First off, POST ONLY 3rd GEN RELATED STUFF SO THIS DOESN'T GET LOCKED!! (no Porsche talk) I'm sure this discussion will go on a while longer if we just keep to the rules of the board. I'm still interested to hear what other people have to say about what'd they do.

With that out of the way, here's the topic again:


i know this topic has been brought up numerous times with different amounts of money, so if this pisses some of you off, oh well.

if you had $3000 that you could spend ONLY on your v-6 f-body, what would you do to it? and don't say save up a while longer for something or other. you have $3000 and every penny is going into your car.

i think when i have $3000 in august, i'll swap in a rebuilt 5.7 and tranny. i think with the cost of both, plus labor cost, it'll bring the total to right around $3000. but as always, i'm open to suggestions cause $3000 is alot of money and i dont wanna spend it and wish later i had spent it on something else.

let's hear what you would do:

I sure hope you intend to find a complete donor car for that swap.

Do you have any idea all the parts that need to be changed. You need the radiator and full exhaust system for starters, The computer harness, Your V6 front suspension will not hold up that heavier V8 so you'll need to upgrade that, better include an alignment when your done. Worst of all you'll have to drop your fuel tank and put in a larger fuel pump.

I say stick with a new HT3.4 with 1.6 roller rockers and headers. That will give you about 180 HP minimum. Thats 305tbi power without the added weight. About a 30% increase in power- quite a difference.

It is difficult to say what you should do as we don't know the condition of your car. You may be better off rebuilding the suspension and rear then swapping a motor.

If I were to put $3k into _my_ car, I'd drop in the 3.4l crate and rebuild the transmission (ProBuilt road race setup). I'd also fit some SFC's into the budget.

RBob.

CamaroRS385hp
This is most likely not what you want to hear,,, but,,
It appears you have a very nice car, thus it could sell for a decent amount.
My suggestion, sell your car, with that money add anywhere up to the $3000.00 you will have available and buy a V8 car and save whatever cash is left over for upgrades or something, instead of giving it to a mechanic for labor.
Good Luck with what ever choice you make!

Actually his radiator will work just fine, the part numbers are the same. I think in 89 or 90 they started using the same rad. the v8's had.

And if his car is multiport( i assume it is, unless something has been changed) the fuel pump will work just fine.

I know this cause i am about to do an L98 swap in my 91 v6 bird.

I will only have about 1500 in it all when i am done, but i am not paying for labor.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Not trying to sound like your typical sell and buy an 8 comment, but for $3k he can probably find a decent 305 TPI five speed car. Thats 215 hp, and LOTS more tourque.

But if he has reasons for keeping his car, then yes a 3.4 is his best bet.

i'm gonna stick with getting a 5.7L, whether i end up putting one in this car, or selling the car and buying a Z. i had thought about the 3.4 swap, but if i'm going to spend a considerable amount of money, i might as well go all they way. i dont want to spend $1500 or however much the 3.4 would cost me, and then find out that i'm not happy with it's power. the reason i wanted to swap in a new engine and tranny was i wanted more power, but i want to keep the car. but even more strongly than that, i want to have a 350 after the summer, so i might end up selling the car. i bought the car for $3700 a year ago, and i imagine i can sell it for $3500, seeing as it has 4 brand new tires, $600 in stereo, and new brakes all around. so i should have roughly $6000-$7000 after the summer, which i guess is plenty to buy a low mileage z.

Again, I too hate to say it, but I agree. That's probably your best bet, as I am doing the same.

Honestly, in your situation, yeah. This ran 800 bucks (cheaper than my v6 was to begin with) and needed.. uhh.. .. uhm... .. TPS wires were shorting against valve cover, problem in the EVAP system, and the fuel pump died shortly after purchase... plus the extra 95 ft-lbs of torque.. plus them kicking in much earlier.. she's not a whole lot faster than a v6, but she's sure as hell alot more fun to drive. You can find good cars cheap.. for 7gs I'd be looking at a TTA in this town.. =P