I have an 83 Z28 with the 305/5spd (converted to hydraulic clutch) and it's starting to burn thru oil pretty bad. I don't really feel like trying to diagnose/fix the engine so I'm going to replace it. I have a nicely built 350 with vortec heads with about 50K miles on it sitting in my shop. I was originally going to use this engine for my 63 chevy truck, but now its going in my camaro and I will use my SB 400 for the 63. I have a few questions.

Will the T-5 be ok for a while, hopefully long enough for me to save up for a different trans? Can I use the fly wheel from the 305...I remember reading somewhere I can, but I can't find that post.

I really don't want to use the stock exhaust manifolds and I read that I might have problems with headers and the slave cylinder...is this true.

I have a pair of rams horn manifolds with the angle dump (stock manifolds for a 67-72 2wd chevy truck). Will those fit with modifications to the Y pipe?
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

If the new engine has same crankshaft config as your 305 yes
If original , 305 should be old style 2 pce seal RMS ,what is new engine?

 

I built it around 6 years ago and if I remember right it came out of a 68 Chevy truck. It's a 350 bored 30 over, vortec heads, rpm air gap intake, mallory unilite distributor with the promaster coil, and a performer carb. If I remember right, the cam is similar to the comp cans extreme 4x4 cam. I built it to move a 71 Chevy truck down the road....and it did that rather well too.

 

A 350 would drop right in. Not sure about the fly wheel. But the T5 should be good until you save up, just ride it a little easier (I'm gonna get heat for this but ride the clutch a little more to prevent full power going to the transmission all at once on harder take offs) A $100 is better to change than a $800 (junkyard not even new) transmission, seeing how you have more torque going through it.

About the slave cylinder w/headers. I have headers in my car (picture in the signature of the type of headers if you looks close.) And I just routed my exhaust pipes to fit, if you do that (may not be pretty, and remember to make them fit somewhere so they don't hang low) it SHOULD be fine. Good luck with the swap!

 

Take it easy on the T5 and it will be ok.

You can re-use the 305 flywheel since both blocks are 2 piece rms.

Only some long tube headers will have issues with the slave cylinder. Shorty style headers designed for our thirdgens will fit fine with the T5 without modification. Not sure about the ram horns, but I doubt they would work because of the frame rails.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for all the help and info. I'm hoping to start the swap here in a couple weeks. I hope my rams horn exhaust manifolds fit. I was looking at how they fit on my 67 suburban and comparing that to my camaro, and it looks like they might fit....but I'm not expecting them to.

One last question I have is about the transmission. Would it be easier to fit the engine in with the trans removed? All the engine swaps I've done have been on Chevy trucks which have a lot more room under the hood than my camaro. Thanks.