ive been looking in the archives for info on 3.1/3.4 or 3.8(non turbo) swaps. i have a 2.8 mpfi auto right now and feel that i need more power. im debating whether to just put in a V8 but i would feel unique if i built up a 6 and surprised all the v8 owners after i beat em on the street. while looking through the archives i found out that the 3.4 is a fairly easy swap and people who have done it are very satisfied. I also came across someone who said i might be able to take a supercharger off a FWD 3.4 Bonneville and hook it up to my RWD 3.4. Is that possible?! if so, would it be much work? also how much power would i get out of this combonation? thanks in advance guys!

 

dude if your hooked on keeping your car swap it for a V8 or just buy a whole different car with a V8. there isn't THAT much differece between 3.1, 3.4 or even 3.8. and with the money for the swap you could be saving for a GTA or TA or swapping your V6 for a V8.

------------------
91 3000GT SL
removed resinator
-------------------------
soon to come:
ram air
raised hood scoops
-------------------------
My old 92 Firebird

Another Pic

 

buy a super charger

 

Personally? take the 2.8, swap for a fully modded 3.4 with a 5 speed and supercharge it.

------------------
1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in

Performance Mods:
Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers,Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil, Accel 8.8 wires, Auto Meter Gauges (Water, Clock, Fuel Pressure, and 5" Sport Comp Tach)TB Bypass, 4th Gen Seats

Car Stereo:
Blaupunkt head, Monster Cable wiring, MTX Thunder 6000 12" inverted in a personally made box with a 350*1 Amp pushing it, MTX 6x9 in the back with hopes for components in front

Coming for my v6:
Panhard Bar, 4thgen front seats, Nitrous, Line Lock, Posi, Spohn Torque Arm & Subframe connnectors

"I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT have run at all"
#3 Forever

My Site:
Click Here to see my car!

 

Graeme has the right thought!
I'd love to do, as easy a swap to a 5-speed, as EASY as was my 3.4 engine swap conversion.
A SC would be nice, but, I'd rather just hook on an NOS system for that bit of quick fun!
I'm very pleased with my engine performance, as is.
I want a better firmer car body and the AC to work. I already know how to attain both things. It's lack of funds, right now.
Tranny being rebuilt!
The 2.8/3.1/3.4 (Chev) & the 3.8 (Buick engine) is way different. Only common in that they are V-6's.

------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Are you more concerned about money or your loyalty to your car? If its cheap performance you're after then ditch the entire car and find as new a L98 car as you can find. If you're loyal to your car and moneys no object pursue any engine you like and enjoy yourself as you work towards a combination you like.

 

I;m having a hard time trying to convince myself to keep my V6. Forget the V8 conversion its to big of a hassle. Sell the car and get a 350TPI firebird, os better yet, swith over to a 4th gen LT1 car. These are getting cheaper and cheaper as the years pass. You can score one for 7 grand if you look around.

 

Sorry dude, but the Bonneville uses a supercharged 3.8 . I thought it was odd that he would mention a S/C 3.4 and nobody questioned it....


------------------
-Dan
-1990 3.1L RS
-Mods? no
-Slow? yes

 

The 2.8/3.1/3.4 (Chev) & the 3.8 (Buick engine) is way different. Only common in that they are V-6's.
Dan, have that other tranny rebuilt yet?

------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

LOL, Sorry Karl, I flaked out on it. I still might consider a 5 speed swap but my tranny is showing no problems (knock on wood) so it might last quite a while...

------------------
-Dan
-1990 3.1L RS
-Mods? no
-Slow? yes

 

Buy a 1994 Z28, toss on a boral exhaust, gutt the cat, run headers and a mezimer eletric water pump and run 13.1,12.9 all day long....Toss on new lifters and springs and go faster. LT-1 all the way..

Now for fun I would buy a small block 400 and a new 700R4 and go that route, but I have the luxury of having a garage and a new truck to use as my camaro rests in the garage.

