Well I've always had the thought that I'd take my V6 Camaro and give it a nice 350 and call it good for mods. Obviously V6 to V8 is a major upgrade due to the amount of power the v8 could make. But... heres my question.

Obviously changing a V6 camaro and making it a V8 isn't going to be all too easy. Hookups are different, mounts, cables etc. I used to give thought to putting in a bigger V6, at least one with more power, into the car. But then I think "well im taking the time out to swap a v6 into an already v6 car, why don't I just go all the way and stick in a v8?"

How much easier is it to go V6 to V6 swap than it is V6 to V8? Is v6 to v6 much easier to the point where it may be better to swap v6's for instant power without too much money/hassle? Or is there just a few differences between the v6 and v8 swap that i might as well wait and save?

Everyone goes on about 3.4s from what I can tell. Are they easy to drop in or something?

Obviously with an 84 camaro v6 2.8L, I get the sucky end of almost everything. Poor heads performance, bad seals, overall bad oiling and etc.

So tell me... should I wait on the V8 or would a bigger V6 swap be easy enough (both labor, time and on the wallet ) to just go ahead and go for that instead?

I ask this because there are guys who've done the v6 to v8 swap. Then theres the guys who've done the V6 to V6 swap. There reasoning behind both actions. Take into consideration that I will be a student... and about 1 month of downtime will be available to me. Also, with the help of a friend, I have the cherry picker and most the tools I'll need.

Also I don't know if I've mentioned it here before, but I did help him take a 350 out of a 70s malibu and put it in his originally V6 MPFI camaro. We havent done any hooking up of stuff, just propped in the engine on the mounts and called it good lol.

 

First off, how much money do you want to spend? That's kinda the important part really. I didn't want to spend more than 500 bucks, so I swapped in a 3.4. I'm into it more now (probably 1400 total with everything), and I have to spray to run 14's (as far as i can tell anyhow). Looking back on it, I wish I had just either turbo'd the 3.4 (instead of N/a+nitrous), or bought a V8 and tranny and gone the way of the carb. I'll NEVER swap a fuel injected V8 in place of a 6, too much crap and not powerful enough if I'm going through the trouble. I'd go heads/cam 350, with a nice carb setup. BUT, you can be pretty quick with the 3.4 on the street, I did pretty good when mine was stock (but stock is never enough).

 

Money is tight. Probably shoulda mentioned that.

I figure a v8/transmission would be harder work and more money. I don't mind the work but I'd really hate to hit a snag and not have the money to help get past it or something.

I mean... would a 3.4 v6 completely own this 84 2.8L?

I'm looking to go carb on the V6 btw... don't wanna deal with FI. Will normal v8 carbs fit the 3.4 ? or would I need a special intake?

 

It depends what you want. A 3.4 will make the car peppy, but a decent 350 will scare you. You can get intakes for v6's gmpp has a one for a 4 barrel. Get a small holley a 450.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=229665

The list of parts and modifications needed to do the V-8 swap are enormus. A 3.4 can get you good street power, but to go with a V-8 will be costly. I am going to do it soon (because I am insane) and I figure it will cost around 4000 dollars for a BARE MINIMUM carb'd, off road MOSTLY stock 350. Plus transmission, plus a million and one little things you will need.

 

I'd like to show off the car a bit ... maybe try and get a few kills. I'd figure a 3.4 would get more kills than this sorry 2.8.

Lets say I get my hands on a 3.4 motor for 300 dollars thats in good running shape. How much more would I possibly need to invest into the car to get it up and running. Plus will my T5 bolt up to it and hold its power?

 

How do you figure 4 grand for a stock 350? I built my 350 for about 700 bucks.

I can buy a junker 350 with trans for 300-400(at most). Toss in a grand for a rebuild, port the heads, drop it in and you have an extra 150+hp. Hows does some brackets and mounts cost 2500 dollars.

Now if you want to buy a new carb, new intake, rebuild the heads, rebuild the block, rebuild the tranny I can see...

Cheapest way to do it, get a wrecked or ragged out 305 donor car, less than a grand for everything. Then substitue the engine of your choice for the 305. Or use it, its better than a v6, and build your 350 later.

Lots of options.

 

How much of a hassle am I looking at for switching my car from a manual to automatic? Because I can get a 350 V8 + TH350 from a 2nd gen camaro for only 300 dollars (the car is junked basically)

 

Sounds like a good option. Thats actually a simple swap. There is a kit for about 150 to install a 700r4 tail shaft onto the turbo 350, so the tranny bolts in perfect. The only problem after that is to weld a plate(or rivet or bolt really) over the hole for the stick and mount an auto shifter.

http://www.bulkpart.com/Merchant2/me...y_Code=Teckpak

Rather simple really. Cut a piece of 16-18 gauge to shape. Beat it over the hump, drill maybe 12-16 holes silicone it, pop rivet. Drill a couple holes and bolt down the shifter. Get the shifter from the 2nd gen or another car of your choice.

I had a 79 z28. If you can get the entire drive train,carb and all the accessory brackets do it! My block is from a 78. Do up the exhaust port the heads, more cam and it'll make close to 300hp. Stock for that engine is 170ish. Even the stock engine though will have twice the torque.

