Alrite so I have an 86 camaro iroc the carbed 355 I have now is about shot so looking to do a motor swap here comes the question nd I'm sure I'll get a lot if opinions should I stay with the theme I have now nd go with a 383 stroker(crate motor from patriot performance) or bring it up to the modern ls (most likely a 5.3 or 6.0)

 

Im a big fan of the LS motors and they make huge power, but honestly man just a rebuild into a 383 + decent heads/cam will get you a long way. The cost is probably about the same. To me the big determining factor is the expense of the transmission and how bad you want a decent EFI system and want to do the work to convert it over.

 

Well don't want to do a rebuild block I'll either do a carbed crate 383 from patriot performance 450+ go or an low mileage 5.3 or 6.0 LSx from a pickup I don't mind the time it will take to swap over just how difficult it will be so just looking on some incite as to how difficult it was for the ones that have done the ls swap nd wat everybody's opinions are of the two

 

an LS swap will leave you with great power, good mileage, and nice street manners. however, its not cheap and you'll need to get comfortable with doing a lot of wiring.

the carbed sbc may be easier, but mpg will suffer and similar power levels will probably not be so nice in daily driving

 

I would go sbc. Less time and money spent converting things instead of upgrading. The ls would be more reliable though and if you have a bigger budget the power they make is great

 

its up to you. sbc will probably be less money and easier. great if its a weekend warrior. ls1 while usually more expensive to swap them in make great power with minor mods and very street friendly, not to mention the fuel consumption way better mpg with a efi lsx.

and as far as the tranny goes if its an automatic car i know somebody makes a bracket to use the kickdown cable on the ls1 throttle body and all it takes is a flex plate spacer you can get at summit. so in the end its up to you. what would you like to do?

 

I really want to go ls probably start with a poor mans ls build 5.3 nd eventually step it to a 6.0 or 6.2 when I can afford it. Ziggy89 it is an automatic and is the kickdown cable bracket your talking about used to combine the ls with the 700r4 I have now or do I need to swap that over to a 4l60e?

 

i know a lot of guys swap to a 4l60 wich is great if your running a computer controlled lsx cause then it tells the tranny how and when to shift. but if i was goin to do a lsx swap id run my already built 700r4. if you run a lsx 4l60 you dont have to change anything just bolt it up.

the bracket i was refering to is for the throttle linkage on the throttle body a 4l60e doesnt have a throttle valve cable so its not needed.

imo id start out with a 6.0. youll only spend a couple hundred more for the junkyard motor and its gives you a lot more growing room

 

Would it be easier to swap it over to the 4l60

 

for computer controlled probably but its goin to add to the cost of the swap. youll have to change or modify your cross member because the trans mount is in a differnt place. spohn makes a swap cross member which i would recomend any way with on of their torque arms, very nice piece thats stronger and takes the stress off the tailhousing of the tranny.

 

Okay well thanks for the info I believe I'll be going with an ls sometime next year after winter is over nd I'm back to my construction job