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I decided to resurrect this dead thread,.... as through my actions of late,...I have revived the project.

For the first time ever,... I'm buying a car sight unseen,.... and having it shipped. The car is in Bumphuck , Arizona. Almost 1600 miles away. I cannot fly there and drive it back for less than I have contracted a carrier to bring it to me (615.00). Unlike the other car,... which turned out to be rusty,.... This car isn't,... is very straight,and most importantly,... is a color other than baby blue. After shipping, it will be similarly priced at(2150.0).

The dilemma revolves around how long it will take to get it here. At 615.00,...the contract to transport was the cheapest I could find. I expect that it'll show up the first 7-10 days in August,... a potential problem already, As I might be out of town at that time. But again,... that Al depends on whether or not 615.00 will ever get it here in the first place.

If/when it does,....I'll do the rudimentary clean up, and assessment of what it needs to make it driveable. It will become a project for me,... as I have the kind of plans that will require it sit for more than a minute while I modify it.

The original plan was for an injected, turbocharged, Volvo headed 2.3L 4 banger,. Coupled to a AOD, target to make 350-400whp.

That has changed.

The new plan will definitely incorporate a 5300 (5.3L) Vortec LS engine, backed by a 4L60, ending up at a 3 linked, panhard bar located, torque arm controlled 8.8 . I plan to change the intake, and cam w/ stock upgrades ( like ls1/2/6 stuff) self porting the heads,.. and running the combo N/A after that,..targeted FWHP at 350-400. 5lug conversions, big brake upgrades, 18"wheels and rear mounted 315 rubber will be incorporated. Street manners, and great handling are the design objectives.

I am planning a custom interior that will feature a complete custom dash/ full length console. (2) Pro-car Ricaro wannabe
Black buckets,...Equus gauges,..(el cheapo chinee auto meter look a likes) A rear seat delete filled up W/2 forward facing 10"subs and supporting amp/speakers to make it sound great.

Of Course, A/C, Heater, pwr accessories will all be added.

As before I predict a one year build,.... and I will amass a bunch of junk before starting on anything.

Progress to follow:
 
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Well, your 350-400 goal should be easily attainable, depending on which model engine you pick. Different 5.3L engines make different power. That being said, why not go for the 6.0? Not much more money and you get more torque. I paid $950 for my 6.0 and didn't particularly need a rebuild, but I did anyway.

Here is an LS engine guide:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1369110-lsx-engine-identification.html

You can see that the 6.0 make comparable hp numbers, but much more torque, which you'd probably be more interested in.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids-28/

This link is anything and everything LS swap. It's ridiculous the cars people swap them into.



...And if you decide to hang a turbo off the front, that would be cool too.
 
Well, your 350-400 goal should be easily attainable, depending on which model engine you pick. Different 5.3L engines make different power. That being said, why not go for the 6.0? Not much more money and you get more torque. I paid $950 for my 6.0 and didn't particularly need a rebuild, but I did anyway.

Here is an LS engine guide:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1369110-lsx-engine-identification.html

You can see that the 6.0 make comparable hp numbers, but much more torque, which you'd probably be more interested in.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids-28/

This link is anything and everything LS swap. It's ridiculous the cars people swap them into.



...And if you decide to hang a turbo off the front, that would be cool too.

Yeah I already have a pretty good idea of the differences between them. I have a new surface tablet and the first extra app I added was kindle reader so I could go to amazon and download the SA book: How to swap an LS engine into just about anything. Gives a real good overview on the differences between the entire series of engines, what each engine makes for power, what you need to do (if anything) to make them right, and what cams, heads, oil pans, ecm's are required to make them fit a particular swap. ( For whatever reason though,... there was no reference made to sticking one in a Fairmont).
It's really a great reference manual,... you should look into it for your future wiring needs.
I'm thinking I'll use the 5300 because there's a bazillion of them out there for half of what you paid for yours. My goal is to have engine, trans, harness and ecu/tcu's for between 1000- 1500.
Swapping the truck intake and putting on an ls 6 car pan are all I intend to do,..it says in the book that decent power gains could be had w/ a good port clean up/ blend,.... and I guess I kinda planned on that too.

