My friend recently wrecked his 87 T/A and is parting it out.He told me he would sell his complete driveline to me for $1000.It is a 350 tpi turbocharged with rebuilt th-5 transmission and 3.73 gears. If I bought a front end that would support a v8 in my 86 camaro 2.8 mpfi, would it bolt right in? What modifications would i have to have?
By the way when i saw it was turbocharged i couldnt say no.

 

You don't need to buy a new front end. Get everything that's attached to the engine and different from yours from that other car. That includes mounts, wiring, tubing, cables, gages, transmission - everything.

I wouldn't go so far as to say "It will bolt right in", but what you need is all on his car, with the possible exception of a few things that are different between a Camaro & Firebird anyway (tach, perhaps?). You're in for a lot of work, that's for sure.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 600 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

I cant use the front end because that is totaled.

 

there is no difference between the front ends of a V6 and V8 car.

the body is the same on both cars. with that said im not sure you can handle a swap...think very carefully about whether you want to do this or not.

 

so what your saying is that there is no difference between the front end parts on a v6 and v8. Meaning they both will support the v8?because thats not what i was told

 

The engine mounts bolt to the crossmember using different bolt holes, but both the V6 & V8 locations are drilled in all cars.

The front springs and sway bars are different, but they shouldn't have been damaged in the wreck. The radiators are different, but the AC condensors are the same.

Look them both over carefully (side by side if possible), and you'll see what we are talking about.

 

five7kid., what mounts did you use? The mounts I selected are way wrong... (bottom on both side and top on driver)

Thanks

m-t

 

Everything I used came from my '86 donor car.

 

I don't think I read your question right - you're asking which holes to use, correct?

I'm trying to remember exactly what it looks like, but I believe two bolts go to the top on each side, and you use the forward-most set of holes that will allow this orientation. The V6 front brake line sits right there, so you have to move it before bolting the mounts in.

I would have taken better note of it, but again, I had the two cars sitting side-by-side and could easily reference the donor car, so I didn't have to commit it to memeory. Now, that comes back to haunt me...

 

I'm not sure I understand the motor mount question either. If it is "which holes do I use?", go for the ones that will leave the V8 motor mounts looking like one corner is just hanging over the front of the crossmember. I can take pictures of my car that I did a 2.8 to 5.7 swap in (it has since been wrecked and the engine pulled out (not my fault)), but that won't be until Wednesday at the earliest. Let me know...

 

I just got done doing this swap. The v6 puts the mounts closest to the firewall. For the 5.7 you need to use the holes closest to the radiator. You will also have to take the break line from the donor car and switch it with the one on the 2.8.

 

another quick tip I forgot. If your going to swap the springs from the TA to the camaro make sure you bolt the new motor mounts in while you have the springs out it makes the job so much easier. I wish I had thought of that when I did my switch.

 

You actually don't need to actually swap brake lines. You can just move the old one back a few inches. Just bend the semi-flexible part of it and remount the line to the crossmember behind the V8 motor mounts (the V8 motor mounts bolt on top of where the V6 brake line runs across)

 

I was asking which mounts and holes to use... Sorry, I did not make myself clear. I went to a junk yard yesterday and got the correct stuff. I now understand that the brake line must be moved or replaced., my option... The V8 motor mounts must be mounted in the forward holes(closest to radiator) on the crossmember. I will need to drill a hole on each side of the cross member to get a screw in the rear/bottom portion of the motor mount.

Thanks for your help....
m-t

 

You should NOT have to drill any new holes! Even the holes for the brake line clamps are there for the V8 location. The factory made all the cross-members the same, just used what they had to when bolting things up for V6 or V8.

If it looks like you have to drill, you haven't got it right yet.

 

You are (once again) 100% correct. I moved the brake line and low and behold...it will work without drilling!

When I grow up I want to be just like you (smart enought to investigate before opening mouth or typing on BB)...

Thanks again

Ron

 

Who you talking to?