Hello All, this my first post... I am restoring an 87 Trans Am 5 speed and I am putting in a 2004 5.3 out of a Silverado. As of right now the car is gutted as i am fixing some rust problems i found. The car sat for 11 years and is an one owner car. I drove it last summer and then the engine decided she was tired so now I a doing the swap. I read a lot of post and now I think I am more confused then when I started. After reading, I am guessing it will be better if I just get a T56 trans instead of using the 5 speed? I know I need the transmission bracket but what are using as far as bell housing, flywheel, driveshaft and clutch? As far as a fuel system, I was going run all new lines. Is anybody using the stock tank but external fuel pump and different fuel lines? If you point me in the right direction, that would great, or pics would even better... Thank you!!

 

Welcome aboard, love your user name. A T56 (LS kinda not the older LT kind) is your best bet. You will want to look at 4th gen LS1 style parts to complete your package. Namely, F-body style (OEM or aftermarket) clutch, bell-housing, and master cylinder. There is plenty of info in the stickies atop of the LS swap forum.

As for fuel system, there are lots of things you can do. Read up on that as well in the stickies. However, you can reuse your stock tank and put up to a 255lph fuel pump in place of the stock pump (the in tank pump to the stock sending unit). Anything larger than a 255lph will require larger gauge wiring (ie, hot wire). For a stock 5.3, a 255 pump is enough. Your stock fuel lines are also fine, unless they are crusted and busted in which case you are wise to replace them. Read up and check out some other folks builds. You will get a good idea of what you are getting into. The detail is in the devils, but luckily reading this site is free. Read, read, read, and then read some more. Good luck.