1971 Camaro LS3 build

[redsoxsstink]

My father and I got this project last fall as a roller with great paint. We had plans to do big block and a 4 speed in it. We built a mild 454 for it and purchased a m20. literally as we were getting done with the build and getting ready to drop it in, a LS3 came our way. So now we are going that route, LS3 carb, t56, and vintage air to turn it in to a real nice cruiser. I really wanted this plant for my IROC but my dad wanted something to race me with so he got it.

We slide in a GM ASA cam in the LS and are running a Holley 750 on top with a Holley carb intake, other than that stock valve train. For an oil pan we are using a CTSV pan, which should provide enough clearance. The t56 is on order, we plan to run a LS7 clutch in in with factory GM hydraulics (Bonzo i have been reading over your thread on Nasty for this swap). The car started off as a stick car so the pedals are already there. A 8.5in 10 bolt will be out back with 3.73, when that blows we plan to do 4.10s or higher. For an exhaust we are going with long tubes to GM performance mufflers out the back.

For wheels we have some gunmetal with polished lip torque thrust style 17x7 and 17x8 wrapped in BFG sport com IIs.

The interior had some funky 2 tone orange and black interior, so we will be doing fresh black carpet and redoing the seats. To go with the modern drive-train we will be wiring up all autometer guages. A sounds system if any hasnt been thought about yet.

Since pictures are the real reason you clicked this here are some. I dont have alot but will be posting more.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r302/redsoxsstink/11234003_10153162726931914_9100129251817783426_o_z psygxd346a.jpg (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/redsoxsstink/media/11234003_10153162726931914_9100129251817783426_o_z psygxd346a.jpg.html)
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r302/redsoxsstink/20151023_220849_zpsfwovx6ze.jpg (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/redsoxsstink/media/20151023_220849_zpsfwovx6ze.jpg.html)
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http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r302/redsoxsstink/12764383_10153420693951914_5643304008568670798_o_z psbfxbljgj.jpg (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/redsoxsstink/media/12764383_10153420693951914_5643304008568670798_o_z psbfxbljgj.jpg.html)
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[sweetbmxrider]

Very cool. Are the stripes pearl?

[redsoxsstink]

Very cool. Are the stripes pearl?

nah, they are kinda just there, just a different shade of orange

[Blackbirdws6]

Should be a nice project. When do you plan on getting it done.

[redsoxsstink]

Should be a nice project. When do you plan on getting it done.

Hopefully before May 19th, I want to take it to Cruising OCMD

[6spdg37s]

nice i like it !

[stoney2677]

Where in thee hell did you find such a nice roller? Reminds me of mine except waaaay nicer.

[aps63]

My 2 favorite Camaro's. Cars look great.
Did you paint the LS3 or just blast everything.
Looks awesome!!!!!

[Jersey Mike]

How does a LS3 just "come your way." Looking forward to this one!

[redsoxsstink]

Where in thee hell did you find such a nice roller? Reminds me of mine except waaaay nicer.

drove out to the baltimore area to get it

My 2 favorite Camaro's. Cars look great.
Did you paint the LS3 or just blast everything.
Looks awesome!!!!!

we put in in the parts washer for a hour or too and then sprayed it with VHT engine paint

How does a LS3 just "come your way." Looking forward to this one!

someone was parting out a car and we got a good deal on it

[B4C]

drove out to the baltimore area to get it

I think that I saw it on craigslist. I never understood doing all the work to ls swap and leaving the carb on it. To each their own.

[redsoxsstink]

I think that I saw it on craigslist. I never understood doing all the work to ls swap and leaving the carb on it. To each their own.

It's really not that much work to get the engine in the car. At this point in time though it is saving us roughly 1000 bucks when you factor in electronics, intake, fuel systems etc. I would have liked to do fuel injectiob. Possible might happen down the road.

[Punkmaster 98]

This car is gonna be a beast

[xrelapse13]

looks like a nice project, may i ask why the ASA cam? Much better options out there.

[redsoxsstink]

looks like a nice project, may i ask why the ASA cam? Much better options out there.

Mainly because we can retain all the factory valve train components since it is not a very high lift cam at all. GM sells their ls3 crate with the asa and it makes around 530 crank hp which is perfect for this application.

