I might be able to get a 400SBC with a TH400 trans out of a '78 Chevy pickup. I've got an '84 Camaro sports coupe with the 2.8L V6 and 700R4 tranny.

I pretty much know what's involved with the V6 -> V8 swap, but is going to a 400SBC going to cause me headaches down the road as far as maintenance? I'd also like to add fuel injection to the 400 (both engines are currently carb'd)... Would it be possible to adapt the intake and fuel injection from an LT1 to this small block?

I'll start out with the TH400, but I'll eventually go with a T56, or some other manual transmission.

Suggestions, comments?

 

To use the T400, you will need an adapter kit. I used the Hurst kit from Jegs ~$125.

Miles

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88 427 Camaro
12.18 @ 113mph 1.75 60ft
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/5604/

 

Someone else might know more about the LT1, but from what I understand, the port design makes it incompatible with earlier heads.

Other than that, the 400 shouldn't cause maintenance problems in and of itself.

If you want injection, you should probably consider a miniram, since it would have the flow the 400 needs.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car. Rescued w/86 LG4/TH700R with all harnesses, sensors, ECM, etc. 2.73 open. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LB9 w/ZZ3 cam, exhaust, paint, etc.).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. Currently 396 .030 over, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" headers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & shift kit, 3.08 10-bolt, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1 @ 5800' Bandimere. Daily driver while Camaro was being put together.

 

Would it be possible to run LT1 heads with the LT1 intake, then?

This project is quite a ways down the road... I'm going to stick with the carb'd setup for now, and save up for the conversion to FI, so I've got time to figure out what I want to do.

Thanks for the info...

 

LT1 heads only work on LT1 blocks due to some wierd reverse flow cooling stuff. Go with the miniram or something instead of the LT1, lot less headaches in the end.

 

Thanks for the input... No LT1 parts, then.