zgeezer

Ok, here's the scenario. The JY shipped me a '96 LT1 out of a Caprice in place of an F-Body. After a few letters, he shipped me a set of Aluminum angle plug heads off of a "95 Z28". They look good. I understand that although the iron heads installed on Caprices have a larger volume combusion chamber than the aluminum F body heads, they have the same installed compression ratio of 10.5:1. This is so, according to the Impala web sites, because the iron head's head gasket is very thin. The NHRA blue printing site seems to back this up as it lists a thinner head gasket for 260hp LT1 than for the 275/285/300 hp aluminum headed LT1s. If a thin gasket is worth .5 compression points on iron heads, can it be used with aluminum heads for 11:00 cr? Please some thoughts. I expect to be running the LT1 fi, LT1 edit for the computer and one of Chevy's HOT cams [something compatible with the automatic], and headers. "If a little is good, more is better, and too much is just about right". gw

I did this. It requires some welding skills, but it worked for me. I think Datsun changed something on the seat belts every year. I looked for a 280 that had an inertial reel for both the lap belt and the shoulder diagenol (what the hell, I never could spell). These cars have an inertial reel mounted on each rear strut housing under a nice plastic cover. The reel for the lap belt is located in a pocket on the back floor. Have your JY cut out the pockets...get alot of material and don't cut the reinforcement brace. Unbolt the attachment plate on each rear strut housing, and,if you can, cut off the entire top of the rear shock housing. There is a flat reinforcement plate that you need to either use or copy to your rear shock mounts. Just eyball and you'll what you need. Weld the pockets in; align and weld the top support on the rear strut mounts and you are in business. There is one other minor problem; your early z's attachment point for the interior belts is a bolt into a reinforced patch on the back portion of the floor. That location is difficult to use for the buckle portion of 280 lap belt. This piece is a buckle attached to a stiff plactic covered cable that bolts directly into the transmission tunnel. I drilled my transmission tunnel and reinforced it on the inside with a 1/4 inch thick steel washer with an appropriate nut welded on. It works and looks "stock". gw

Yeah, I've been there with you. Spend $4k to buy a clean straight rust free Z. Take your time and do the heavy duty chassis trip. When you graduate, give yourself a gift....drop in the v8 of your choice. I can almost guarantee you that after of few years in that school, your ideas of what works, what doesn't, and what you want will really change. There is NOTHING like building it right the first time. zgeezer

This is one of the few swaps I could recommend to a second year shop class (Do shop classes still exit in high school?). If one sticks to the program and JTR book this could be an 80 hour and $500 swap, other than the engine and transmission. Get that out of a well used but drivable chevy. Your local "white pages" or shopping market advertising will eventually have the ideal donor @ something less than $1,000.00. Transportation chevys are cheap. Don't get hooked on speed and you'll be okay. Also, don't ask me why I've been working on my toy for three years. I didn't do it, but you can. The key is preparation, focus on the work, and a carbed small block that you can hear run b/4 you dump the cash. Be happy with a simple 90mph 1/4 and don't listen to the small voices that whisper in your ear that with just a "little extra" you can break 100mph. GW

Their effect is to raise the body, thereby lowering the engine in the compartment relative to the hood. This would be necessary to clear carb and air cleaner. They can also have an effect on the angularity of drive shaft and 3rd member. Some folks don't run them. gw

I can't seem to find a definitive answer to the C/R of 350 ci LT1 with iron heads. Some sources say 10:1; one states 10.45:1 and others 10.5:1. My real question is whether the iron heads are the same as the F body aluminum castings. I know the lt4s have substantial diferences. Two sources have stated that the later iron heads (1994-1997) flow better than the aluminum heads. Does anyone out there have solid information? Am I reading too many Impala SS posting? Help? gw

I really appreciate the immediate posts. Perhaps, you all can help me determine if this is a Impala SS or simply a generic Roadmaster or Caprice with a towing package. At this time, I'd like to confirm the year. I understand that '96 & '97 LT1s were equipted with Chevy's new upgraded vacuum pumped, water tight, fail safe Opti-spark distributer and sequential fuel injection. My seller, at this time, has not provided me with the VIN #. I think I now know why. Is the presence of a sensor on the bottom passenger side of the timing cover likely to be anything other than a crank position sensor and is this a reliable indication that this motor has both sequential fuel injection and the improved Opti-spark. gw

