So I've owned my Third Gen now going on maybe 10 years or so... haven't done anything with it so far, it's just sat in my driveway. No engine, no transmission. Well, last year I finished up my Buick Wagon project enough so that the car can swap out and live outside. So now it's time to start clearing up slots and make my family and neighbors happy. My credit card is paid off, time to do a budget build.

I've got a 1987 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 with a 5.7L and Heavy Duty 700R4. Still got the original transmission for the Firebird, so in case I need to swap the tailshaft housing, I can no problem. Got the original tail shaft and everything. All I'm gonna do is pull the Caprice into the garage, pull the engine and transmission all in one shot, roll it out onto the street and scrap the rest. Do some quick cleanup on the engine maybe, do some minor changes like the exhaust manifolds to the F-Body ones... but other than that, it's just gonna be a direct swap.

Here's the question though... a b-body camshaft is probably built for low end grunt... I mean, sure the engine probably doesn't have all that much horsepower because it's a smog era 80's engine and is so hopelessly choked off with emissions equipment that it's crying for the sweet release of death, but it's probably got pretty decent torque under 2k rpm right? At least 250ft-lbs I'd bet. So if I kept that cam in there, and swapped out the induction system to some kind of fuel injection and did whatever I could to help the engine breathe more naturally, I could probably get a nice turn key car that's reasonably reliable, and fun to drive. Plenty of low end torque, 3.73's with posi in the back... might be pretty fun for a budget build.

 

That factory cam is likely very small. Quoted from another website "The cam in the TBI engine is just plain AWFUL. Specs on Stock TBI cam is .050″ tappet lift (intake/exhaust) is 165/175; and maximum lift with 1.5:1 rocker ratio (intake/exhaust) is .382/.402. I got those specs right off the Jegs website selling the new GM replacement TBI crate engines."
I wouldn't recommend using it but low rpm power will be it's strongest point, which isn't very useful in a lighter car, especially one with 3.73 gears.
Emissions wasn't really choking the engine though the exhaust probably was too small.
Good exhaust (even with a modern cat), a proper cam for the combination, and whatever induction system you prefer will make it much better over the stock application it was previously.

 

... damn that's a good point. I'll be spinning the tires all day long when I'm just trying to get going lol

 

I will note though that it's not a TBI set up in the Caprice, rather it's a Quadrajet... not that that makes much difference with the cam. It'll probably still be as you described.

 

even worse is you'll be out of the powerband immediately and still going slow.

 

Hmm... well, I guess doing a minor rebuild on the engine wouldn't be a bad idea. Seals, gaskets, and what not... definitely needs a new timing cover and oil pan because what's on there now is rusty. Can't even read the timing marks. I don't think it's leaking anything, but better safe than sorry. New seals, gaskets, RTV and all that couldn't hurt it. While I'm at it I can do the camshaft. Maybe I can get a stock replacement cam for a later model 5.7L Camaro or something.

 

Okay so next week I've got vacation coming. Got the garage cleared out mostly, so I can start some work. I think mostly next week will be just pulling the engine and transmission out of the old Caprice.

I was going to basically just do a direct swap, but since it might be a while before I can actually get anything done, why not entertain the idea of some cheap work I can do on the 350? That's usually how it all starts, right?

First you're just gonna swap it, then you're like, "Well I might as well do a rebuild so it has good seals and gaskets" which becomes, "Well I've got it apart, I might as well beef this up a little bit while it's right there" to "Well I guess new heads aren't TOO expensive these days..." to "Wow, I can't believe I spent my kid's college fund on an engine!"

So I think if I were to do any modifications to it, it'd probably just be a roller cam, hi-comp (10:1 maybe) aluminum heads, and an aluminum intake manifold with fuel injection. In the grand scheme of things, maybe a couple thousand dollars, but really not THAT much if you think about it. Especially since aside from the interior, and tires, the car doesn't need THAT much work. Both of those things I have absolutely no problem with cheaping out on.

Hell, my wagon STILL doesn't have any insulation or carpeting!