I want to do an engine swap on my 87 GTA. My LB9 is dead. I have a L98 from 88 Formula. It comes w/ everything from front to back top to bottom acessoires, computer, wiring, and radiator too.

Could anyone reccommned a shop that will respond to phone calls and emails and know what they are doing.

I will likely have them do more than just the engine swap my car will need to be restored which I will do incrementally as I drive it.

I am ready to get this car on the road.

So what do you all think?

 

I have gotten some PMs w/ reccomendations. Thanks

I called Zeus Performance in Charlotte, very professional, answered questions etc. Sounds very good.

Still would like more.

 

Glad to see another third gen is in the area. I'm over by Sun Vally high school. Good luck with the project.

 

You could try Tick Performance in Mooresville. They specialize in F-bodys. They do mostly 4th gens but I've had them work on my GTA before. Fantastic guys. The only ones I would trust with my cars.

The only thing is I think they're exremely busy right now, But it wouldn't hurt to give them a call.

 

I may wish i went with Zeus when this is all said and done but figured not to becasue he couldnt even star until 2nd week of June. This place I gave my car to was close but they seem as if they have no motivation to do this swap and find out how to handle little modifications that they may have to do along the way. It is very frustrating.

I called Ticks Performance as well. Like you said they deal mostly in 4th gens but he said he would make sure he got the car going and he would do what it took to handle any mods he needed to do to get the car running unlike this first place.

Here is an example of what frustrates me. I call to see how things are going and am told that the engine is sitting to far forward. When I make it over there to see whats wrong I find that nothing is wrong with the position of the engine its the plumbing on the intake wont clear the air cond compress which is now on the pass side of the car. It was on the drivers side of the original 87 LB9. I hopped on the web and found some photos. I grabbed my factory shop manual and inside of 5 mins I see that the intake plumbing for the 88 is diff becasue of this clearance issue.

Now shouldnt a mechanic worth his salt have a shop manual or look on the web and discover this before calling the customer and alarming them with that "engine is to far forward" statement? Now I am concerned about everything else. Not sure what to do. He says the car wont crank. He says it wont crank because it has the wrong chip and the MAF cant be plugged in. Again I checked around and very quickly discovered this should have no bearing on the car cranking.

Hope this train gets headed in another direction quickly becasue right now it look like its headed for pain and heartache and more than budgeted expense. Enough huh?

Now One Man Army I noticed you had a Notchback. How is it recieved at the shows with the engine mods and suspension mods? Since its a rare car to begin with does the mods seem to hurt it as far as winning shows or not. Just bought a Notcher myself. Needs to be restored (and Ill be doin it myself or letting a specialist handle it!!!) Have been debating whether or not I will mod it up or keep it original.

 

Josh doesn't know. He bought a 4th gen Formula and sold out all his thirdgen buds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So, is Tick who you went with? They have a pretty darn good reputation around here.

BTW, check out the local watering hole: www.triadfbody.com

 

says the guy who's never around...


and about the mods. You will always get your purists that hate to see anything changed... but for the most part people like it. More importantly I like it. The mods make a better driver and thats why you should have a car in the first place. Drive it! love it! show it off!

 

Hey all:

I still havent done anything else w/ my car yet. Ive talked w/ some folks but thats about it. It looks like I should have swaped out the pulley off the front of the old motor so that I could keep everything in the same place. I should have also swaped anything that plugged into the 87 harness that wont plug into the 88 harness. This thing really sucks and I will end up likely spending a lot more money becasue of this mistake.

I have 2 options now.

1) Send both harnesses off in order to have the mods done to the 88 harness so that it will plug into the ECM properly allowing the ecm to talk to all the devices on the engine without any screw ups. Without this Mod the car will not run.

2) Swap pulleys and any accesories that need to be plugged into the harness. Not sure how much this will cost and I have already put new sensors on the 88 engine so I will likely not do this one.

This is killing me becasue I am so ready to be driving my car. I just dont know now how long this will take to get it on the road. Ill tell you this though THIS SUCKS!!!!!