[redsoxsstink]

Some updates.. turns out the vendor we were going through for the t56 was a fraud, we cant find a t56 we like right now for a decent price so we are going back with the Muncie we were originally going to use for the big block.

Also we dropped the engine and long tubes in today along with some other minor things.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r302/redsoxsstink/20160328_120614_HDR_zpsmkeqkskf.jpg (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/redsoxsstink/media/20160328_120614_HDR_zpsmkeqkskf.jpg.html)
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http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r302/redsoxsstink/20160328_163345_HDR_zpsm1bn3faz.jpg (http://s147.photobucket.com/user/redsoxsstink/media/20160328_163345_HDR_zpsm1bn3faz.jpg.html)

[BonzoHansen]

how are you handling the clutch?

[redsoxsstink]

how are you handling the clutch?

going to stick with the z-bar. We will be making the necessary brackets to mount it on the block/bellhousing.

[xrelapse13]

Mainly because we can retain all the factory valve train components since it is not a very high lift cam at all. GM sells their ls3 crate with the asa and it makes around 530 crank hp which is perfect for this application.


Fair enough, was just curious cause it actually has a lower valve lift than a stock LS3 cam but with longer duration and a 110 LSA.

[redsoxsstink]

After getting screwed on a few t56s we finally got one... This one being by far the best one yet. Its a t56 magnum, per the seller... has 18 miles on it. This is unverified but he gave us all the components that came from his 69 Camaro when he had the trans in there and everything looks great so i am going to believe him.

After doing some quick measurements, it looks like the shifter is going to come through the stock shifter hole with very little or no trimming when it is "reverse" mounted on the trans which is great. We are still fiddling with the motor mounts at this point to get it sitting right in the bay. But after that the trans is going in, fuel/brake lines, wiring gauges and first fire.

[TaKid455]

Hydraulic setup is fairly easy to do. I run that on my builds. Canned the bulky mechanical setup.

[WildBillyT]

Hydraulic setup is fairly easy to do. I run that on my builds. Canned the bulky mechanical setup.

I stayed mechanical with the T56/6023-PB and kind of regret it. Wish I had kept the hydraulics.

[redsoxsstink]

We are going hydraulic now. Was gonna do mechanical on the muncie but hydraulic on the t56.

[WildBillyT]

Good move, IMO.

[TaKid455]

run a remote bleeder. Speedway sells a kit. Get the firewall bracket for the Fbody or Tick master. Several examples on the market. You can make one but they arent too expensive. Be sure to get the pedal to m/c geometry correct or within acceptable parameters.

[redsoxsstink]

run a remote bleeder. Speedway sells a kit. Get the firewall bracket for the Fbody or Tick master. Several examples on the market. You can make one but they arent too expensive. Be sure to get the pedal to m/c geometry correct or within acceptable parameters.

Thanks for the tip. The guy we got the trans from bought the full swap kit from American powertrain so we have all their hydraulics so we plan on adapting that to our application.

[redsoxsstink]

Hung the trans today modified the stock cross member , plumbed the coolant system and did fuel lines. Needs to be wired up and brakes then it pretty much ready to drive. I'm thinking within the next 2 weeks. I may be taking this to cruisin ocmd instead of my iroc

[BonzoHansen]

Nice progress. Is that just a flat piece of metal? you might want to add some metal to that cross member, i'm thinking that might flex.

Mine:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/SIBLY/My77Z28/T56/IMG_5102s.jpg

[redsoxsstink]

Nice progress. Is that just a flat piece of metal? you might want to add some metal to that cross member, i'm thinking that might flex.

Mine:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/SIBLY/My77Z28/T56/IMG_5102s.jpg

its kinda hard to see in the pics but it isnt just a piece of flat stock welded to the bottom of the cross member. here is a pic of the weld highlighted, it has some bracing going up on the cross member. to me it seems pretty stout, let me know what you think,

[BonzoHansen]

As long as you have some. I didnt see it on that second pic above.

