_Al Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 i just picked up a 97 trans am today for dirt cheap....has a 350 and 6spd. don't know if it runs yet, but looks fine from what i can tell. how much effort would it be to swap in the whole efi 350 with the 6spd? would have to:adjust driveshaft length?put in efi wiring/ecuefi fuel linesefi fuel pumpprob. just swap in the whole efi fuel tankcrossmember work perhaps? otherwise is it a straight forward swap or should i just stick with my carbed motor? either way i'll either have a carbed 350 to sell or a efi 350 with a 6spd to sell! i just got the carter carb, msd 6a ignition, msd coil, edelbrock waterpump, etc... for the carbed motor yesterday, then i get this today.... just lookin for some opinions/thoughts to go with mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Y Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 As an owner of a 37 year old car that is missing some of the original parts, I say this: PLEASE keep all of the original parts for your Corvette! You may not want them, but the next owner probably will. Don't sell them, throw them out, or give them away. It WILL be important for someone down the line to have that original engine.Unless you are parting out the car, which you aren't, keep the original engine so someone can put it back in later if they want an NCRS car. This goes for people with new vettes too. In 10 or 20 years, someone will be wishing they had the original heads, cam, intake, etc, you just replaced.... It's not important now, but it WILL BE. That's how the Corvette world is. You never know, you may be able to sell it more with a pile of original parts than you could with the mods only and no parts.OK, off soapbox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 the original motor sat for 6 years with no air cleaner or hood on it, and it siezed hard as a rock, it's a boat anchor....but it's still sitting around here... i had no intentions of getting rid of the original parts. the other carbed motor is one i have been building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiktrip Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I remember VETTE mag. doing a swap like that and I think they had to change or make some of the acc. brackets for it to fit in the C3 engine bay. Try looking in their archive. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 found this for the t56 aspect...other than shortening the drive shaft and modifying the crossmember (both of which i expected), looks pretty straight forward. did they changing the mounting location of the 350 block at all between years or is the 97 block going to mount up the same as the 81 block would have? (i'd assume it's the same..)http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/gwhite75/index.htmand this for the motor...though i haven't read it allhttp://www.vetteworksonline.com/LT1%20conversion.htmwhat do you guys think? i got this t/a for an excellent deal, i'm sure i could sell it for 3k as a parts car.. (t56, efi 350, disc rear, etc...), should i just sell it off and go with the carbed motor, or undertake the project of installing the t56/efi 350? it'd certainly pep up the vette, would also give me better fuel economy, better/smoother power, and a better cruising rpm on the freeway....my motor/tranny are already out so that wouldn't be a huge issue. and i have the entire car sitting here (trans am) so i can pick every little piece out that i may need. thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 Thats pretty funny you posted the vetteworksonline link, I went looking for his for sale add.... Here!!!He was a member here for awhile, that was a great car, maybe you can get ahold of David and talk to him about the conversion, once you get it done you will have a nice running vette. Oh and to answer your question, I say go for the swap!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOTV8 Posted August 23, 2007 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I'd say go for the swap! David's car was BAD, imho, and I still miss my '96 T/A WS6 with the same motor/trans. That car was a blast, and just ate up rear tires. If you go for it, swap out the stock Optispark for the new MSD aftermarket piece, save yourself a headache later, they crap out at the worst times, ask me how I know. Check the waterpump as well (maybe go Mezeire electric), they're well known for weeping all over the Optispark which is the root of the original problem. MSD's piece is sealed better and I think they still make they coil packs for LT1s too....I had some SLP longtubes and loudmouth catback on that T/A, and THAT was the best sounding car I've ever had. My neighbors threw a party when I sold it, I'd just sit in the garage and blast the whole cul-de-sac, you know...testing throttle response. Hmmm....boat anchor or LT1/6 speed??? No brainer, bro'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 23, 2007 Author Share Posted August 23, 2007 primary reason i ask (otherwise it'd be a no brainer), is i paid 425$ for the t/a, we all know what the lt1 and the t56 6spd are worth... so it's more a question of, is the extra hassle of