Looking at an 86 Sport Coupe w/ 5 speed, 450 bucks runs needs windshield and has small amount of rust on one fender, interior is in great shape, as is most of exterior...hardtop...new tires...
anywho, i figure the price is certianly right, the guy lives like 5 minutes from my house and its been sitting there for years, so i'll probably buy it as soon as i sell the cadillac.
Curious to know how much time the v6 to v8 swap takes, assuming you have a v8 donor car? How much does it usually end up costing?
Any sites with walk-through pics or whatever?

 

This one at the top of the page. Theres a sticky.

Took me and a friend like 6 hours. Mounts are the hardest part of the swap.

Cost can vary greatly depending on may things.

 

yeah, i read the sticky, but it didnt touch on time and or cost....
i'd be doing lt1 if it has any effect on it....lol

 

Uhm, iirc pasky has a lt1 in his orig v6 car. You might wanna try pmin him and asking a few q's.

My swap was a tpi motor converted to carb while still out of the carb. The swap did cost all that much really and was SOOOOOOOOOOO worth it.

 

Well, I have spent around 3k, and took about 6 months to get it right. But I did not work around the clock, only when I had the time. Realistically it could have been done in a few days, but I wanted to take my time and do everything right. As far as the cost, I could have spent less, but when I pop my hood, everything, minus the ps pump and pulleys is brand new.

 

There are a lot of variables, so cost/time weren't included in the general information.

For instance, I started with a carb car and ended up with a carb car. If either is FI, or you go to/from carb/FI, you've got the added complexity of dropping the tank to install/remove the in-tank fuel pump. That alone can eat up a good part of the 6 hours br()bert is claiming, or at least spend some time installing an adjustable pressure regulator if you stay with the in-tank and go carb (probably wiring issues to deal with, too).

Emissions/non-emissions is another variable. I did full emissions, so it took longer. If you're doing an LT1, you're going to have to figure on full emissions, because emissions and controls are pretty much tied together. Conversion to non-CC carb, as a lot of swappers do, is the "easiest" and "quickest" way to get the V8 running. However, it is never legal for use on public roads within the United States (although about half the population can get by with it). Some cars in some places can qualify for special plates (collector in Colorado), or limited use, so can be exempted from emissions.

Changing the front springs or not is a variable (some who did the swap didn't). If you don't, the V6 springs will bottom out and handling isn't very good, but you don't "have" to change them out when doing the swap. If you do the right thing, you're looking a few hours to get that done.

Condition of each car is a variable. My donor had been rear ended (really, really hard), so most of the exhaust wasn't usable, and I had to find another (and modify it to fit what I could use from the donor car). That alone took almost the 6 hours that br()bert is claiming. The donor apparently had been run into a curb or something when it was rear ended, which tweaked the radiator, so repairing what had been bent/cracked and chasing down the resulting leak took me several hours.

Year difference between driver-receptor/donor car is a variable. Mine were '82/'86, respectively, and they changed some of the harness connectors (kick-panel pass-through for the ECM connector was a different size; I did the whole dash harness, the connector to the back chassis changed completely, requiring splicing). That alone took a lot more than the 6 hours br()bert is claiming. If one is a Camaro and the other is a Firebird, that can cause additional problems (tach, for instance).

I bought the driver-receptor car in early May. I bought the donor car in early June. I drove the car for the first time in late August, not having worked on it each day in that time, but most evenings and what I had to myself of weekends. I didn't have any help, did it all myself.

Cost: I had about $1500 in it when I took the first drive, probably have $6k in it now with windshield, paint, engine & tranny mods, wheels/tires. Still need about $3k more to get it where I want it.

 

________________________________________________
Biggest time comsumer for us was the motor mounts. We had the v6 motor/trans out within 1.5 hours. Mounts too long because we didnt cut them off or drop the a arm as others did.

 

I have no problem with bottoming out on my vehicle with V6 springs. I think that is a myth. You can see the clearance on the springs in my signature. I still have the stock shocks which aren't doing jack and it isn't bad. If I replaced the shocks im sure the car would handle much better. I do want to eventually get some drag springs though.

 

Exactly, a myth. I wonder how many others have not changed the springs also. I know of a few.

 

I didnt change mine, but i do seriously need some new struts

 

Yea, thats my problem .

 

10,000 and springs were no problem...but...they were in good shape.

 

28" hoosiers &weld wheels...next to my 16's on my 4rth gen z28

 

Gotta love the heartland!!!

 

It was my experience.

The car had new springs all around before the V6 block cracked (inadequate antifreeze mix). I left them in when putting in the V8, thinking since they were new I might not have a problem. I had the problems described. And I put in new struts b/4 I drove the car (same struts still in there 5 years later).

If you swap in a lighter engine (such as one with aluminum heads) or delete AC and such, you may indeed have no problems with the V6 springs.

 

That may explain it, I kept AC, but I do have aluminum heads. I don't think Brobert does though.

 

i have no big issues with the front v6 springs. except when i reinact The Dukes of Hazzard stunts .

ill soon replace them. i also do not have AC.

 

Nope wish i did though (alum heads) maybe one day i will.

I also dont have ac or any smog crap. Come to think of it, i dont have heat right now ! My heater core blew like last month. I'll replace it before winter. No need for it in 80* weather.