Help me build a car (2nd Gen Camaro LS? content)

A few years ago I posted that I had v8 fever. Well, years later I still have it. 

What ive narrowed my search to is 2nd gen Camaros. Found a cheap rust free shell close to here for sub $1500. Comes with a TH350 that “needs rebuilt.”  

Heres the kicker. I want to sell my 2g Eclipse and set aside $2k for the build. I know that isn’t likely to get me a running, driving car, but I’d like to start. Let’s say I can get the car and trans for $1200. Where should I go from there. I’d really like a 4.8 or 5.3, but should I look at a 350sbc? 454?

of concerns are wiring, fuel system, and driveshaft. Should I rebuild the transmission myself? Car will be a cruiser or nice driver. What else should I consider for this bench build? 

Simple button is small block Chev with a carb.  

LS is pretty easy now, but it will be more expensive, because it just is.

If you want a Gen III small block, you're better off trying to get it with its matching transmission than trying to put a TH350 behind it. Sure, you can make a TH350 work behind one, but it takes a bunch of extra parts.

See if you can find a rollover pickup. That way, you'll be able to pilfer everything you need and sell off or junk the parts you don't need. Know anyone that can Co-Part auction for you?

If I had a car that needed an LS motor on the cheap, I'd call Patrick first.

My friend just put a 454 in his 75 and he has almost your budget in just the headers, oil pan and intake. Cheap and easy will be the old sbc but you could likely go ls for what a big block swap would cost you. 

What are plans for the car?  If drag race, you'll need to address the oil pan.   The aftermarket pans have the correct baffling. 

dropstep said:

My friend just put a 454 in his 75 and he has almost your budget in just the headers, oil pan and intake. Cheap and easy will be the old sbc but you could likely go ls for what a big block swap would cost you. 

This is kinda true.  I’m putting a 454 in the chevelle and between short water pump and accessories, GOOD coated headers, and car oil pan i could easily go LS and make more power, better economy, etc.  headers are headers and i can get china brand stainless LS swap headers for about 1/5 what the bbc hookers cost.  But the wiring and fuel system is the same from whatever old carbed engine was there to a big block.  

I quit messing with second gens before the LS swap craze, but i did TPI one years ago.  I’m guessing you can use most/all the truck bits minus the oil pan.  With some no fear mentality you can probably have a running 5.3/4L60e combo for around a grand if you are willing to buy a whole rotten truck for a donor and do the harness work yourself.  Skip trying to make gm stuff work and get a holley muscle car oil pan.  

Patrick said:

dropstep said:

My friend just put a 454 in his 75 and he has almost your budget in just the headers, oil pan and intake. Cheap and easy will be the old sbc but you could likely go ls for what a big block swap would cost you. 

 Skip trying to make gm stuff work and get a holley muscle car oil pan.  

 I agree.  Having bought the "Musclecar" oil pan from GM for my 67 Camaro, buy the aftermarket pan.  It hangs about two inches below the cross member, which makes its super reasonable price less desirable.

A sub $1500 rust free car is a smoking deal but considering it's a shell, I suspect that when all is said and done it will cost you a lot more than $2000 to get it up and running with an LS engine.

MadScientistMatt said:

If you want a Gen III small block, you're better off trying to get it with its matching transmission than trying to put a TH350 behind it. Sure, you can make a TH350 work behind one, but it takes a bunch of extra parts.

But 4L60s shift like garbage compared to any half-assed TH350 with a decent valve body.

In reply to Knurled. :

Not when you have hptuners, don’t particularly care about longevity because it lives the Dom Toretto lifestyle, and set the 1-2 and 2-3 shift times to 0 seconds.  It barks the tires just like a “shift kit” in a th350.  

In reply to Patrick :

When it gets around to shifting.  The lag is annoying.

Knurled. said:

MadScientistMatt said:

If you want a Gen III small block, you're better off trying to get it with its matching transmission than trying to put a TH350 behind it. Sure, you can make a TH350 work behind one, but it takes a bunch of extra parts.

But 4L60s shift like garbage compared to any half-assed TH350 with a decent valve body.

The one I used worked pretty well when I cranked up the line pressure and programed it for a moderately aggressive shift curve.

If it’s truly a shell, you will have well over the asking price in all the parts to make it a functional car like seats, dash, gauges, interior, glass, etc.  These cars have good parts availability but use used GM stuff.  The aftermarket stuff can be questionable on quality and fit.  If you can, rather than buy a pickup truck, find a rusted out/wrecked Camaro that has all the trim and interior you can use.

Good choice.  Truly a platform that can take a wide range of engines.  In its 12 years of production the 2nd generation F-bodies were produced with engines from every GM division but Cadillac.  

If you want an LS the easiest path would be to get a complete wrecked and/or rusted 98-2002 Z28 or T/A and swap over everything.  If you get a truck motor you will need to swap over the intake, oil pan and accessories so starting with an f-body puts you ahead there.   You can even use the rear discs off the 4th gen with some modifications.  

I would personally find a rollover Silverado or Escalade and extract the 6.0L/4L60E and plug and play.

Find one with the LQ9 code and its 345 hp with sorta LS6 heads (bigger chambers, but same ports).

I bought a low-mileage LQ9 for $1000.  You might find one with the trans for $1500-1750.  That would minimize your parts expenditures on fitting a different engine/trans.

The iron block will be heavier, but just toss in some cheap stiffer springs and drive it.