alright so in have a 88 trans am was a 305 tbi car who ever i got it from took out the ac all of it ripped out the wiring for it and every thing they had it set up where when you turn the key on the fas come on then flip a switch and the summit gauges and power to distributor comes on then it has the button to push start. so the carbed 305 blew on me and i bought a lt1 with tranny ecm and ever thing now what iam wondering when i put this in and hook it all up what do i do about every thing to work off the key like it should now my car does not have a vatts system and i was reading about the lt1s and the key problem?

 

First, I moved this to the LTX and LSX sub-forum.

Second, read the LT1 swap sticky in the top section of this forum. You should be able to fix the wiring when you do the swap.

I hate to say it, but hack jobs like you picked up are scary. You never know what all they screwed up in the process. It would behoove you to get familiar with wiring schematics soon.

 

yea iv been reading up on it for the l;ast 3 days every second iam home trying to learn more i just dont know where to start with the wiring cause every thing has been messed with wiring wise in the car this thing is a mess but i dont want to give it up because the body is in such great shape no rust no dents good paint clean title just the wiring is what gonna get me i hjave the stock wiring from the lt1 should i pull every wire in the car and redo it around the lt1 harness? cause i do want ac and heat in the car but can i do the car the right way with out hooking up ac right away cause it will be in the future i put it in

 

Honestly, I think your best bet would be to start with a fresh harness. It won't be hard, and shouldn't be too expensive online or at a u-pull-it yard, but trying to figure out your car now would be difficult. The right way of doing it would be undoing all the modifcations that are done to the car and get it running correct now, taking out all switches and buttons and everything. Thats what I had to do with my '92, the kid did neons, remote starter/keyless entry, and everything he put his little hands on. By the time I got the car he had it half pulled apart and lost a bunch of stuff. He also thought that a screw driver could start the VATS system like he saw in all the old movies. So yea, starting fresh may be your best bet, but if you want to go a little easier on your swap harness, go speak with "Pocket." Thats his screen name and he sells LT1 swap harnesses, and then you'll only need to fix your interior harness and just plug in the engine bay harness.

 

I agree. Don't try to fix somebody elses problems. Find a good dash harness and integrate the engine harness. You will be glad you did. Yiu could also do a 4th gen dash and most of the wiring would be plug and play. Your best investment will be a Helms manual, not to be confused with a Haynes manual. It will save your life.

 

The car has all summit gagues in it now. He has the tach and volts hooked up that's it but "l are there should I just rerun wires for them would it be easier. Then trying to hook up a stock dash

 

Honestly, anything like those gauges, I would tear the whole thing down and figuratively "start over." Hit the reset button, pretend like you just tore them out of the boxes, and re-install them correctly.

 

iam going to post pics of the build as i go so you can see the mess iam starting with

 

 

if u look on here theres a guy that builds harnesses. i had it do my for my lt1 swap it cost bout 500 after shippin and everything and it saved me alot of headache

 

had to take every thing off the front to get my hoist over the motor


and its out


going to put the lt1 in right now. stoked!

 

May want to get the headers and spark plugs in first and route the wires. A LOT easier when she's out, I can tell you that from experience lol. I did do it first, but half way through the summer went to a LTCC setup and had to pull all the wires, and with the factory harness it was a mini-job of tugging and playing to get the wires out, so can only imagine putting the wires in and reaching around exhaust and everything.

 

i put my headers on after it was the car i aslo have the heater box out and i took the steerin rod out so i didnt scratch my headers that i painted havent done the wiring cuz i decided to freshen the motor up so its at the machine shop are u doin anything to the motor