Funny story, the 79 was my buddies. He was going to upgrade the engine and i was going to swap the old 350 it into my 84 v6/t5. His plan fell through and i ended up buying the 79 from him and sold my 84.

Buy the entire car is you can. Lots of little odds and ends might be usefull. If you do this expect your car to be dead for a while and prepare for a fair amount of work, probably 50 hours by yourself if your new to everything.

Theres always cheap effective ways to do things. Use the stock exhaust manifolds for now, buy some exhaust pipe from a local auto store and some flexible exhaust tubing, clamps and hacksaw the 2nd gens pipes to your stock exhaust. Get the v8 in the car, working, and reliable and then add the performance upgrades (like headers and good exhaust) over time.

If your smart, you could get this in the car for 600 at most, have 70 more hp, twice the torque and a good base.

 

Ok So I'll keep the 350 option in mind still. This is how it would work..... I would have 1-2 months of downtime. If my friend does me this favor, he'll let me keep the car over at his farm out of town. I might be able to visit the farm once a week for about 8-10 hours at a time. Assuming we get in 7 hours of hard work ...... would 1 month be enough time to get it all done? The car that has the 350 v8 and TH350 is on his farm.... so If i were to pay, I'd just keep it there and do the transplant of the engine and transmission.

Only reason I had so many doubts was because people had told me (on this forum) that I was better off finding a v8 camaro instead of doing the swap. The swap was difficult blah blah etc etc.

Thats why I thought maybe a v6 to v6 swap is temp power til im ready to purchase another car, V8 equipped.

Is the 350 swap just as easy as say, a 2.8L to 3.1/3.4 swap? And what I mean is, connecting all the wires, getting everything hooked up (like gauges), etc.

 

On the carb'ed cars it is easier becuse you can ditch the computer and just run w/out a computer.

It's still harder than a 2.8 to 2.8,3.1 or 3.4 swap. However, any later 2.8, 3.1 or 3.4 does not have the means to mount a manual fuel pump.

It's still sa good idea to have an old v-8 car around because there are a bunch of little parts that may be needed

 

that should be enough time. It only takes about 2 hours to pull an engine by yourself. If you have help a month should be plenty. Just yank the 350 with the tranny and accessories hooked up.

Jack the rear of the both cars up as high has they'll go and you'll be able to slide the engine tranny out of both cars easily.

 

Well it didn't take too long for my friend and I to pull the 350 out of the malibu. I'm not worried about the actual physical swap. Its the stuff that gets technical with getting the engine to run with the car, and run right. I won't have a donor car in the sense that it'll be another third gen. This other 350 is coming out of a second gen camaro....

What about the tach, speedometer and such. With a new car, thats going to need some calibration right? Maybe a new set of gauges?

 

Only thing I think you'll need would be a v8 tach. Although it would probably be best to get an aftermarket one (factory ones aren't that accurate).

 

What I meant was, 4 grand for everything.

 

Everything will work. You wire the starter the same way as stock. Run 12v and the tach line to the distributor. The alternator should be the same, 1 wire and a 2 wire harness. That would be enough to start it. Speedos are both cable driven. Depending on the gearing in both cars rear ends it may be close. Of you can swap the plastic speedo gears in the 2 trannys around. The tach can be modified (do a search) to work with the v8. As for other gauges it depends if you have a full cluster or just idiot lights.

If both cars have full gauges theres nothing to change. If only the second gen does. Get a little aftermarket mini 3 gauge setup (there like 15 dollars) for temp, pressure, volts.

If Only your car has full gauges, you just need to change the sending units on the 350. Your v6 ones should fit.

Really you have everything. My car looks like an iroc, but functionally its almost identicle to a 2nd gen.

 

Unless I'm missing something wouldn't you need springs as well for your car?

I personally am planning on going to a 3.4 just because I don't have the money or time really to swap engine, tranny, all the computer crap, springs and everything else you need to do with a v8.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm undecided

Yes I do believe I would need springs too....

I don't know if it got answered above, but would a 3.4L engine bolt up to a T5?

 

Yes the t5 will bolt up. 2.8 and 3.4 engines are externally the same.

As for springs, thats up for debate. Some people say you have to some people say you dont. People who say you have to usually havent done the swap. I'd swap first then judge after.

[edit]

my swap (350->353)
http://sneakweasel.freeservers.com/

 

That motor is a work of art man... nice nice

Not sure what I'm going to do yet...

So I noticed in the thread, u said ur car is basically a second gen in a thirdgen body or something? lol

 

The engine is a super cheapo buildup. Cheap pistons, cheap cam, I ported the heads, and rebuilt the carb. I did splurge on all felpro gaskets though.

Its some ford red block paint to match the car and some duplicolor translucent candy. 15 Dollars for a few cans of paint, and some cleaning on the intake.

Yeah everything engine wise is from a 2nd gen. Its wired the same as a second gen and functions the same. Blocks a 78 (or 76 maybe i cant remember) heads are 79, qjet is 80, alt is from a 76.

The rad and powersteering pump are pretty much all thats left over. I removed 90% of the wiring. It was originally a computer controlled carb. A previous owner converted it. Its really simple and i love it.

Im going to recurve the distrib tommorow, it has a horrible curve, and replace the carb after xmas, its got a warped top plate and is leaking. It should haul pretty good after that, the carbs pretty lean right now.