putting it in, going to make the vette that much nicer, or should i go for the profit and sell the lt1/t56 combo. i'm sure i could get 2500 for the pair in a week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertdawg Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Well now that you ask it that way... What do you expect out of the C3? If your going to keep it and want a really nice ride, then the swap is going to be worth the hassel. If you want a weekend warrior, then I would say sell the LT1 and use some of the money to get the shark running, enjoy it and whenever you think it needs more power, you have to give it a hug and say "I love you just the way you are". Its an old vette, it doesn't matter which motor is in it, there's going to always be something else that needs fixing...We can't give you the perfect answer, it's going to have to be your decision. Decide what you want out of the vette and go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anmracing2 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 Won't you have to cut the trans tunnel and raise it? I was under the impression that the shifter is a little farther back too. Do the swap.... If you plan on keeping the Vette for awhile, it will make it that much more fun to drive. Just converting to EFI would make it more dependable/reliable. I think there is a company out ther that also makes the crossmember for the tranny and motor mount conversion. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 i'm not sure on length's, the profit would be nice but in the long run, a c3 i could actually run on the freeway essentially anywhere and be dependable and get good mpg would be really nice....and i'm not intending on selling this anytime soon...and i probably won't find a t56/lt1 for that price....anytime soon either, so i'm leaning towards the swap. but i need to jump under it and do some measuring and whatnot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anmracing2 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 It would certainly be a kick a$$ upgrade. Here is a place that sells conversions for older muscle cars. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChadC Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 I bought and had a Tremmic t56 5 speed tranny installed in my 71 BB. losta heart ache but worth it. the shifter will have to be moved to the Left rear of the tranny.Drive shaft will half to be shortened. The cross member will need extra plates cut and welded to make the unit removeable.PM me with any other questiions you might have. chad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 24, 2007 Author Share Posted August 24, 2007 I bought and had a Tremmic t56 5 speed tranny installed in my 71 BB. losta heart ache but worth it. the shifter will have to be moved to the Left rear of the tranny.Drive shaft will half to be shortened. The cross member will need extra plates cut and welded to make the unit removeable.PM me with any other questiions you might have. chadactually plates will only need to be welded on if you have a manual tranny car....auto's had removable crossmembers. so thats one less step i'd have to deal with. though honestly i'd probably just make my own crossmember instead. the stupid t/a has the VATS system, so i'm trying to decide if i should buy a vats bypass off ebay for 30$, or pay someone 80$ to come make a key...key i would have today, vats bypass would take a week....we'll see. and yes that means i don't even know if the t/a runs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92ZR1Wannabe Posted August 26, 2007 Share Posted August 26, 2007 I'd say go for it!Nothing is better then a old muscle car, with a new muscle car drivetrain / reliability / air conditioning / gas milage / horsepower / well you get the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Al Posted August 31, 2007 Author Share Posted August 31, 2007 well crap, my vats bypass module came today...the trans am has a blown headgasket, blowing massive amounts of pressure out of the radiator... not sure if i want to pull it, mill the heads, and replace the headgaskets or just go with the carbed motor now... i'm affraid of doing all that work to put the lt1 in and having another issue due to the headgasket... :-/ sometimes, even with the best efforts....you just can't see an issue till you try to start it. (p.s. i did get it started, and it idles...like crap but it idles, and revs up....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuyverVette Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I say do the Swap.... headgasket?? thats ok, every car needs a new head gasket eventually, all the effort you'll put into the swap is worth it. Even better if it was an LS1, but still, the LT1 engine is a great powerplant. Not to mention the T56 tranny its probably the best transmission out there, have all the torque of a Muncie but two more gears for freeway and highway ;)Do the swap.Now, I can trade you my running Cross Fire engine and auto tranny for that LT1 with T56 ;) hehehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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