I just took delivery of a complete LT1 engine, tansmission, and rear end. I ordered a '96 or '97 Camaro. I think I got something else. Here's the package: 1. Cast iron, not aluminum heads; 2. Large fan driven off a second pulley on the crank; 3. Engine oil cooler adapter and lines (set between oil filter and block ala corvette); 4. what appears to me to be a verrry large alternator; 5. a sensor on the bottom passenger side of the timing chain cover (it has wires and looks like a crank position sensor) and a air intake that runs from a filter through a sensor (MAS?) into a resonator and then into the intake through another air sensor (speed density?). Bolted to the top of intake manifold is a large triangular hollow cover that attaches to the air intake. On the floor this all looks bizarre. Cast into the left rear portion of the block is the following: GM 57L S61. The auto transmission has a sticker with the following: 6BWD---Toledo 616BWDY 15997028. Is this likely to be a '96 Camaro z/28 or am I the new owner of something out of a Caprice or Buick. And, if this is not a Z/28, what is it likely to be. Your answers may help keep a marriage together. I'll really appreciate any insight you may have before I pick up the telephone to have a SERIOUS conversation with the seller. GW

The tubes at each end are water drains: a rubber elbow at each end diverts the H20 outside the car. There is a fairly large retangular "covered" intake on the passenger side that is an outside air source for the heater. I'm sure someone has tapped into this source of air...probably by punching through the firewall. gw

I've been reading posts at this site expounding upon the virtures of planning, budgeting, and implementing. Great threads, but I shop JYs the same way any 14 year old valley girl shops malls. In my next life I'll own a reallly big yard somewhere in outer AZ or NV where the only customers will be those who are willing to drive a few hundred miles to see rust free iron. Thanks for the post re: vette brackets. gw

Ok... I blew the budget, changed my plan for about the hundreth time {Hey, I've got three sets of front disks and two sets of rears and four hoods) and dumped the 350TPI I've assembled for an '96 LT1 out of a Camaro. I take delivery Monday and I'm suffering a little from buyer's remorse. Here's one of my problems: I will run a/c but would like to know how some of you solved what appears to be interferance with the a/c compressor and the "frame" rail of the Z. I've searched this forum and have not seen any cure other than corvette brackets. This is going in with JTR mounts into a '70 Z. Any help would be appreciated. Along with the "let's trash the plan" attitude to purchasing power, I now have a complete, new, unused in plastic bags, and (given my LT10 totally unusable TPI wires from Ron Francis Wire Works. If anyone is interested in stealing these from me, check out his web site and give me an offer. Part of the reason I can't stay on my plan is that I lurk this great site. The ideas just get better and better (Yea, I've also got three sets of CV axles and just when I get settled in my ways, somebody shows up with good and, then, better adapters for 280z stubs. Any one want to buy a set of 240 stub, complete with new bearings? Ah, such is life!

yes, it can be done. GMPP's now discontinued LT4 crate motor came equipted with a carb manifold and the rear mounted distributer...rated at 375hp. GMPP sells a plate to block off the hole left when removing the opti-spark. Check out the web site for Pace chevrolet or GMPP [General Motors Performance Parts]. I've considered doing the same thingf and use my TPI computer and all other FI components on a LT1 engine. I'd sure like to know if anyone has any practical experience with this.

If you have GMPP carbed LT4, then you have a distributor in the back and your "Opti" unit is blocked off with a plate. If you keep that distributer you can run any number of after market stand alone systems (SDS, comes to mind as do Holley and Accell). Your problems would be the FI intake, which has no provision for the rear mounted distributer. Take a gander at this web site: "LT1INTAKE.COM". He will modify your LT1/4 fi intake manifold to accept the rear mounted distributer. As far as wiring a stock lt1 control unit, consider Ron Francis's Wire Works. A bit pricy (aren't they all), but its a well done unit and it works. GW

I think this is just the number to bolt down on my vortech 350 truck heads instead of a Holley or TPI using a specially cast base (Scoggin Dickey out of Texas). Anyone out there have any information relating to LT1 manifold air flows. It haaaas to be better than TPI. GW

Sorry, that last long post didn't address the question of media. The answer is A LOT. A 50# bag of glass went south on just 1/2 of the engine compartment. I hauled about 15 five gallon paint buckets of sand to the blaster and used up two ceramic tips in the process. Easy to sandblast not only the car, but the neighbor's windshield and picture window. If you can stand the constant static electric shocks and the cleanup, sand blasting is probably 10 times faster than any other method. Please notice that everything I blasted with sand will be covered with upholstery, undercoating, or is not easily visable. GW

