Huh.... That is, in fact, a pretty decent idea. I can think of only one issue with that. When the PCM sees that there is no fuel level input, it throws DTC codes. Not all the codes trip the SES light. There are several that will show up when you run an obdII test. Now...we never figured out if once those codes are tripped, will the EVAP system work again until they are cleared. It might shut the system down. Might wait for the next ignition cycle or so.

That might be something for someone to try... I dont need to pass any emissions, so its a mute point for me now.

Kudos man..I didnt even think about putting a double throw switch in...

J.

 

y only ten years, last i remember, in california only cars 1975 and older are smog exempt less you running diesel
either way no matter if you smog or no smog, u gotta come up with a donor car or alot of money. all the fourth gens i know of arent smoggable, cause they want more from their car.

 

http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/smogfaq.htm#BM2535

 

So I went home this weekend guys and I was talking to my parents a little about my swap. Everything from the 4th gen conversion to the dash changing to the 6-speed. Well this got my dad kinda p.o'd because he said since he was paying for it (my parents love me......not really, just cause I was on the deans list, he said he'd help me out some) he wouldn't help me out. Now i got money in the bank dont get me wrong, but i only got about 4k saved up and thats not clearly enough. He said he has connects and he knows a guy he can get to go to GM and get me a replica motor for pretty cheap, and help me put in for free.

See im kinda liking this because my dad said he would pay for that, which leaves the rest of the money i have for mods, suspension, brakes, transmission. So i was looking and i saw a 355 short block assembly that with 64cc heads puts the compression ratio at 9.4:1. Should this be something to persue or go with my original dreams. What do you guys think?

P.S. my dad knows about cars too. He has a 1955 Belair 210 sedan that he and I are planning on putting a LS7 in. He actually built his own racing 327 for it when he was about my age (20, yeah i know im young). I think that even though it would be a 355, it would still be a cool father/son project? What do you guys think?

 

Cool? Sure it would. I cant wait to tackle another project when my son is old enough. but... LSx > sbc.

 

True... but FREE 355 sbc > fund depleting LS1

Get with dad, drop that 355 in, make sure you got some good heads and a decent cam in it. Maybe do the T56 swap along with it. That'll keep you happy for a while. Dump the rest of your cash into freshening up the suspension, a couple key mods and other things the car needs (weatherstripping, trim, new seats, wheels/tires, etc)...

You can always slip an LS1 in later after you save up some money. And the longer you wait, the cheaper the better motors will become also. If you already have the suspension up to snuff, and the car is set up for T56...dropping an LS1/T56 in is cake. Spending all your money to put an LS1 into a car and not having the funds to fix/upgrade the suspension and perform any other work wont make you as happy as having a grear riding and driving car.

Trust me...replacing all my suspension, adding some aftermarket parts, SFCs, and fitting LS1 brakes front and back made just as much difference as the new powerplant in my car. It was such a pleasure to drive, let alone the new found umph.

Just my off the hip opinion before bed. haha.

J.

 

Even if money wasn't involved, a project with your dad's support is much better than trying to go it without him. Accept it with a smile, and the smiles will keep on coming.

It may not seem that important now, but the two of you sharing this project will mean a lot more to you 20 years from now than what engine goes in it now.

My dad died 3 days before I bought Berlinetta #1. Not being able to talk to him about it all these years has been a big hole in my enjoyment of it.

There's a reason the "Father & Son 1st Swap Project" is a sticky, and why it remains one of the most read threads on this forum.

 

I literally couldn't agree more. I lost my mom not too long ago, & while it's not a daily ache any more, it still really hurts from time to time. (The last fun thing that I did with her was to push her in a wheelchair around a Goodguys show - she was a car person too...) She loved my GTA, & it pretty much sucks that I won't be able to take her for a spirited ride in it when it's done.

So yeah, DEFINITELY take five7's advice - it's outstanding, & it'll mean more than you can even begin to imagine now.

Good luck.