Newbie on this site but I am friends with fasteddi on here. Anyways sometime in the future Id like to purchase a 3rd gen Camaro roller. We have a 350 motor and a 454 bare block in the shop along with a powerglide. My ultimate goal would be making it into a drag car basically. Now my question is would the 350 or 454 drop right in or would the motor mounts or anything else need to be changed? Im not familiar with 3rd gens. I'm mostly into the 4th gen scene. Any input would be awesome.
Derek

 

SBC and BBC engine mounts are in the same location. The BBC is a longer block so the increased length moves forward slightly since the transmission position doesn't change.

 

Welcome aboard thirdgen.org.

If the car came with a V6, you'll have to change the engine mounts on the K-member. The good news is the K-member is the same whether V6 or V8 (or I4, for that matter). There is a sticky in the top section of this forum that discusses what's required to swap a V8 into a V6 car.

If you want to use the Powerglide, you'll need to either get a swap transmission crossmember, or fabricate one. Either way, you'll also have to do something about the torque arm mount for the rear end - the factory attached it to the transmission tailshaft housing. You'll also need a custom length driveshaft. Since you're talking about a drag car, an aftermarket rear end is also in order, so you can address all these as a package.

 

The thing is a T-brake with a glide and rear end ratio's has a whole host of other things needed to make it work properly.Front to back from the type of engine builds to the rear suspension the car has and rear end.The other thing to consider is a glide without a T-brake itself requires with gears a engine that will not run out of a power curve.In other words,run out of useable RPM.The old GM glide cases are not up to the task any-longer.It almost always leads to a aftermarket glide case which are pricey.You can spend on a old GM case in time after time rebuilds and actually spend the money for a aftermarket case in those rebuilds and not own one.Overall I think unless you want to get in deep into this car$$$,my suggestion is a glide is a bad idea.On the other hand a 400 is a much better approach.You can cover very well either a 1/8 or a 1/4 with 4.56 rear end gears with a red line of 7,000 RPM.The 400 cases are tougher so the use of of a GM case is possible even through there are aftermarket cases available.

BBC VS SBC: Certainly the BBC's are going to 60' much better given the proper rear suspension and tires. We have for many yrs used a SBC in 9.90 cars MPH'ing BBC cars,but without good connections for the parts to do that with a SBC,that can get expensive too.Hands down the costs of heads,cam and kit,intake,exhaust,cost more for a BBC. The bottom end of a BBC can be had at a decent price and the move to a GM block 496 BBC is possible and a positive step. With us it became very clear if once we moved up in classes,our choice to stay competitive had to be using BBC's and aftermarket ones to boot.The GM BBC cases are not without limits. So I guess I'm saying if it where me having a BBC and a SBC GM engines setting on the floor of my shop,I would opt to use the BBC and take the hits in costs as they come about.Even at the beginning it allows to door to be open for up grades as needed.Does the SBC do the same??. Sure it does. But in my opinion those upgrades are bigger with the BBC.

All in all,the same old,some old thing applies. How much do you want to spend and what are your short/long term goals??.