Hey guys, so my dad had purchased me a 1986 Berlinetta Camaro for my first car and i'm only 16 but i know quite a lot on cars, and not only do i have to completely refinish the car as it is a project car with not too much missing ex. The emblems and exhaust and paint job but anyway i love the car its great but i hate the fact its a v6 and an automatic so it only has but 190HP or so i believe. So i am going to be swapping the original motor out for a 350 and do i need to replace the trans?

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

First, is your dad okay with this plan?

Second, I hate to burst your bubble, but the '86 2.8l had a whopping 135 HP.

Now, for the basics on the V6 to V8 swap, read the "V6 to V8 swap" sticky located in the top section of this forum.

(Spoiler alert: You can't use your V6 transmission...)

 

Well, you can, there is an adapter kit, but the V6 transmission won't survive the new power level. Maybe not even through the first test drive.

 

Got a link?

 

In your previous post you said you weren't happy that it was an auto.. I would find a 350 and manual trans and swap both at the same time.. would save you a lot of headache. Having a donor car with the master/slave cylinders, pedals, etc. would also be a very good idea.

 

i think you'll find in almost all cases it's cheaper and more realistic for a 16 year old to sell the v6 car and just buy a v8 one. there's a lot of things that have to be changed, especially if you are in an area where the ca has to pass any kind of emissions test, or even a visual test

 

If you don't have any tests to worry about, then I say go for it. It would be cheaper and easier just to buy the v8, but its a lot more fun to do it yourself. I am only 18, and I have helped my dad rebuild a 59 chevy apache, I rebuilt my own 74 chevelle, and my dad and I are working on a 55 oldsmobile right now. I also have just started to work on my camaro over the last couple days. Hope to start sanding down for paint tomorrow. All of these projects involved engine and transmission rebuilds, minus the camaro (which may be getting its trans. rebuilt as well).

 

Sure, here ya go:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Chevy-...ates,3280.html

 

Ah. But, that's for going the other way; and as you said, it would still leave you with a weak transmission.

 

Oh yeah, indeed. So the pilot adapter becomes useless, but the plate could still do it's job. You'd just have to get the '82-'84 V8 700R-4, or 200-4R, converter to address the pilot issue. Then space the converter 1/8" from the flexplate. More hassles!