mudbuddha

Holy IC piping batman! It's all about packaging...Was there a thread on this build?

eclou

no, just secret spy photos of a TT LT1

chrenan

This thread is blowing my mind and imaginary wallet.

The usual language for V8 swaps goes like this:

1. V8 engine = $500
2. Remove your own 944 engine = free
3. ????????????
4. PROFIT!!!!!!!

Thanks to the knowledgeable guys for the insight. Its nice to have an idea of the real numbers.

arthropraxis

Eric, as in TPC? No wonder he hasn't been on the site much lately.

docwyte

Depends. I started with a factory turbo S, so I didn't need to upgrade my suspension or brakes. My stock motor blew and the cost to rebuild it, reliably, to produce the power goals I needed was going to cost $13k+.

I probably spent that on the conversion, but then I recouped over $7000 by selling off stock parts I no longer needed. So in essence the cost was $6000 vs the over $13000 rebuilding the stock motor would've cost me.

carlege

Consider you got such a find, low miles and well maintained with all records going back to 86 why would you even consider it.

carlege

I do have a question about the V8 conversions..... how easy is it to work on the engine with the V8 inside the engine bay?

Lemming

Not much difference from when I had a 968 motor in the car. Quite a bit easier than working on a turbo.

xschop

I've got $5500 in my swap, that includes car, engine, intake, Z06 cam, harness, brain, (custom brakes, suspension I did myself),new windshield, the stereo and new wheels/tires too

I'm at 18,600 DD miles since the swap and I've got to rebuild the factory PS rack everything else has held up to the daily flogging.

ramius665

Yes, he did it for cheap. But it's an absolute monstrosity and doesn't run well at all.

TonyG

Yes... $10k-$15k for a high quality conversion.

Some may do it for less and cobble a kit together/make parts themselves to save money.

But if you do a new LS1 or LS6 (because all the used ones are very old by now), that will cost you at least $4500 dressed, then another $1000 for a cam/spring/push rod/TI retainer kit, $1200 for the dual mandrel bent exhaust, $350 for a larger throttle body, $600 for dyno tuning, $300 for the proper PS pump, etc...

Then you need all the rest of the conversion parts (motor mounts, headers, throttle cable, ECU, wiring harness, race ready oil pan, etc.... And you have to actually do the conversion yourself or have someone do it for you.

Sure you can use a junk yard motor. The true mileage will probably be unknown (all junk yards lie about the mileage), or you can scrap an engine together and build it yourself. But there's nothing like a new engine, zero miles, never been opened, with a factory warranty.

And yes you can go to a muffler shop and have them make you a much less expensive exhaust.... but it won't work the same.

You can by a use Z06 cam and use stock GM valve springs... and you can get it for cheap. But it won't make anywere near the power of aftermarket cams... all of which require a much better valve spring and a lightweight retainer.

You can go cheaper everywhere. Hey... HP costs money. How fast do you want to go?

Mine makes 420RWHP on 91 pump gas. With a factory GM 12,000month/mile warranty :-)

So yeah... like I said... a high quality conversion will cost between $10k-$15k. From there you go down in either quality, reliablity (used junk yard engines), power (used factory GM cams, plain ol' exhaust shop bent exhaust systems) & displacement (smaller less expensive engines), or some combination thereof.


TonyG

xschop

If you stab a bad engine...it'll run bad. The LT1 has the infamous Opticrap that always has issues.

disasterman

Ditto tony g.

95ONE

Or.. like myself. You can do everything yourself and make your own damn kit. I spent every dollar I saved on Mega Upgrades though. Still. No warranty. That's always nice.

And if anyone can get a hold of ERIC. Please have him send me his intercooler pipes so that I can weld them together and get rid of half those hose couplers and clamps!

pormgb

I've got about 5K into a freshened up LS6, the other bits and pieces have cost around 2K. Ive done all the work my self with a pending $500.00 tune, I must say I've lost count of the amount of hours put in to the conversion and am learning something new every day.

Just a work of encouragement!! driving these converted 944s is a blast, its really hard to imagine how fast these cars are unless you drive one. I took a friend of mine who owns a 19947 Carrera 4S, he couldn't believe the torque LS1/6 motors produce and how effortless the car performed. The conversion is well worth the money!!