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1993 camaro engine swap

7K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  dbilski 
#1 ·
My cousin has a rust free 1993 camaro body he wants to give me.Can I put a 1979 350 with HEI ingition and turbo 350 trans in it and forget the computer?One person tells me the entire car will have to be rewired to go without computer.Another says computer just controlled the engine and not the guages,lights,etc.
Can anyone tell me what the computer controls in this car?It had a V6 when new.Original engine is long gone.It is NOT a Z28,just a standard camaro.
 
#3 ·
Those cars came with a 700r4 which was computer controlled. You can go with that set up but I would go with aftermarket gauges instead of the factory ones.JMO. I would use a small HEI distributer for clearence even though a big cap wouldnt hurt. You will also need a different crossmemeber. I will think of more later. Hope this rambling was of some help
 
#6 ·
Even if the car did come with the tranny, it's only a 60* V6 bellhousing pattern - won't work with a SBC V8!!

If you can find an '88-'92 700r4/4L60 that would be the best choice!!

For a small cap Hei - check out www.davessmallbodyheis.com - I've been to his shop in CA and seen his work. I'd highly recommend him!!!:cool: :thumbup: Excellent quality, customer service and best of all cheap prices.:D What more could you ask for??
 
#8 ·
Engine swap

Billy said:
My cousin has a rust free 1993 camaro body he wants to give me.Can I put a 1979 350 with HEI ingition and turbo 350 trans in it and forget the computer?One person tells me the entire car will have to be rewired to go without computer.Another says computer just controlled the engine and not the guages,lights,etc.
Can anyone tell me what the computer controls in this car?It had a V6 when new.Original engine is long gone.It is NOT a Z28,just a standard camaro.
Billy you are going to have some fun with the swap.
First The computer only controls the engine. You can remove all the engine wiring you you want or gust remove all the relays. Run an ignition wire from the master ignition relay to the new ignition system you will use.
Second no one make an engine mount kit for the swap to a first gen motor. that you can buy off the shelf. That is were I come in to the picture.
I am an Enginer that has designed this engine swap motor mounts and trans mount plate you will need. I can send photos if you would like to see the mounts. Check out my 1993 Camaro Pro Street Photo galary dbilski.
 
#11 ·
I don't know about the Camaro but I have a carbed V8 in my 84 Vette.
The only gage that doesn't work is the tachometer and I think thats the installers fault. I purchased it with the new motor so I don't have a lot of details. The check engine light is also stuck on :D but I just tell everyone that its due to the two carbs sticking out of the hood.

I also have a carbed V8 in my 86 Fiero and all of those gages work except the tach, it reads too fast because of the extra two cylinders. ;) I also run extra after market gauges but all of the stock gauges can be made to work.

The 700r4 can be made to work without a computer, there are kits from Jegs that you can install to make them work.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Painless/764/60109/10002/-1

I will be installing this one in my Vette soon.
There are also DIY kits and instructions on the internet.
 
#15 ·
dbilski said:
Billy you are going to have some fun with the swap.
First The computer only controls the engine. You can remove all the engine wiring you you want or gust remove all the relays. Run an ignition wire from the master ignition relay to the new ignition system you will use.
Second no one make an engine mount kit for the swap to a first gen motor. that you can buy off the shelf. That is were I come in to the picture.
I am an Enginer that has designed this engine swap motor mounts and trans mount plate you will need. I can send photos if you would like to see the mounts. Check out my 1993 Camaro Pro Street Photo galary dbilski.
Any chance you have blueprints of those motor mounts and could email them or PM them to me?
Were you using the v-6 K member?
I'm in the process of doing this swap and that would save a lot of headaches for me. Also, how's the hood clearance? HEI clearance?
Where did you find Gen 1 headers to fit?
 
#16 ·
Answers

Yes, I have prints for the motor mounts, That I use to Manufacture a complete kit for this engine swap that I sell. It includes the two flat plates to move the V6 cross member back for a TH 350 or TH 400 trans. A solid Trans mount will have to be fabbed. The Headers used for this swap are Pace Setter LT-1 Header Part Number PSM-70-2339. If You use stock heads then you will have to weld the top part of the inside of the tube at the flange and grind to match a Gen 1 gasket. But if you use after market heads with raised Exshaust runners the welding will not be nessesary.
 
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