Chevy motor in a Buick... Serious question

Yea, I can already hear the flames...

But seriously...
A drunk driver wiped out my 97 Z-28, insurance company totaled it. I bought it back.

And I'v got a nice little 70 skylark in need of a new motor, soooo...

I realize this swap may involve a lot more than could casually be discussed here, so if anyone could direct me to a web site where I could get some info, I'd appreciate it.

BTW, it's a 6 speed car, and I'd like to swap in the tranny alsoo No:

 

sounds good, maybe www.cameroz28.com

 

Cant point you in any directions.....but I'm having similar ideas

See.....I have a LT1 powered '94 RoadMaster Estate Wagon that got the right side blasted.....so I bought a '96 Wagon as a parts car to get the sheet metal off of

Problem is.....the parts car has the whole LT1/4L60E drivetrain and I have a tired '68 SportWagon

IF....and its a Big IF.....the LT1/4L60E wasn't such a sweet running drivetrain Id NEVER be thinking this Blasphomy but.....it hauls the Roadmonster around so well its hard Not to think of it ni the SportWagon

 

Alan, LT-1 is very doable..

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/thehistoryof/73358/index4.html

Darryl, LS-1 swap is much harder, but it can be done with some serious mods, depending on your skill level and/or wallet depth.:grin: :grin:

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/95098/index2.html

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/95098/index.html

 

Alan dont even think of taking out that 400 in favor of a 350,i`ll come down and find you myself,lol:Brow:

 

Sell da Cheby and put in a Buick...ou:

 

Buick\Chevrolet

I agree with Mr. Big on this one. I own a 68 Corvette and a 72 GS and think the collars should match the cuffs. I sold a 70 GS 350 to find out later the HC 350 was replaced with a 454 Chevrolet mill. I just don't think its right you know like a great looking brunette with a blonde wig. I think a classic Buick should be Buick powered.:Comp:

 

Whats the buy back on the camaro That would make my S10 scoot big time!! ..... I have a couple 455 engines we could do some trading !!! :Brow:

 

Buy back was $1600
Kind of funny, because that's exactly what I spent for the heads / cam swap in this motor.

Dont get me wrong here...
I'm all for keeping my buicks all buick, but consider my situation.

I'v got this hot-rod Camaro with a blown body sitting in my drive-way next to a plain-jane 70 skylark that I originally bought as a parts car, but never got around to parting out, and it has a bad engine.

Option 1:
buy a v-6 Camaro and swap all the Z-28 parts onto it...
Cost: $3000 to $4000
Cons: A lot of potential head-aches getting everything right, trouble with emissions testing for non-stock engine, etc.

Option 2:
Part both cars out, put $2-3000 on top of the $11,000 check I got from insurance and go buy another Z-28
Cost: Even money, but labor involved
Cons: Hard to find a Z-28 in this price range that has not been abused... Impossible to find another optioned like my original.

Option 3:
Sell / part out the Camaro and then build a buick engine for the skylark
Cost: I put about $3k of mods into the Camaro engine when it was new, and it puts out close to 400 HP. I just bought the whole car back for $1600.
Do you really, honestly think I could build a 400+ HP fuel injected buick engine with a 6 speed manual tranny for less than $1600???
Cons: To be perfectly honest with you, I would not build an engine from scratch for this plane-jane old skylark with a rust problemo No:

Or,
Option 4:
Take the parts [cars] I already have sitting in my driveway, add about $1500 to the mix for the parts nessecary to swap the LS-1 into the classic old buick, and go for it.
Cost: everything is already paid for!!! About $1500 for the swap stuff.
Cons: I'd be forced to drive a classic old buick with a fully modern 400 HP 6 speed drivetrain......... Boy, I hope I could live with myself

Oh, also with option 4, I get special wheels, tires, interior, brakes, etc... that I can swap into the buick.


What do you think????????????????

 

I think that you'll

spend 15k on this project by the time you fix the body, paint it, redo the interior, go through the suspension, add 4 wheel discs, and etc. I don't think you would get away with doing this swap on the cheap.

And you'll have an oddball car that will be hard if not impossible to sell.

My advice if you want to swap the LS1 into something - go out and buy a good condition plane jane chevy, whether it's a Biscayne, Camaro, or Nova, and swap to your heart's content. At least you'll be able to peddle it when you are done. And maybe get some of your dough back.

 

I got a 66 Skylark 4r HT parts car with a very nice 72-350 that I spent about $2500 on 3 yrs (20,000 miles). New pistons .30 over, new timing chain cover (GM), TA intake. New cam..dont remember the details, but idles very nice. Im using V6 motor mounts. Runs awesome and its got great torque.
The car has a PST Front Discs brake kit and big front sway bar, 4-core radiator. It needs a transmission (most like a torque converter) the car is in Memphis; Im not willing to part it out. $1500..please come and get it. Before I let it turn in to a hooptie.
Ive been warned that Im getting laid off in January and my landlord wants to sell my house and wants me out in December. So I have to sell my toy, since I might have to live in an apartment, and I need the money since Im about to loose my job.

 

John's got a good point "Bastardized" Buick's don't seam to have much of a re-sale value...that is unless its a full custom job.

 

I hate to say it but I think in this situation I would consider option 4. You know that once you get it in and get the wheels tires brakes etc to your satisfaction that you will end up fixing the rust and painting it don't cha. So you may as well add that to the cost when considering option 4.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the 97 Z28's are still LT1 cars not Ls1's. If it were me, I'd stick the Z's power train in the Skylark. The swap shouldn't be too tuff at all.

 

97 on up, LS1. 96 and before, LT1.

Option 4 would be my choice.

 

Hey Grant,

I just did some googleing........ Lt1's were from 93 to 97. LS1's started in 98. That's what I always thought, and what I found on google searching as well. I suppose there may have been some late model 97's that may have had a ls1 stuck in them o No: but everthing I've seen groups 93's to 97's Fbodies together.

 

LT1 years:

93-97 F-bodies
92-96 Y-bodies

LS1:

98-02 F-bodies
97-present Y-bodies

 

Must have been thinking about the Vette...:bglasses:

 

In '97 a very few F-Body's got the LS-1, When I bought my '97 Trans Am WS-6, I remebered hearing about how a very limited number of LS-1's got in the Pontiac's and Camaro's. If you have an LS-1 engine in a '97 model year F-Body, you got yourself a very rare car.

 

and I'd fix it!!:shock: :spank: