circinus Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I have 3 sbc for my z. 1 010 block needs bored. one 010 block great shape. A 4 bolt main out of a 79 truck that needs bored. I started cleaning these engines up trying to make one good engine out of them. I went on craigslist looking for a cheap intake and so on and found a lt1 out of a caddy. 250 bucks and its all there. Thats what the rebuild gasket kit with new rings cost. I emailed the dude and hope it works out. Any feedback on these engines? I feel it is a better choice than one out of a fbody or vette. Just not as beat up on. but iron heads. I did change my look on the engine after reading the how fast is fast enough post. This engine with a few goodies will get me an easy 300+ hp. with a 5spd this should make for one fast little z car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 It comes with the wiring harness and computer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 From the pictures it looks like the harness laying on top the intake. I asked and thats the last thing I'm waiting to hear about before I say I'll pick her up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 No Harness. I have another option of a 5.0 ho too. Man I'm on the fence. 3 options completely different. what do I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 To heck with the 305! What's your budget and what do you have already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 A ford 5.0. sorry about that. I have 1 good block, 1 good crank, 1 good set of heads, a lot of rods and pistons all stock and misc stuff. 3 complete engines in a bunch of 5 gallon buckets in short. I was going to buy an ebay rebuild kit a summit cam and call it good. The cars been sitting since 98ish when 3 of the pistons in the l6 got destroyed. wasnt there dont know what happened. but I really want to get it back on the road. I'm doing a 5 lug hub swap so I can have cooler rims. My body is good so paint will be a breeze. Goal is get it on the road running good and looking good for as cheap as possible. Kids put a damper on the big buck parts so thats why these options look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Cant I just take all the injection system off the lt1 and throw an intake and carb on and run it like a gen1 sbc? google time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zwitha383 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Yeah but I would imagine you're going to blow a few hundred on the intake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvincent Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Just grab a harness and computer out of another B body, and go with the LT1, Lots of Lt1's on this site including me. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 18, 2009 Author Share Posted November 18, 2009 Just spent the money I was going to spend on the engine on some new saleen rims and tires. Too good of a deal to pass up. I'm going to take some pics and get all this sbc parts out of here and start fresh. If the guy still has this engine after I sell off some of the stuff I have laying around I might get it. On the flip side My dad works with this guy who has a wrecked 88' mustang he's doesnt want. I know the trans is shot cause the car starts but cant shift into gear. A teenage son winter in ohio story there. He bought it back from the ins company for next to nothing sold the cobra r rims and made 150 bucks. He said I can have the engine for $150. thing only has 80k on it. Thats chewing me hard right now. Thats why I'm torn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted November 18, 2009 Administrators Share Posted November 18, 2009 Please title your threads a little more descriptively. Click ME for more info on thread titles! I changed it for you, if it not quite what you think it should be, let me know and I'll fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 Sorry about that Braap. An update on my engine dilemma. I drug my feet to long and missed out on the mustang engine. Same with the lt1. I still have my sbc though. I think I'm going to take a time out on the engine and get the suspention together and weigh my options out during that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackice280zxt Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 just go with what you have. Dont spend your money twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 My original plan was to go with what I have, (the big but) all my engines are tore apart and need rebuilt and so on. Thats why I was looking for a new engine. Get it in there and going then start adding goodies later and sell off my parts. Bad thing is I have tried to sell my stuff on craigslist with no luck. It is what it is and I'm not worried about it. The cars been sitting for 10yrs and it wasnt until recently I got motivated to do something to it. Theres plenty of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted November 20, 2009 Administrators Share Posted November 20, 2009 Throwing this out in case you hadn't thought of it yet. How about finding a running donor vehicle for the initial conversion, which ever brand you would prefer in the long term, Chevy or Ford, as a test bed poewrtain to get the bugs ironed out of the V-8 of the conversion itself, (Ford-Mustang, Thunderbird/Cougar, or Chevy-Caprice, pickup, etc), while that is up and running and you are getting comfortable with and enjoying the mild V-8 conversion, be building the custom engine you really want. When that engine is done, most of the bugs should be ironed out of the conversion so you can then focus your efforts on tuning and dialing in the new plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I have no engine yet..or donor car. He asked in the thread above about doing a ford 302 or the chevy.