I have no idea how realistic or feasible your idea is, but I think it would be really cool if you could get it done.

I'm sure folks will be along to poo poo the idea. I have a special fondness for CFI Camaros and I think it would be bad *** if you could get one to run and make good power.

 

Well so far I figured out the basics for this project.

The LT1 is essentially a chevy small block internally. The intake and exhaust ports all match up to a standard manifold but the bolt patter is different, that is if my research was correct.

The CFI manifold with the potential for a modified bolt pattern already offers the rear mounted distributor making the "need" for me to change the ignition source to keeping it an easier swap.
For the manifold I have to see if anyone has flow tested a stock ported CFI manifold and try to match numbers off of there to the size bore I need for the plates.

I have to port the intake manifold and bore out the throttle bodies which I found a website for that at almost $200 a plate. I found out that with a stock 48mm throttle body has a flow of 700cfm and said to support up too plus/minus 475 hp (where I want to be with my throttle bodies.

Once I get all the numbers sorted out I don't see this being too much more of a hassle than tearing into this head on with confidence and see how this turns out. Who knows... maybe I might just get this to work this year yet. I will update with thoughts, pictures, and comments.

Any and all response to this will be greatly appreciated, never did anything like this before not even close to modifying and engine but gotta start somewhere!

 

At this point I am just going with the poor mans swap and using what I can salvage and invest money into the areas of later concern at another point in time. I wont be making too much power gain but If I get it running then I have a solid foundation to start with and improve from there.

 

What do you intend to drop this monster of Frankenstein into? CFI on a slightly more modern SBC sounds totally awesome.

I got an 83 Daytona still rolling with the stock 305/CFI setup in it. I definitely have a special place in my heart for mine... They just aren't out there in the wild anymore lol! Fortunately, even at 167k on the clock and 4 yrs of summer driving it, haven't had to mess with anything CFI-related on it yet.

 

I think the intake is going to prove very restrictive. The ones I've had showed signs of fuel separation also. Aside from getting a place to mount your distributor what is the advantage of using this intake? What are your plans for coolant routing?

 

Are you leaving it port injection or converting it to TBI?
It would be cool to convert the TBI's to air metering only, and somehow fit injectors in each port. Don't know where fuel rails would fit on the Renegade though. If you leave it dual TBI you would be better off converting to RBob's EBL system. There is no flexibility to tune the original ecm for better performance.

 

I was planning on putting it into the 82 trans am I have. I been doing research and so far it can get to be a pretty expensive build for what I thought would have been an almost low budget do-able swap. Even if I build the engine to just zip around in, which is what I intended to do in the first place, ECM will need a major overhaul. I have been dabbling with the idea for years now and the closet I seen was a CFI on a LT4. I figured the engine itself needs a major overhaul why not just replace the engine entirely since I will already be pulling it to replace all the seals. While I was at it I wanted the manual transmission and nice fuel millage that went along with the T-56.

 

I was going to go electric water pump and the put in an after market crank ignition set up to do away with the top mounted dist since that seemed to be the best bang for my buck.

 

I was thinking the same thing but if I was going to go through all that trouble I might as well just do the full LT1-T56 & ECM swap. The aftermarket manifold that would support this same "design look" will not be able to be outfitted with any fuel rails. At least that I know of, also I might be over thinking it and there is a way but to my current knowledge there isnt without major fab work.