 

DAN YOU STILL HAVE THAT OTHER TRANNY THEN!!!!!!!!

------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Well heres my 2 cents,

1. The 350 V8 swap is nice if you want to bust your A** a whole lot and totally rebuild the car from the body up pretty much, yeah right, for what???

2. If you do the 3.4L swap and a few bolt on's you can have 200 HP, jee thats all I need to kill semi-stock rice burners on the street.

3. Why kill the collector value of your car by chopping it up and changing everything, and not having the VIN match???

4. There is one saying that I remember when I was thinking of doing the V8 swap, "IF YOU WANT A V8, buy a V8 car"

5. even though my Camaro has a V6, dumba** Rice burners don't know the difference and IT LOOKS good which counts most of all on the street, you want to turn heads.

 

I disagree with the if you want a v8 then buy a v8 statement. I have see in magazines where they used the v6 camaro for a big block or high powered motor swap. Why cause most v6's cars have straighter bodies, less miles, and are not beat as dead. If he were to build a nice, clean street ride I do not think he would hurt the value, possibly in 15 more years it might be worth more with a 6, but imagine if he built it as a show car with a 8.

To make it simple, if you want some kick a$$ speed for cheap a 1994,1995 4th gen is it.

 

Look at this http://members.nbci.com/dlagrua/turbo.htm

 

Brian, The ONLY thing I can toos out, is that the VIN says the car is a V-6.
FOR MANY OF US, that just doesn't matter at all.
BUT
BUT
BUT
if ya gotta deal with the Smog patrol (as I have to in LA, CA), the VIN has to match teh engine in teh engine bay.
That was the NUMBER ONE reason why I did my 3.4 swap, bone stock looking. PLUS, in my case (smog issues) by not swapping in a V-8 and NOT saying anything about my 3.4 swap, I also saved $300 I would have had to pay, to go to a smog referee, to have them OK my swap job, before I could even go to a smog station for the biannual smog certificate.
Before you do a swap (of any type) find out what you are up against (smog laws and insurance issues). ALSO be aware, the swap could affect the resale of the car (for the good or the bad). That last statement, one can only find out, if/when ya pass/sell the car to another person.

------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

Haha, holy s***! 0-60 in 5.2 seconds? 300 horses from a 3.4 using a garret turbocharger off a thunderbird. I think i have an idea! hmmm...seems like everything would match up since hes using a 3.4 from a 95 camaro. that is very nice, thanks for the info fbody addict! what do you guys think?

 

My first BBC F-body swap was an 87 RS V-6, the one I getting ready to do is an 86 Z28 (V-8). I paid more than twice as much for the Z28 then I did for the RS and the RS was in better condition. I hear everyone say "if you want a V-8 go buy a V-8" and I vehemently disagree with that statement. It's not that much more work to change the setup from V-6 to V-8, it just costs a little more because you have to change the trans and get a few V-8 specific parts. Think about what engine you want (stick to chevy on this one) and put it in. When you go and buy a different car your getting a new set of problems that you don't know about. If you go with a BBC into a V-6 car your going to want to change the front springs and swaybar to V-8 parts.

The added bonus is for those of you that have insurance companies like mine that base your rates on the VIN, the swap into a V-6 car will keep you rates slightly lower.

 

I agree...The v6 to v8 swap is not a nightmare. It just takes time and that is what most do not have the luxury of. My camaro sat in the garage for a year cause I can afford to do that well my new truck sat outside.. Syxxgunnar@aol.com his brother tossed a v8 with tranny in a 6 over a weekend. It was a carb, but he did it.

 

Here is how I think you should look at it, does the 6 run, do you want to have the funa nd excitment of building a small motor to go fast? If not go for the rumble of an 8.

 

Im selling my V-6 Withign in the next 3 months i hate to do it but its nickel and dimeing me to death i want to get a 2001 TA or newer trans am