Wound up buying a 1995 Trans Am a few weeks ago for the T-56. Motor was smoking and running like crap when I bought it, but I only wanted the transmission, so it didn't matter. A FPR and an oil change and the motor runs like new now, so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to throw the LT1 in my car with minimal modification. Just to get it up and running for the summer while I'm building a Gen 1 for it.

What do I need for this to happen? Is it possible?

 

I wouldn't waste the time putting in a LT1 if you're building a gen 1. By all means, you could drill the lt1 intake manifold to accept a distributor, do some mild rewiring to get all the small things properly wired(alt, etc) and get a set of power steering lines for the relocated P/steering and you're as close to plug and play as it gets. But for what? You just lost the sequential part of the lt1 injection and still have to do it again to put the new sbc in. Personally I think you should just pick a direction and go...

 

I'm sorry, I should have clarified. Obviously I have the ECM and all the wiring for the LT1 so no way would I run it on a TPI ECM. Does anyone make a plug and play set-up for the dash harness and everything not engine related? If I put it in I won't be swapping this out until it breaks, and god know how long that might be.

 

Pocket could make you a harness. But I wouldn't want to spend that kind of money for something temporary.

 

If you already own the car, and the 4th gen is junkyard material take EVERYTHING out of the 4th gen. Interior, dash stuff, complete harness...etc. Wire it up in the 3rd gen and the PCM won't know the difference. ABS will be an issue as we don't have the wheel speed sensors up front and you'd have to retrofit that.

Yes, there is some work. But the entire setup is a drop in swap. And since you have access to a functioning 4th gen donor take everything, dash and all harnesses included.

 

Based on these comments, i would suggest talking with Pocket. Get one of his swap harnesses.

Drop the whole drive train in, might be a decent upgrade to dual electric fans, maybe disk brake rear etc. Parting out the rest of the 4th gen should offset some of the costs of the harness, fuel lines, power steering lines etc etc. Ill have my LT1 t56 swap on the road shortly fingers crossed. Structurally if you dont run the AC compressor there wont be any cutting.

 

Even if you go with a an SBC and a TPI in the future - definitely grab the computer and wiring from the donor. The LT1 computer is way better than any TPI computer (and an LS computer is way better than both)

Anyway, an LT1 computer doesn't care whether you have tpi or lt1 intake, and besides the cooling system, the blocks aren't that much different. Electrically they are just about the same. Its not like the LS motors where the firing order is different and you have to worry about that.

 

That is true, but adapting a LT1 PCM to a SBC requires adding the opti as its the crank trigger pick-up. If you just wanted an electronics upgrade, Id go with the 4x single coil LS1 PCM on a SBC. The older vortec PCMs are also OBDII and sequential injection, but the PCM isnt as commonly tuned or powerful as a generic LS1 box. Roughly same cost for both

I can build the harness no problem, but I dont see this as a good idea on a temporary drivetrain