put that money into engine parts, prob cost the same, prob get same HP, but would have been easier on the head.. buy hey

Now I can say I have a 89 GTA LT1 .. only one around my area, and I have no regrets.

 

Thanks guys.
If all goes right, I'm getting the entire 94 z28 for $1500, but if I add the parts I'll need that I can't get from the lt1 car, what'll that cost me?
Like how much is all the extra stuff? The harnesses, adapters, hoses, etc. Shouldn't be too much eh?

 

Hawks Thirdgen can get you a 4th gen harness, you will be wanting to go OBD1, which is the '94-95 .. think it was $250US .. but shop ebay the local forsale here, and camaroz28.com .. that's where I got my harness. besides that, if you have then engine and acc and computer, al you need is an optional set of headers, good plugwires $75, and plugs $50..
then alow a couple hundred for the unexpected.

 

While you have the motor out ..you might want to consider upgrading the opti-spark from the unvented 93-94 to the vented 95 &up opti. Much better system.

 

Requires a lot of work too =/. Need to order a new Opti harness plug if you want to do that =/.

 

and a new timing cover and a new cam button...costs about 600.00 in total. about the cost of the new opti and distributor if you get the old system wet very often!

 

Well, I think the opti thing is more of a myth it seems, TexasLT1 has a 94 LT1 and replaced it once and its still going strong, but than again we both live in dry texas so may be different if he is in a spot with a lot of humidity or snow. Its a pain in the butt to do, but it may be worth it if he is in one of those "Tropical" or snowy regions.

 

Mid-high 13's on street tires, if you want better times you'll need some suspension mods, lower control arm relocation brackets, etc...

1.6 RR's is a cheap way for power on these motors, it'll net you about 12-16 rwhp with just the RR's.

 

'95 LT1

never replaced the Opti, stock '95

Texas Gulf coast isn't exactly dry.


Like I've said before though, I think I've just had really good luck with the Optispark. However, I'm sure that my day will come when it will crap out on me. I just havent had the experience others have had with theirs, mine's lasted close to 80K miles now with zero problems. I never hesitate to drive it in the rain, I have an MSD high voltage coil, and I never hesitate to take it to the upper rpm's. Then again, I may end up blowing the engine up before I replace the Opti, you never know. Yes, I wish they had used a better design, but only from a peace of mind standpoint.

 

I replaced mine at 85,000. seems to be the lifespan of most. I live here in Iowa and we get a lot of rain and snow. I went ahead and upgraded mine. I hope not to have to change it again, at least till after the rebuild wich I dont see in the near future 106,000 and going strong. All its life has been on Mobile 1.

 

Hey thanks for all the help, I just really hope this deal goes through.
So what's some cheap horsepower adders I may want to add while the engine is out? Maybe a new cam, and should I get some headwork done? My dad owns a shop, so we can get cams wholesale, and he can do the headwork himself.
A new cam, headwork, a shift kit, a higher stall tc and a k&n forced air intake would do a heck of a lot right?

 

Headers and a "Hot Cam" will really wake that motor up.

 

Hey, so I was reading that over again, and some other swap guides, and I take it I need the '93 wiring harness right? I only looked at the car for a sec, I asked what year it was and he looked at the door, and it said 93 and 94, so I assumed the higher number. but if it is a 93 then I don't need a harness right?
Should I expect less than 500$ for the swap? We can fab most stuff if really needed, so that may save in some areas.

And one more thing. After thinking about it for a while, what are the real big advantages of an LT1 over let's say, a gen 1 rebuild? I was thinking it's cool to say you have an LT1, and the LT1 has more potential than a gen1 sbc, but if this deal doesn't go through, I'm just rebuilding a 350.

thanks again!!

 

lt1 vs gen1? 285hp b4 you even tinker. newer engine, more efficient.. but parts prob a bit more on avg then gen 1 since there aren't near as many lt1's on the go.

 

275 at the flywheel

around 230 at the wheels with the t-56

 

Wrong, most people dyno 250-260 at the wheels bone stock with a t-56, just like the LS1's the LT1's were underated, thier just like thier corvette counterparts, 300 flywheel hp.

 

I would like to see that dyno sheet...Gm rates them at 275 why would they underate there own diamond....?

 

Hmm, interesting point of view. Have you ever seen a set of 18, 15, or 14 degree heads for an LT1? Any 4.125" LT1 blocks? Even any aftermarket intakes? The SBC has a HUGE market, you can get pretty much whatever you can dream up. The nod for 'potential' has to go to the Gen1.

 

Same reason they underate thier lS1 F-bodies....They don't want to have the camaro power rating anywhere near thier real diamond....the corvette.

There is nothing different about the vette lt1's and f-body lt1's except for the 4 bolt mains. The vettes had better exhaust, but were not using factory exhausts on our thirdgens.

Check out camaroz28.com and see all the stock t-56 guys pulling 250-260 rwhp.

 

Bone Stock..means the car it came in 93-97 Z-28 Camaros.

I beleive very few HP proclamations..The builder of my motor claims 525hp. I wont believe it til I see it on a dyno sheet. No flame here. I'm just posting the facts as I have seen them from the producer. Not just someones opinion.
To save an argument Ill wrap this one up here.