Well after years and years of anticipation and research. I'M FINALLY DOING IT!

This is my 83 Z28 (With an 89 iroc body kit on it). Some people will complain that my car is a clone, yes it is. However it is my car and I may dress it up however I like.

ANYWAYS, Car started out as an 83 Z28 with an LG4 and an auto. The engine has been purchased from a reputable engine shop here in BC. It is basically a rebuilt 2004 LQ9 with a cam, reworked heads, valvesprings, etc...

The engine dyno'd at 439hp and 451tq. Dyno sheet is below.

The transmission is going to be a T56 Magnum, because I havent been able to find a good used T56 around here. Im looking for long term reliablility, and I love overkill. Plus I can keep the stock speedo.

My goal of this swap is to have a reliable fast daily driver.

Here is the result of the first couple nights... The teardown...

The previous owner painted everything black underneath the car and under the hood. Personally I hate it... So Ive purchased a whole bunch of silver Por-15, and I'm going to go nuts with it and make this Originally red car... Silver!

Also I will be posting an ad for an A/C Delete box if anyone is intrested.

PS... I think i need a better camera.

 

Sweet combo going in there man, I'm from BC too, up in Terrace, and hope to do this swap myself soon also.
I've got an 82 Z28 with a built carb'd 350, 4 speed, and I just picked up an 86 Iroc with the LG4/T-5 combo. The 82 is getting parted out to fund the new car's build and hopefully I'll be able to pick up some tips and even learn about some Canadian sources for parts from you, or at least some that are just across the border. Good luck and happy building. Subscribed!

 

I can't wait to see your progress. I'm using a T56 Magnum in my LSx swap too, so I'm anxious to see if you have any fitment/installation issues.

 

Some of us have the early cars. A couple of things I came across;
'83 brakes are US fittings. 85 up are metric. Can be a pain to match things up if/when you upgrade brakes. It can be done.
'83 Torque Arm holder will not work with poly bushing for tubular torque arm. You will need one from a T56 equipped 4th Gen.
Good luck, and enjoy.

 

Nice pm u about the AC delete box

 

Some more progress these last couple nights!

**Jessie83, I will pm you right back after this...

Continuing on with the cleaning / underhood tear down, I decided to remove the strut bearing plates in order to paint and clean underneath them and replace them with my newly purchased founders plates.

Well, I undid the top strut bolt and BOOM CLASH CLINK SNAP, were about the sounds i heard as i jumped back about 10 feet. Ive done this before on my girlfriends trans am, where we undid the plates, and the stabalizer end links held the spring compressed. (sounds like a dumb idea now, but after it works so many times for you, you dont think much of it.)

Turns out my stabilizer links were not nearly in as good as shape as hers. Mine are most likely original.... After safely removing the springs, I removed the Control arms all together and tommorow night the K member will come out to get notched and painted.

After removing my springs, I noticed that they were both broken in about the same spot.... Is this normal?

After seeing what happened to my stabilizer end links, I feel much safer just replacing everything front end wise.... Since its already taken all apart. So after I make this post, Im gonna research a brake upgrade, I remember looking at LS1 brakes, i believe all i need is a bracket to hold the caliper and a hub or something.....

What brake upgrade do you guys recommend?

While the control arms are out im also gonna replace the ball joint, put some good struts on there. paint the control arm. DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT!

 

http://www.flynbye.com
Good guide to what is possible. Also one option of supplier.
Your wheel size is important. Needs 16s, at least.

 

No updates in a long time, sorry guys.

Ive been trying to take pictures as I go, but for the majority of it, Ive been working on it alone.

So, I got the car to the point of a completely stripped engine bay. I took the whole thing down to metal with a angle grinder and a wire wheel, then POR 15d the entire thing silver...

I then took out my K member and took that down to metal with an angle grinder, then I took the metal template notch piece i bought from hawks and grinded out the portion that needed to come out. My friend with a welder welded it in, and grinded the excess down so it looked natural. Its not perfect but it looks ALOT better than the rest of the welds on the K member from the factory. I then POR 15d this black.


