need advice please
 

I'm looking to do my first swap and I have a 86 base coupe 2.8 v6 camaro and I'm just interested in what the easiest way to go about putting a 350 in it not nessasarly cheapest but easiest, junkyard motor that I build up my self or a crate motor that's already got nice parts in it? Do I nessasarly need a donor car? And I'd like things like ac to work I just want a somewhat powerfull street car so advice guys?

Re: need advice please
 

For a gen 1 sbc, donor car is not needed.

You will need a V8 transmission, and of course the V8 engine.
V8 acc. mounts/brackets, pulleys and belts
V8 engine mounts (buy new at parts store)

Here is what I recommed... Craigslist, junkyard, etc shop for a 1996-2000 full size chevy/gmc truck/van/suv L31 5.7L 350 vortec engine.. Just the engine, not the transmission as it will not work. You can find them used from a truck/suburban thats been wrecked or bad trans or what ever for $400-800

Stock this is a roller, vortec heads, PM rods, 255 HP engine.. Pull all of the factory throttle body stuff off of it.

Get a summit stage II intake or any of the other "cheap" brand intakes for around $150-160

Edelbrock or holley 600-670 cfm carb

Summit, skip white or any other $100 or less large cap vac advance HEI distributor

Mallory $95 adjustable fuel pressure regulator

Set of 1-5/8" tube headers, aftermarket Y pipe, good cat back system

Part store $30 V8 third gen engine mounts

V8 700r4 transmission

This will give you about 300-315 HP... If you want to bump it up some from there you could do a cam swap, cam swap will also mean valve springs and mods to heads or atleast retainers to give clearance for the extra lift.

Re: need advice please
 

So you think going that route will be easier then paying the extra for a nice crate engine?

Re: need advice please
 

I would not say 'easier', but it sure is cheaper, you get more power, you get your hands into the engine alittle more so you understand the workings better.

And you get the big smile and pride when you talk to people and tell them "yeah I pulled the engine from X, done, this, this, this and that to it and dropped it over into my factory 6 cyl camaro"

Re: need advice please
 

OK so I guess really my only other serious question is what is the best way to wire up all of the v8 pullys to make them all work right? Do I just splice v6 wires to v8 plug ins?

Re: need advice please
 

At this point in history, it might be wise to consider other options besides a 350, in such a circumstance.

A better choice might be a 5.3/4L60E out of a truck. Ya gotta change a bunch of stuff to go from a 6-cyl to ANY V8; (engine mounts, exhaust, accessories, yadda yadda yadda) you simply get the ones appropriate to the LS series motor instead of the traditional SBC. Put your existing 700-R4 extension housing on the 4L60E to get the torque arm mount.

You can get relatively low-miles pullouts all day long for less than $1000.

The computer is pretty much a stand-alone; needs very little interface with the rest of the car. It needs power and that's about it. Only complication I can think of is, you'd need to put in electronic gauges, but there's packages available to do that for not too much $$$ as well.

That will give you a lighter, more powerful engine than any junkyard 350 you'll find, that will also use AHELLUVALOT less fuel. Which might not seem like such a big deal at the moment, but over time, that can REALLY add up. It's like choosing something that takes money out of your pocket, or something else that puts money INTO it.

Re: need advice please
 

the real question you need to answer is what kind of budget do you have for this because that will determine the ''easiest '' route for you to go the next question is are you doing this yourself or paying someone to do it this will greatly affect your budget now ls swaps are very popular and well these cars came with v8's so small blocks are an easy swap in general money wise an ls and a small block can both be had for about the same however ls motors will make more power with just a few upgrades as far as crate vs rebuild crate motors usually come with a warrenty from the factory and theres a lot of good combinations out there a small block will cost less to put in because you dont need the swap mounts and everything for the ls it will use a set of factory mounts which are cheap a donor would be a good idea because everything is there and if your doing this yourself you'll know how it all fits together which can really help if you've never done anything like this before

Re: need advice please
 

I don't really have a budget I have a nice income so if I space out my purchases I'll be good to go for about anything I want a simple nice sounding running swap for my 86 I don't really want ridiculous power or anything yet that'll be the next project, I've rebuilt and replaced motors but never swapped and yes iI'll be doing it my self so I just really want the easiest swap that's at least the power of a nice built 350

Re: need advice please
 

If you are doing a carb'ed V8, then you only need a handful of wires on the engine.

3 on alt
couple on starter
1 on dist.
1 on oil sender
1 on water sender
1 for carb elec choke.
Battery cables

All of those (but the choke) wires are there on the 6cyl harness and will work on your V8, you may have to lengthen a couple wires here and there, but it all there.

Re: need advice please
 

well in that case check these out

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/na...1295/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/na...1294/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/na...make/chevrolet

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/na...make/chevrolet


http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mch-20260/overview/

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mch-21155/overview/

Re: need advice please
 

Well that's good to know two more things first I need to just use power steering pump compressor and things like that for a 350 about that year on my new motor right?, and should all 350 blocks be the same like will v8 brackets bolt onto the block of like a crate motor fine?

Re: need advice please
 

they brackets will swap on any small block and the compressor and such will depend on which bracket setup you use

Re: need advice please
 

OK well then this will be simpler then I thought haha OK so I think I'll probably go with a nice 350 crate engine besides the ones recommended above any suggesstions? and which trans would you guys recommend?

Re: need advice please
 

i would go with a 700r4