Yea I read the sticky and it helped me with everything but a couple of things.

1) I have the 2.8 with 3 speed auto. If I put in the 383 with a 700r4 will I need a new driveshaft or can I use my existing one?

2) HOW can I make my original wiring harness work? Basically do i leave the headlights and stuff alone and just put the regular wires where they go? (starter, sensors, choke....what am i missing?)

3) Engine/tranny cross member? am I good or do I need both v8 ones?

4) for the ECM, I have been told I dont have one. So what I dont need to change any of that stuff then??

5) How bad will i bottom out if i leave the old suspension in?

I think thats all, It would be good too if they were added into the sticky for future people like me that search endlessly

thanx

 

1. It should fit no prob. Also look into scoring the torque arm that ges w/the 7004R

2. Are you going carb, tpi, tbi, ...what?

3. Engine k-mbr is same, pretty sure on teh tranny one too.

4. see #2 for wires, and you do have an ecm

5. Rear shouldn't be a problem, front, depends on how fast you want to take the sppedbumps & ditches & what not. change them while the car is off the road.

 

Hey thanks alot man.

Yeah Its gonna be carbbed so that saves alot of wiring pain.

Ive been told canadian cars dont have computers or o2 sensors.

And i guess eventually down the road i will do the suspension....so yea

 

1. No, you have the 200-r4 transmission. The driveshaft is longer than the 700-r4, since it doesn't have overdrive. You'll need a driveshaft for a 700-r4. If the tranny doesn't have a torque arm bracket already on it, you can get an aftermarket one.

2. Leave the driver's side harness alone. That has all the headlights, horn, etc. The passenger's side wiring harness can pretty much all come out, EXCEPT the wires for the heater. All you're gonna need is power to the starter, distributor, and into the interior fuse panel. You're gonna need to put in oil/temp/voltage gauges. Oil and Temperature are an absolute MUST before the first time you fire the new engine up. It doesn't do any good to build up a sweet a$$ 383, only to have to rebuild it because your new oil pump or thermostat is no good and you either lock up the engine or crack the heads. You will also need a way to control the torque converter lockup. Once again, aftermarket parts are availible.

3. The engine crossmember is the same, you're just going to need to move the lower motor mounts forward to the next set of holes. Don't weld them in.
Don't quote me on this *but*, I don't think the transmission crossmember is the same because the mount sits further back. You can still use your crossmember w/the transmission mount relocating bracket that comes with the aftermarket torque arm bracket.


4. You do have an ECM.

5. The rear ones won't be a problem, except if you change out the fronts and not the back, it will slant slightly towards the back. Since you're putting in a 383, I'm assuming you're gonna take it to the track every once in a while. Softer rear spring will help in weight transfer. If you're gonna put on longtube headers, you WILL need new front springs. Period. Unless you live and drive in an area with no potholes, dips, or uneven roads. I couldn't even get my car into the exhaust shop without new front springs. It had to be backed in by a tow truck. If you're not gonna go with longtubes, just take her easy, and it should be fine. As Project: 85 2.8 bird says, do it while it's off the road. Might as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone, so to speak.

 

I'm running the fool out of mine with the V6 springs and haven't bottomed out yet with it, and I've ran across some pretty bumpy roads and crossed speedbumps etc. I put a new set of swaybar bushings and new struts while the car was down, if you don't change the springs, this would be a good bet to do.

 

LT1/T56 is going to be lighter than iron head 383 & TH700. Change the front springs.

You will need a different transmission crossmember. If the transmission doesn't have the torque arm mount, your choices are to get a tailshaft housing for an f-body and a later torque arm; or a much better choice, get the Spohn transmission swap crossmember and torque arm, which mounts the torque arm to the crossmember (a much better setup).

Since your car is Canadian, you'll just need to extend some of the wires to alternator, temp gage, etc. It's not that no Canadian cars had a computer, but the early carb'd ones typically didn't (L69 one exception). So, "driver's side" & "passenger side" harness questions that are typically discussed don't apply to you.

 

Actually, he has the TH200C transmission.

 

Hey guys thanks alot. Im glad I dont need to go through wire hell with the harnesses and stuff.

thanx again.

 

Ressurecting this.....Im a few weeks away from the swap so I need to clear some things up


So far i know - Need driveshaft
- Tranny crossmember
- Can use v6 wiring

The big thing is, what is all this about the torque arm? Wont I get one with the tranny and how do I put the thing in?.....or do i have one already? (not that the 2.8 has torque)

Im picking up my sfc's this saturday and possibly my holley 770 street avenger

So excited, V8 boards here I come

 

The torque arm is the big metal thing right beside the driveshaft that goes from the tranny to the rear end, no you won't get one with the tranny, you will need to goto a junkyard for a used one out of a car with a 700R4 or get an aftermarket one from Spohn (which is one of the better ones).

 

thanx for a quick reply man Im thinking of getting the spohn one now, depending on the price.

 

NEW QUESTION

Scrap the 700r4 idea, Can I use my existing driveshaft if I install a TH350 tranny???

 

That I'm not for sure of, but I do know you will need to get a torque arm mount for the TH350 unless you get one that mounts to the crossmember instead of the tranny.

 

Yes.

 

Torque Arm Bracket You'll need the rubber bushings off of your original bracket. Or you could just say "To Hell with it", and get new ones while you've got it all apart.

Oh, and as far as the pass. side wiring goes, instead of just pulling stuff out, mark what you need and weed out what you don't....I'm gonna have to rewire my heater and wipers now

Also, you might need one of these: TV Cable Adapter
I went with a Q-jet, and had to get an adapter for the TV Cable to Carb, it was something like $5 or so. It was made by Edelbrock.