Now that I know they're out there, the engine trans will be a little way off,..(maybe I'll wait till it gets colder and the salvage yards are a little more hungry for cash before I go down that road though.) If I happen into a better deal w/ a better engine between now and then,....then all the Bette.
 
For the trans
Look up the Z Pack clutch kit for the 3-4 clutch pack.
5 pinion low/reverse planetary
Beast sunshell
They also make an extra wide 2-4 band, couple that with a Corvette servo. They also make a pinless style 3-4 accumulator that is really nice. All these mods will make an very capable 4L60E. Of course you'd want a shift kit too but I can't remember what I use off the top of my head lol
 
For the trans
Look up the Z Pack clutch kit for the 3-4 clutch pack.
5 pinion low/reverse planetary
Beast sunshell
They also make an extra wide 2-4 band, couple that with a Corvette servo. They also make a pinless style 3-4 accumulator that is really nice. All these mods will make an very capable 4L60E. Of course you'd want a shift kit too but I can't remember what I use off the top of my head lol
Thanks, looks like you really know your way around a trans. (I'd guess you work on them). I don't plan on needing a "better than stock" trans,... but hen the time comes,.. I'll check into that.
 
I have a list of cars that I'd build if f I had more time, more space, and a little more money. A super budget 5.3 powered Miata is high on the list. I can't blame anyone for wanting an LS powered car, those engines are falling out of trees these days, and even the truck motors made more power in a smaller, easier to work on package than the majority of V8s that Ford ever put in any of their stuff in recent history. I mean, I still bleed Ford blue, and an even higher car on my list is a carbureted 6.8L V10 mod motor pseudo trad-rod, but chit, LS motors are fuggin cool. I look forward to this build.
 
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Thanks, looks like you really know your way around a trans. (I'd guess you work on them). I don't plan on needing a "better than stock" trans,... but hen the time comes,.. I'll check into that.

Yeah I've been into them a time or two ;)
They're always in trucks though. I live in a hilly agricultural area and everyone around here thinks they can work a half ton pick up like a 3/4 or a 1 ton so I've definitely seen my fair share of burnt up 4L60E's. They don't last longer than 130k miles around here, not typically at least. Damn red necks
 
For the trans Look up the Z Pack clutch kit for the 3-4 clutch pack.
5 pinion low/reverse planetaryBeast sunshell
They also make an extra wide 2-4 band, couple that with a Corvette servo. They also make a pinless style 3-4 accumulator that is really nice. All these mods will make an very capable 4L60E. Of course you'd want a shift kit too but I can't remember what I use off the top of my head lol


Well, your 350-400 goal should be easily attainable, depending on which model engine you pick. Different 5.3L engines make different power. That being said, why not go for the 6.0? Not much more money and you get more torque. I paid $950 for my 6.0 and didn't particularly need a rebuild, but I did anyway.

Here is an LS engine guide:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1369110-lsx-engine-identification.html

You can see that the 6.0 make comparable hp numbers, but much more torque, which you'd probably be more interested in.

http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids-28/

This link is anything and everything LS swap. It's ridiculous the cars people swap them into.



...And if you decide to hang a turbo off the front, that would be cool too.

Ahhh that's what I love about this place,...(and the internet in general). Where else can you go where the answers to questions are there before you even ask them?

Collin,.. thanks especially for making me feel stupid for not checking the LS forums first before buying my "LS swap bible". Just a simple look at one of your links provided more info, faster than the book did after having to read several blather pages about all the different LS engines, and having to pay 15.00 for it at the same time.

I give you permission to give me one internet ass kick.
 
And along the same lines as my above reply,...googled custom interior pics, and a buttload of pics pop up.

(This was after I rummaged through the drawers trying to find a pencil that either didn't have a broken tip, or a mangled, chewed off eraser,.... and some graph paper to sketch out my interior design idea in my head)
But,... just as luck would have it,.... somebody has already done it for me again .
Whooot!

adisan-wiesmann-interior.jpg


I won't copy this style verbatim, as it is much too curvy for the boxy exterior that it'll end up being in. But an interior, laid out like this one will be my design inspiration