chevy0701

Hi, My name is Josh
I have a 1984 pontiac firebird, it has a v6 right now, auto trans which is unknow as to what it is, and also the rear end is unknown. the car is clean as can be, mint interior and great extierior, before i bought this i traded a Ford F250 for a 83 camaro, that had the T5 trans, 400sb, but when i went to pull the interior the whole floor fell out....joy..... so i spent 1500 on a 84 firebird and got a mint car just a slow, dirty, doggy, engine. so i scrapped the camaro after i stripped it of every possible part i could take off it and then used what i needed for the firebird and sold everything else, so now i have a 400sb two bolt main, T5 driveshaft that goes to a unknown Rear End, a radiator unknow if its v6 or v8, and some body panels i cant use,

My questions are, being that i never had to do a V8 swap cause all my camaro's already had a V8 in them, How easy are these v8 swaps? Do i have to relocate engine mounts? what are all the parts that im going to need just to get the engine in and going. I've been reading some threads and so far i got that i need all of these V8 parts: radiator/engine mounts/springs and shocks. what else is intailed with doing this swap?

Next the trans would i be better off with the Th400 or a 700R4. and how is the mounting going to work for the rear or the trans is their a crossmember that i can use of do i have to make one?

I suppose I shouldnt ask all my questions right away so we can start there, thanks to all that reply,

zraffz

You are going to need to switch your fuel pump or maybe you can just run a regulator (assuming the 400 is carbed). The motor mounts have to get relocated further forward and need to be replace with V8 mounts. If you change your trans, go with a 700R4 and find a junkyard 8 cylinder camaro (it will have a 700r4 crossmember) that you can grab.

I did this once, I didn't change the springs and I didn't notice the difference in height. Heck I ran a big block in a Z28 and didn't notice the difference either.

chevy0701

well for the fuel pump im going to run the machanical pump so i dont have to deal with that... How much forward do i have to move the mounts? and for the 700R4 crossmember is their a certain year i should take it out of? and my last ? what would be the Pros and Cons with going with a Th400 instead of a 700R4......

zraffz

Uh you should get more advice from others, I did the project 3 years ago but I believe I mounted them all the way in the furthest forward holes... don't recall drilling any new holes. I can take pictures of the car's mounts when I go to pick my heads up on Friday (I sold it to one of the local shop mechanics).

700R4 has a lower first gear plus overdrive for fuel mileage. Year doesn't matter as long as it's a 2wd 700R4 and not the newer 4L60/4L60E. I run the 700R4 in everything I build, it's held up fine behind 400 horse small blocks and mild big blocks.

chevy0701

ok well then im for sure going to go with the 700r4 and ill take the braket out of something in 80's to early 90's, and when you say the forward holes what do you mean by that. Pictures also would be great thanks

camaronewbie

Given that it's a 400 he's dealing with, might should consider a 1988+ 700R4, since they made some beefier improvements to the 700R4 in mid year 1987. You'll need a method of locking the torque converter on a 700R4 - take care of that internally on the tranny before you install it. Also, drill out and tap in a drain for the tranny pan while it's out of the car, and consider shift kits, boost valves, etc. while this tranny is out of the car - alot easier to do these things on the bench. Also, drop the motor/tranny in as a complete unit - alot easier that way - you'll need a leveler for the hoist.

You'll have to drop the tank and get the intank fuel pump out and install a carbed pickup to use the mechanical pump on the 400. You can use the intank pump and a regulator, but chances are the pump has seen it's better day anyway - dropping the tank and using a carb pick now means never having to drop the tank again.

chevy0701

thanks for that help i do recall the trans shop saying something like that when the trans went out on my 1987 camaro that had the 700r4 and he did some up grades to fix those problems. but for sure going to go with the 700r4 and ill make sure it come's from a 88 and newer. its going to get rebuild right away but its always nice to no you got the better of the bunch, and the trans shop i go to told me he can make the trans (In lamens terms) all mechanical so i get my lock out. and for the pan im getting a nice after market chrome one with drain plug. For the fuel pump for sure, going to drop the tank and pull the pump.. im all about no wires lol....


Is their any advise on the driveshaft and the Rear end, im looking to do like a show/ fun/drag strip car that im going for like 350-400 horse nothing super fast i kind of want to drive 3 hours to my cabin with a nice ride then drive onto the strip run a 1/4 mile then come home. One thing i no i want is disc brakes all the way around.....dont no if there is a nice setup already out there that i can take it out of a different car?

thanks again to everyone

kevmann

It sounds like you are in good hands. I have never done this personally but I have to agree on the 700R4. It will make a big difference in gas maileage.

chevy0701

Ya i do think i am in good hand this is my first day on this site and im loving it....so much info to take in i love it and just awesome people with so much experiance its nice to have somewhere to go when you have a couple questions.

The other ? i have besides, what rear end should i use (with disk brakes) and driveshaft, is what about that torquer bar that goes from the rear end to the trans do i have to use that after the swap or can i get rid of it or what should i do?

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Welcome to thirdgen.org.

You might consider reading through the V6 to V8 swap sticky located in the top section of this forum.

You either need to use the torque arm on the rear end, or install a completely different rear suspension.

Personally, I'd stay away from chrome pans. They are typically foreign made, thin metal, prone to leaks. An aluminum pan would be okay, but there really isn't anything wrong with the factory pan. An additional transmission cooler makes more sense than spending money on a different pan.

chevy0701

Thanks for the advice on the pan, I was thinking about that and I think I'm going to go with a stock pan and weld in a plug for draining. And for the torque are I figured that out as well. I'm going to put a rear end out of a 97 firebird , my reasons is because the 97 has disk brakes in the rear it's the 10 bolt and 3:42 gears and posi track and I'll still be able to use the torque bar so it all works out....right...?

zraffz

Can speak on the rear, I'm pretty sure it can come with any gear ratio though.

Just a tip, if you ever have motor questions listen to whatever "AlkyIROC", "Sofakingdom" and "Orr89RocZ" because they are all extremely knowledgeable and experienced. I tend to take their advice and treat it like gold.

chevy0701

thanks for the heads up on them three motor guys....I dont really no anyone in here so its good to get tips like that.......

and with the rear end ya they do come with a couple different gears but the one i found from the 97 firebird was a 10bolt with 3:42 and also has the bigger ring gear on top of the posi lock and my big reason besides the posi is the disk brakes in the rear. and on top of that ill be able to use the stock torque bar that goes from the rear to the trans. so that kind of works all the way around for me and save's me alot of headache's but ya i no they come with different gears just that is what the one is that i found.

a ? i do have is with the drive shaft what can i take that out of i have two drive shafts now one came in my 83 camaro that had a t5 trans to a unknown rear and the other is the one that is in the car now and that also is a unknown rear and unknown trans but it came with a v6 2.8 will one of these work or should i get a different shaft?

thanks again for all the help
josh

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

if you're doing a swap like this, most will recommend swapping from the old steel ds to a 4th gen (or the less common 3rd gen) aluminum driveshaft. same length, no modification, required, and usually can be had for about $100-150.

chevy0701

thanks for that tip that is for sure what ill do...... what are the perks of a aluminunm DS instead of a steel DS.....i no that its for weight but is their anything else that makes a big difference?