[PolarBear]

its kinda hard to see in the pics but it isnt just a piece of flat stock welded to the bottom of the cross member. here is a pic of the weld highlighted, it has some bracing going up on the cross member. to me it seems pretty stout, let me know what you think,

Which of those trans is yours? The first two pictures show a Magnum, then this one is an F-body trans and a completely different crossmember

[Featherburner]

Which of those trans is yours? The first two pictures show a Magnum, then this one is an F-body trans and a completely different crossmemberThe fbody picture is Scott's car.

[redsoxsstink]

Which of those trans is yours? The first two pictures show a Magnum, then this one is an F-body trans and a completely different crossmember

The magnum is in my car with the cross member I made.

[TaKid455]

Here is one that I designed back in '08 when I built the 78. Used hiem joins on the ends for adjustability and ease of removal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Takid455/1978%20TA%20%20gold/2008/PICT1643-1.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Takid455/media/1978%20TA%20%20gold/2008/PICT1643-1.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Takid455/1978%20TA%20%20gold/2008/PICT1647.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Takid455/media/1978%20TA%20%20gold/2008/PICT1647.jpg.html)

[redsoxsstink]

That exhaust looks great. Is it custom? I'm gonna get started on that this weekend. Just going to do 3in dumps with gm performance bullet style mufflers.

[redsoxsstink]

Did the exhaust today today. Dual. 3in back to 2.5in into gm performance bullets. Nothing fancy but felt good to make it myself

[redsoxsstink]

First start was today. Still needs a bit more work but sounds great so far qzYvZAA81Rg

[TaKid455]

RARE oval 3" w/ Spintech mufflers. After mufflers is custom bent

[redsoxsstink]

first test drive was today. this thing is pretty quick, a few things that need to be fixed, but hopefully registered and insured for the weekend.

[Jersey Mike]

Nice! Anything major? She's looking good from what I'm seeing on SnapChat.

[redsoxsstink]

Nice! Anything major? She's looking good from what I'm seeing on SnapChat.

nothing major really, just re-bled the clutch and adjusted the electric fans. need to re assemble the interior and do a detail on it

[redsoxsstink]

Well car was fine all week just driving up and down the street, got it registered and insured went out for a drive after about 30mins of cruising, not hooning... Got home and lost oil pressure in the driveway. Tried another mechanical Guage and nothing still.. So not engine is getting torn down

[sweetbmxrider]

:-(

[V]

maybe check that the o-ring on oil pickup is in the proper place

[WSex]

maybe check that the o-ring on oil pickup is in the proper place


I lost a motor like that:(

[redsoxsstink]

It was a oil pump issue. New pump is in and it's got perfect pressure. So far no further damage to the engine. Definitely a sigh of relief. I will continue to work the bugs out but looks like it's going to make it for ocmd.

[Blackbirdws6]

Nice. Good luck with the trip.

[redsoxsstink]

I guess I should give a little update on how the car is doing. Made the trip to OCMD with 0 problems, didn't even happen to open the tool box and got 20mpg on the highway with the carb. Everytime I drive this thing I fall more in love with it. The ls3 with the small cam really speaks to me and is a hoot to pound on. The t56 magnum is smooth as butter and there's nothing like dropping it and 6th and chugging while all the oldies with their 4spd and th400s are screaming. I spooked and ran down a couple newer bmws and a Porsche and countless other bland cars too. Overall I'm really happy that this thing drives as well and comfortably as it does, it's really a car that is meant to get driven and gets driven hard, it probably has 2k miles on it in the past 8 weeks.

In addition to the time spent with my dad working on it together it also has inspired him take his 68 out more, something that rarely has happened since the cars been done. We can now drive into cruise nights together. He is even itching to 6speed swap it and promises his old iron 454 can keep up too

[Jersey Mike]

Fitting ending. Glad it's going well, Nick! That second pic is money!

[wrong generation]

nick that thing looks bitchin next time i'm in town at my house. ill have to stop by and check it out. been going there alot lately lol.

[redsoxsstink]

Fitting ending. Glad it's going well, Nick! That second pic is money!

Thanks man got a glimpse of your bird on snap chat. We need an update on that!

[sweetbmxrider]

Looks great man

[Blackbirdws6]

Looks great every time I see it...which is very often.

[redsoxsstink]

Looks great every time I see it...which is very often.

Lol yes we have run into eachother alot recently.

Thank you again everyone for the complements