I've got an '86 Camaro SC with a 2.8V6 that I am considering swapping out for a small block. I have two questions.

1. Other than having to change the bell housing on the stock T-5, what else will I have to do to the tranny, and how well will it hold up to the power of a small block?

2. How well will the stock rear end hold up?

I will be adding a posi to the rear end, and keeping teh stock gears (3.42)

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'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Mods:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

3

 

I'll let someone else talk about the tranny, but the rear is just as strong as a V8 rear would be - they're identical. Add a PowerTrax, you're good to go.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. Cat-back from '91 GTA, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam and intake, World 305 heads, Hooker headers & y-pipe, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. 0.030 over 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Edelbrock 1901 Q-Jet, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlock header mufflers, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, LT MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Best 15.1/95.5 @ 5800' Bandimere.

 

Anyone have any input on the tranny question?

 

Don't use the v6 tranny, even though you could use a different clutch and the v8 housing, it's not as strong as the reg. T5 let alone a WC T5 for a v8. A 350 could be future trouble. Try to get a World Class T5 or goto a 88 up v8 700R4.

 

NO AUTOMATIC TRANNY! And as long as I'm not using the original T-5, I might as well get a T-56.

The engine swap is a ways off (phase 4 of 4) in this little project of mine.
Phase 1 being the body, Phase 2 the interior, Phase 3 will be chassis work (mostly buying the V8 suspension components, and installing them at the time of the swap) and Phase 4 being the drive train.

As far as the small block is concerned, I'll be building a 327. (of all the small blocks I've owned, the 327 I had in my '69 Impala was my fav )