(I realize he lost out on the ford motor) I also have the same question..i really want the ford because I have always been a ford man..I guess my question is..will the conversion kits available online work for the ford motor also?(mounts,brackets,adapters) I do not have a machine shop like the guy in seattle who did the Z8. Second question..I am somewhat mechanicly inclined and have a few friends with the needed knowledge I lack except....doin V8 swaps in a Z car. Currently have a ZX FI. I was thining of going with N/A conversion.. Are the complications the same or worse if I was to find a donor car with ECU and harness to keep FI or switch out to N/A??????(which is a bigger headache) I know to replace most of the shot FI system in my car now would run around $1500 for all new stuff..or more. I have no problem working on N/A cars. FI uhhhh I guess I could learn. Am I looking at hundreds more or $1000's more for FI V8 conversion over N/A? I have read dozens of threads on here about both ford and chevy..is it all just a matter of taste? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circinus Posted November 21, 2009 Author Share Posted November 21, 2009 I've had almost 10yrs of swaying and reading post here and I was always going to go chevy. Now 10yrs later alots changed in engines. I remember when a tpi engine was big $ and the hot ticket. I have 3 sbc in my garage in 5 gallon buckets. And I always intended to use them and make one great engine. My first thing is getting my 5 lug hubs on. So this got me started looking on craigslist for my rims and started to notice lt1's for $250 $300 and so on. 5.0's going for a few hundred. In my head I start thinking thats pretty cheap for complete engines that run. And thats when I got all car geeked out and glued myself to the computer. And the thought of getting my car back on the road cheap after more than 10yrs got the juices flowing again. Pro's of a 5.0 in my book- Dist up front, Weight of engine and how you can set it in the engine bay to get the balance right. Sound, 5.0's have always had a good sound. And their are so many mustangs around you'll never have a prob finding anything for it. Lt1's are cheap now but if you dont have all the harness and computer there it can start to get pricey and at that point if you start getting into lsx engines territory which is the ticket every which way you can think of but its going to cost you. A sbc is just that. easy, everywhere, cheap, how much power you want cause anything you can dream of is out there for them and been done. But my problem was I have to rebuild mine. And if I'm going to do that, I'm going to do it right once and now were talking money again for that. When I noticed I can get a decent engine cheap it started sounding pretty apealing to go that route. I started this thread because I was a phone call away from owning a b-body lt1 and thought if I start a quick thread I might get some feedback on these engines from guys who have them in their cars.. Then I got wind of a 5.0 for cheap. Story short drug my feet and didnt end up with either. I would like to have a ford in my car just because I think its a great fit for a s30. But if I didnt have alot of exp w/engines I would stay with a sbc. Its the standard engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 drug my feet also..step son had 94 mustang gt wrecked in the rear..sat for over a year..3 weeks after i got this car..i asked him..nope sold it 2weeks ago.. I was looking at the cons of the chevy.. dist. in rear,heavier..I like the fords but my question is still unanswered. Will the sites that sell conversion kits for the chevy work on ford? No matter what i do the engine will be rebuilt by me and my buddy. Block will be sent in to be conditioned and bored if needed and also send the heads in to be rebuilt. Yes there are a ton of mustangs out there..within 20 miles of me are several towing companies that have auctions..craigs list..lower lower end car lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 I also like the idea from a post above to find an engine put it in..and get it going then work on my dream engine in the shop..when done swap them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 i got this car for free..didn't run..sat for over 6 months..brought it home on a trailer..new wallyworld battery and she fired up...runs crummy but hey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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