whats the best thing to start with? im going to be doing it in portions..engine..then trans, etc... i was going to do a t5 swap but my engines so ****ty and slow anywayz..and i can get a 305tpi for 800 running still in car... Guages need changing? (tach?) can the rear end take the new torque of the 305?

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88 Firebird 2.8
MODS (either coming or on):
Flowmaster 80 series, Random Technologies Cat, 3" intermediate pipe, Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Coil, MSD Ignition Module,MSD 6A
Currently Working On:
t5 swap
Next to buy:
Slp dual cold air intake!

 

well, Im on camaro number four, and im swapping my old 350 TPI into a V6 car(totalled the Z28) a few words of advice
as long as your old car had gauges, the only thing needed to change is Tach(which also takes care of pesky 60-80psi oil gauge issues) the ENTIRE engine harness can be removed from two spots. under your brake booster on the drivers sie, below the relays, youll see a bulkhead connector(about 50 wires) there is a 7/32 bolt in the middle, so dont try to yank it apart. best bet; remove the relay bracket first. then, on passenger side, from in the car, remove the passenger hush panel and remove the harness at the computer and whatever else is sonnected to the bunch of wires coming from the kick panel(remove that as well) at that point, youre ENTIRE engine hrness is isolated o under the hood, doing away with painless kit. now granted, that is headlights also, but a small price to pay. now if the 305 wires are botched/rigged/considered to cause fire to the state of california, you may want to invest in the painless harness, otherwise this method makes use of what you have. depending on whatother options the car has(quck ratio gearbow, meatier sway bar, wonder bar, you may want to make use of those as well. as for when to do the tranny, now is the BEST time, instead oof wrestling with the tranny from underneath at a later date
good luck
mike

 

By all means, get the entire car if you can.

Since you'll have to change the tranny anyway, do that with the V-8 change. You should be able to do all that you want in one shot.

If you split the harness that comes through the firewall on the driver's side, you can leave the light harness alone.

The rear ends are the same strength regardless of the engine in the front.

I haven't confirmed this, but after I had changed the front springs and engine mounts, it looked to me like the entire front crossmember can be unbolted. If that is true, you'll get the springs, engine mounts, and brake lines that you need to mount the V-8. Just not having to mess with the engine mount bolts inside that crossmember would make it worth it, to say nothing about those springs.

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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.