Hey, it's your favorite village idiot here!

Okay fellas, I've am in the process of acquiring a:

98 Z28 LS1 6-Speed (T56 tranny) 70,000 miles

If you don't know, I have:

83 Z28 305-CARBED Automatic 160,000 miles

So basically, I will try to keep this post very linear, so someone with knowledge will be able to help me.

1. Since I will have the ECU, Wiring Harness, and EVERYTHING ELSE that goes with this running 98 Z28, will I have to heavily modify the wiring harness?

2. I will most likely swap the rear end, front end, everything... Is there an easy way to swap everything over? (hahahah, what a stupid question! OF COURSE IT WILL BE EASY... /cough /cough)

3. I really am not too interested in cutting the front cross member of my 83 (as I don't have the knowledge/skill/ability to do so) since I have this beautiful donor car, what might be some other options to this?

4. Fuel. From what I heard and read, Assuming I am able to get the LS1 and T56 in my 83, what exactly can be transplanted over? Can I move over all the cruise control stuff? The radiator fans? The entire setup? Assuming I am able to, why would it not be possible to use the stock 98 ECU/Harness to power everything without making modifications to it? (this is another thing I don't have knowledge/skill/ability to do)

5. Fbodymotorsports. They sell a package for the LS1 Motor Mounts and Tranny X-Member, which I am guess will be probably the first thing I will need to get to plop these two in my car. Also, assuming I can swap the driveshaft, the 98 Rear end, what would really be necessary? Make shifting some new fuel lines, new fuelpump in the tank, FPR near the engine bay, and the lines will run to the engine? (Any idea what it might cost to get these lines fabricated? Can they be bought?)

6. Brakes. Assuming I swap the 98 rear in (also is it possible to use the front LS1 brakes?) can I use the 98 brake booster/master cylinder, and have new brake lines created all around?

7. What else, to your knowledge, would be needed to make all of this work in conjunction? I have limited mechanical ability and understanding, I pretty much understand most car components, suspention, brakes, fuel, just not actual engine components and tranny components as I've never been inside either.

8. Want to thank you for taking the time for reading this.

9. Also, the icing on the cake, I am guessing I will just get a Cable X to run the speedo, however, everything on the LS1 setup will be electronic. Including the CRUISE CONTROL. Not sure on this.

Warm Regards,

atvance

 

1. The wiring isn't very bad, hooking up the power for the injectors, tach, PCM etc etc. Best to use the underhood fusebox from the donor car.

2.There is never an easy way to put a motor in a car that it wasn't designed for.

3. The front crossmember of the 4th gen will not bolt up to the 3rd gen without some major custom fabrication of cutting everything off the front end of the '98 and having it grafted on the 3rd gen. Best option is to work on the 3rd gen crossmember for the a/c to fit (if you want it) if you don't want a/c you have to do nothing since it is driven off of a seperate belt.

4. Cruise, more wires to hook up, fuel use the 3rd gen tank someone posted what to do for the fuel lines to mate up. You will need a new set of hardlines to the front, or swap the 4th gen tank over and try to get the fuel gauge to work.

5. Don't buy anything from F-body motorsports (do a search on fbodymotorsports and you'll see why) , get the Spohn crossmember and the Hawks motor mounts.

6. You can keep the original master cyl and put the '98 rear, however the tires will stick out approx. 1-1.5 inches from where they are now if you use the 3rd gen wheels.

7. If you want the exp, do it yourself...otherwise you may want to pay someone to do the swap.

8. No problem

9. Do yourself a favor and swap the cluster and dash harness from a '91-'92 Camaro, you'll save about 200 bucks and a major headache in getting the cable-x box to work right.

 

I am actually going to be doing a similar swap but from a 99 Z28 A4 w 48000 miles to an 87 V6 Firebird A4. I was wondering if I used AutoMeter ProComp Ultra Lite Gauges on a custom panel, would I be able to wire those up fairly easy?

Im planning on using,
LS1 w 4L60
99 3.23 Rearend and Driveshaft (Wheels too)
99 Front brakes(ABS???)
99 Fuel System
99's Brake Sys???