A guy has a TBI and a 700R4 for 400 bucks. I'm not sure of the milage or condition.

Mine has 86 thousand miles at the moment. LG4, Q-jet 305 with a 3 speed auto. With 3.73 gears, I get around 11-14 mpg. This swap would greatly improve gas milage, and according to factory specs have a bit more power and torque.

Any suggestions/opinions on the swap?

 

dont do it , you have a mecham with that stuff on there and red 82s are rare , they only did like 50 , so keep it the way it is . what is the few more mpg gonna get you , maybe 20 , and a few more bucks a week in your pocket . Keep it the way it is , or sell the mecham to me .

 

he just wants the mecham


I say go for it If it doesnt work out slam the 3 speed tranny back in there

 

A puny LG4 and a weak 200C is not desirable.

I just found out that the timing chain jumped the gear, so I would need to replace that. He's offering it to me for 200, he pulls the motor.

 

His shortblock and transmission, your heads and induction - that's the way to go. The TH200C connector will operate the TH700 TC clutch.

The stock LO3 roller cam, CC carb, and overdrive lockup transmission will be a good combo for economy.

Of course, that is in total disregard to any collector value - for which I have no feel or desire. Of course, if you drive it enough to be concerned about fuel economy, you must not either.

 

... and an even more pathetic LO3 is?

You're stock quadrajet will easily outflow the LO3's throttle body, and then some. If you're worried about fuel economy, save you're money, and install a five or six speed.

As for the LO3's block, I wouldn't even bother. Save you're cash. For the same money, you can grab yourself an L98. For a few hundred more, an LT1 is now apart of the agenda...

 

From the top, an LT1 is a much more complicated swap. To much involved.

An L98 would be nice, but there aren't any around the local area that I know of. I've called a few junkyards, but have had no success.

According to factory specs, the LO3 makes more hp and torque.

I've kept an eye out for 5 speed swaps, but nothing local with decent milage. A used 6 speed swap is going to run me 3 grand plus, as I need an aftermarket crossmember(82 and 83 have different bolt locations) and a 2 piece flywheel.


He offered it to me for 200, while just a TPI intake and harness would run around double that.

Because the timing chain needs to be replaced, and he says the car has 151,000(or 251,000, doubtfully 51,000), I'm going to skip on the motor. He wants 200 for the tranny, crossmember, torque arm, and driveshaft. I'm not ready to pay that much when it has that many miles.

 

Timing chain is peanuts. If the engine & tranny have had reasonable service, 151k is peanuts.

But, it's up to you. Your car, your money.

 

I've never heard that expression before.

 

Cost shouldn't be the determining factor here. What should be though, is that you'd be upgrading to a crappy stock headed 305 (LO3), from a much better stock headed 305 (LG4)...

It's simply not feasible.

 

What are the flow ratings of both heads?

 

FYI on the 200C
The 200C can be beefed up!. My 200c on my 82 Firebird was rebuild and beefed up by AMMCO back in 1992. It currently has over 120,000 miles on it.