So to make a long story short -- I've been exploring my options after I spun some bearings, and a high(er) mileage LT1 from a junkyard seems to be the most feasible. Either that or slap my heads onto a 350 block (a bit cheaper, but not as reliable, and not as economical.... though if i wanted gas mileage i'd be driving a geo metro ).

So here's my question... If I took an LT1, wiring harness, ECM (or are they called PCMs in LT1s?), and a 93-97 4th gen dash... would the wiring be a heck of alot simpler since I could just look at a 93-97 camaro booklette for wiring diagrams instead of splicing into wires for the 3rd gen dash?

I have been researching the swap and it doesnt seem to be too overly expensive, and the hardest part seems to be wiring it back up, but it seems that the people who have the most problems are the ones that want to keep their 3rd gen dash.

I believe someone sells a wiring harness for this swap for like 600 dollars, but for a 4th gen dash (something i want to get anyways) it's only like 250... so, why not? lol.

So would getting a 4th gen dash make the swap a ton easier then?

 

If your idea of simple is ripping out the stock dash, the entire stock wiring harness, rewiring almost everthing from the firewall forward, splicing into the chassis wiring harness, oh, and still mounting the 4th gen dash and getting it to fit right and everything work right, then yeah, it is simpler that way

The swap won't be any easier, it will only take longer and probably actually be more complicated because you will have so much to worry about all at once.

 

yup

Do the engine swap first, then do the dash if so inclined.

 

Thanks for the replies

This is what I was looking for heh, someone to open my eyes to the full extent of it.

I'll probably still have to keep the chassis wires and splice those in. The engine would be direct fit, things like the blinkers, tail-lights, high/low beam, horn.

I was going to do the 4th gen dash anyways, after the engine, I guess I can do it at the same time and have some more down-time on the car lol.... that's if I end up deciding to do the LT1 swap. This has helped me with my decision a little though Thanks for the responses.