For what its worth. I stripped mine down to bare metal in two weekends of really dirty work. The fenders, hood and doors were pulled off and liberally coated with POR's stripper. I rented a large commercial hot water pressure cleaner(think graffitti removal) and went at it. This worked very well down to the original Datsun paint. The original paint was stubborn. I used a little over 2 gallons of stripper and about 1,000 gallons of high pressure water. For the interior and exterior of the "tub" I purchased a harbor freight ($80 or so) sand blaster and loaded it with glass media. Works well, but with no recovery system the media went fast. As I live in the low desert, I have access to about a billion cubic yards of very, very, very, fine silicon (Take the sand off the lee side of an active sand dune). This cuts very fast and doesn't appear to have warped any sheet metal. (I used stripper and h20 on the roof and cowl). I painted the entire car with POR 15 silver. Yes, it did turn some puke yellow green. Total cost, a little on this side of $350.00 and probably an early death of silicosis. If I had to do it again, I'd really consider flat tracking it over to a commercial "dipper". Or, I take another look at commercial graffitti remover water pressure cleaners that pull an abrasive material (like my sand) into the water. High pressure light slurry of sand and water...now that will probably do the trick. GW

Hey Biohzrd: Thanks for the site. GW

About two months ago I located a link off of this board that described the modifications necessary to run an LT1 fi manifold on a gen I engine. The work included jigging to "bore" a seat for the rear mounted distributor and a solution to redirect water flow from head to head permitting the use of the dry LT1 fi manifold. Does anyone out there recall the thread or have a site? gw

Oooooookay. A 260 A/C swap into a '70. Please send more details: what bracketry was needed, did you use the 260 or 240 controls. What were the problems. I was working up a decision on sticking with my ARA dealer add on or jump for one of the after market street rod units. Tell us more.

My neighbor took delivery on a GMPP LT4 crate engine. Its distributer is rear mounted- just like any other gen I csb. The crate engine d/n mount fi, using an intake manifold and carb. My question is whether anyone has any information about dumping the optispark and converting to the rear cam drive distributer and using fi. Perhaps running LT1 fi hardware and re-wiring tpi ecu or after market. As optispark is widely believed to die from natural causes every 75,000 miles or so I'd like to avoid it if possible. Any ideas?

Has anyone out there installed a Ford rack in a 240Z with a SBC. A search of this site provided only two installations, both with a SBF. I'm concerned about front pully/balancer clearance and interference between steering shaft from Datsun steering shaft to the Ford rack. I've purchased, but not taken delivery on, an LT1 with auto transmission. I understand that this swap will require a smaller bottom pully to clear the cross member and some surgery on the "frame" rails to clear the A/C compressor. Is there any known interference on the driver's side?

Hey, don't sweat the FI. The street rodders have reduced this exercise to little more than connect the red wire to the red terminal. The wires even come with their destination printed every 8 inches or so on the wire. Crank up your browser/search engine and look for Ron Francis' wire works (wire_works.com); Painless wiring; or Howell Engineering. All three will take care of you. I like Ron Francis because I wired my 350TPI with his Telovek kit in three evenings and one saturday morning: complete with stock computer. Fired on the first crank. I would suggest you stay as close to stock as possible. Keep all smog related sensors and use an electronic speedometer. Also, use search on this web site, other members have done this swap before.

Do the standard exhaust manifolds for an LT1 out of a 96 Camaro clear in an early Z? These manifolds go up and then down at the back. My tape measure says "maybe". Any input from the LT1 swappers? Thanks in advance.

Later model 280Z's (I think 77 or so and not 280zx) have three point retractable seat belts that have two separate retractors per side. The shoulder harness is achored off the top of each rear strut housing (a nice plastic cover too) and also in a retractor bolted into a cavity and sill rail. I've put these into my series I 240. I had to fabricate and weld a plate to cover the rear shock towers and to cut out the floor behind each seat to install the "cavities). Long explanation, but find a late 280z and look. All will become clear.

Been there, done that. Drove about 400 yards to the great amusement of pedestrians, little children, dogs, and the local cop. I wondered why everyone was laughing, howling, pointing, calling their friends and generally making a great commotion. Fifteen years ago and the spouse still brings it up whenever some new gearhead comes into the garage to bench race.