I went onto bigbrakeupgrade.com and I decided to go with the LS1 front brakes due to the fact that I really like my 16" single stripe IROC wheels and those are they only brakes that will fit under them. So I bought the calipers from bigbrakeupgrade and decided I could do the rest myself (save me importing fees into Canada) So we'll see how that pans out very soon (I will make sure to document this.)

I also went onto summit and bought a remanufactured steering box, and all new tie rods, center link, idler arm, etc... So all the steering will be brand new. This weekend I will also be going to the boneyard to pick up an astro van steering shaft (They have double U-Joints instead of the sloppy rag joint)

I ALSO... jeez i did alot of shopping. I bought the Stainless works 1 7/8" long tube headers, WITHOUT THE GARBAGE Y PIPE! I found a place in town that does alot of turbo charging/supercharging and custom exhaust (they must know how to route a pipe) So I will leave them upto getting exhaust from the headers, into a y-pipe, through my electric cutout and then out the catback...

From hawks I also bought their conversion motor mounts and their house brand T56 cross member becuase its shaped like a drews cross member for header clearance.


BAD NEWS: The landlord phoned me last saturday and said if my car isnt driving by saturday hes going to tow it... So Im trying to get the car back into a roller stage so I can work on it somewhere else.... That's my BIGGEST problem right now. Not alot of people are ok with an LS1 swap happening at their place....

Here is a picture of the car as it sits now (Notice the pretty por-15, its not perfect. It was brushed on, but damn its the best looking part of the car. And the POR15d K member.)

And a picture of the new LS1 brakes vs stock brakes!

As well as a picture of the K member notch to add to the collection on this forum.

 

Good luck with a temp home.
Work looks good.
You will have a nice setup.
Takes time.

 

Nice, if you don't mind me asking which engine shop did you use?

 

Hey guys,

Sorry for lack of updates but the swap is finally progressing! Been having trouble trying to find a place to store it, work on it and pay for the damn thing.

Anyways,

-The wiring harness has been lengthened (Im going to run PCM in stock location in dash, I didnt want it underhood... Its ugly...

-The LS1 front brake swap has been done see attached pics!

-Installed a clutch/brake pedal from a 2000 SS bought off of ls1tech, then installed the highly sought after tick master cylinder.

-The LS1 fuel tank with the Racetronix fuel pump was also installed...

-The Oilpan was installed onto the LQ9 and the hole for the LS1 accessories was already tapped by the machine shop for me. I did not want to tap a hole into iron....

-The crank pulley was changed over to the LS1 pulley, what a production that is. 240ft lbs is alot to torque a bolt to... Just to undo it and install another one!

On Saturday morning we are mating the Mcleod flywheel to the motor, the Mcleod RST dual disc clutch kit to the flywheel, the T56 quicktime bellhousing to the transmission, and mating them together, then we will be dropping it in as one assembled piece.

So far, no show stopping problems.... But only time will tell. Im a little nervous of the transmission mount from hawks though, it was listed as an 84-92.... Im not sure why, and i have an 83....

 

I found no room for my ECU under the dash of my 83 Firebird. It is in the passenger footwell.

 

Well boys! The drivetrain is in the car!

Everyone was saying the T56 magnum was longer, so the T56 mount might not work, that i might have clearance issues, torque arm problems....

But its not that bad, Hawks t56 transmission crossmember fit just fine mated to the cheapest poly urethane mount from summit, no clearance issues. Shifter placement is great! Quicktime bell housing fit like a dream...

I still need to get the driveshaft shortened and put in the jegs torque arm. Then finish wiring/fuel lines, etc....

Here are some pics!

Will post more soon next time i go work on the car.

 

Awesome. Great news about the Magnum too. The easier that is to install, the happier I am.

 

Hey I know I am a few years late, but i was wondering if you had to dial in the bellhousing. Also where did you mount your torque arm?