I have a 1990 camaro v6 3.1 I want to swap to a v8 I read everything about the donor car and so on, what i need to know , is what engine transmission will be best for me , I have a very tight budget so i need the least exspensive route for parts and also labor, also leval of difficulty for the swap is an issue. any suggestions???

 

save money and just a car w/teh v8 already installed? It meets all your criteria, and you could always sell your current ride to make up the difference & get a better ride then what you were expecting.


imho

 

If your budget is tight a engine swap can nickel and dime you to death. Find a Z28

 

Unless there is some sentimental value to the car (like, your mom bought it new in 1990, and gave it to you for your 16th birthday), the swap usually doesn't make sense monetarily. Selling your V6 car for what you can get for it and applying that to a V8 car will typically cost the least amount of money.

I, for one, didn't understand that when I bought my car - didn't know about TGO at the time. A neighbor drove up in his newly-purchased '87 TPI 350 car while I was cleaning the engine/trans in my driveway in preparation for installation into the V6 car - he had spent less on the car he was driving than I had on the V6 car and donor car - to say nothing of the nickels & dimes it took me to get mine running.

Sentimental value, though, is a hard thing to quantify.

 

thanks so much everyone for the advice, there is no sentimental value with the car, i was looking for a v8 and found this cherry for a mere 300 bucks from a guy who needed money badly ( was truly a steal b/c it is in very good condition for 300 bucks) so i couldn't pass it up, guess i will sell it for a profit and continue looking for the v8, thanks alot guys

 

I still dont see how everyone claims the swap will nickel and dime you to death, its a lot of BS especially with a 90-92 car.

If you got a complete tpi motor from a 90-92 it will plug directly in, you will need it with the trans and wiring harness of course, a complete pullout, a set of new motor mounts for a v8 car $20, the matching radiator hoses, and a dual snorkel air intake from a tpi or earlier V6 camaro. Aside from that you'd need the manifolds and Y pipe from a V8 car or a set of headers.

Heck if you want i can help you out on a complete package with everything, PM me.

 

It won't if you understand the nickels and dimes going in. The typical question is something like, "My uncle will give me the 307 and Powerglide out of his '68 Impala. I want to put it in place of my 2.8 V6 in my '83 'Bird. This is easy, right?" And, there will always be someone blowing smoke up his kilt saying don't believe the nay-sayers, this is easy and cheap.

Although the originator is from Florida this time, emissions testing is a reality for about half of the people who frequent this Board. Non-emissions-legal swaps, which are easier and cheaper to do, aren't an option for half this community.

Aftermarket V8 exhaust, including good headers and y-pipe, cat, and cat-back will run at least $700. You can cheap by on the headers and y-pipe and save about $150, but that's still more money than most people have paid for the used V8 they're planning on putting in.

Now, about the things you yourself mentioned: "...radiator hoses... a dual snorkel air intake from a tpi or earlier V6 camaro... manifolds and Y pipe from a V8 car or a set of headers." It's all these things, plus power steering hoses, throttle cables, transmission cooler lines, etc., that are why I always first recommend getting a complete V8 donor car, with a close second being having one available. Buying a V8 and transmission only should never be considered unless you are ready with your nickels and dimes.

To say nothing about doing some things that are just smart, like replacing maintenance and often-failing parts such as spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor, heater hoses, belt(s), starter, water pump.

Etc., etc., etc...

Reality. That's all I ask.

 

The reality is in what i said, getting a complete pullout, 95% of everything needed is there, getting rid of most of the hassle.

 

z28***** email me at onelilshop@msn.com to discuss this more in detail and maybe you can help me with finding what i need