V8 conversion has started on my 1997 camaro

JeffP1167 · Sep 10, 2013

Today we removed all the interior on the 97 Z28 donor car. My girlfriend will be cleaning every possible thing on this Z28 while it's interior is out. The project is this 1997 Z28 electronics and drivetrain is going into my nice 97 V6 camaro and it's V6 will be going back into the Z28.

I am doing this because I have always wanted a V8 in my camaro due to it's excellent condition. My girlfriend wants the Z28 as a everyday cruiser car and car to go on trips with. So she doesn't mind the 3800 V6 for fuel economy.

Yes I know why not just give her the 3800 camaro, answer is simple, I love the car and I am the original owner of it and never plan on selling it. This is a 100% smog legal swap in california and my camaro isn't a every day car. I have a 97 3800 firebird if I want fuel economy.

So the project begins with removing all the electronics on the Z28 and transferring them to my 97 camaro. Don't expect high perf. add ons on this camaro.

Some issues I know to be a problem are the z28's ASR and I see it's harness coming out of the bulkhead connector by the brake booster and a 3800 doesn't have this. Another problem is a 3800 has a different evaporator core which I will swap in the complete evaporator and box from the Z28.

Not much else looks problematic on the swap though.

here progress for the day. 97 z28 interior pulled.

mrvette · Sep 11, 2013

Nothing like a new/clean/Ca. car to work with....

:hissyfit:

JeffP1167 · Sep 11, 2013

mrvette said:
Nothing like a new/clean/Ca. car to work with....

:hissyfit:

Yeah I don't see how people justify restoring rust laden cars and replace floors but do admire their hard work for sure. Engine swap is minor league compared to some project cars I have seen.

But hey at least the z28 isn't being scrapped out. It will be on the road soon again.

JeffP1167 · Sep 12, 2013

Got the carpet as clean as it will come from the Z28

Also got the hvac stuff out of the z28 as well. The hvac box looks about the same as my V6 camaro's

JeffP1167 · Sep 12, 2013

Tore the interior out of my 97 camaro today and the steam cleaned the carpet. Tomorrow we will start transferring the hvac systems and electronics and dash and put the interiors back together.

MYBAD79 · Sep 12, 2013

if you're going thru THAT much work on the interior you might as well put some Dynomat down, now that the carpet is out .... .... BoomMat is some pretty good spray for the tight areas.....

looking good, nice progress.... :thumbs:

JeffP1167 · Sep 12, 2013

MYBAD79 said:
if you're going thru THAT much work on the interior you might as well put some Dynomat down, now that the carpet is out .... .... BoomMat is some pretty good spray for the tight areas.....

looking good, nice progress.... :thumbs:

They have heavy sound deadening material under the carpet. Road nois has never been a issue.

JeffP1167 · Sep 13, 2013

Hvac system is out of my camaro now, so is the dash, and all electronics.

Girlfriend steam cleaned all her seats from the z28 as well.

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

One major difference in wiring I found is the abs control module. 3.8 has two connectors the 5.7 has 3 connectors.

anyone know if a 97 z28 has 3 channel abs or 4 channel?

or could this third connector on the abs module be for the ASR unit?

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

Okay so the braking system appears different on the LT1 verses my 3.8 ...

Here is the difference

2 lines come from the master cylinder and 3 lines come out the pump, 2 to the front brakes and 1 to the rear on my 3.8.

2 lines from master cylinder, and 3 lines out the side of the pump. However where the 3.8 rear brake line heads to the back of the car. On the z28 it goes to a proportioning valve under the pump and then 2 lines head to the rear of the car.

will this mean the rearends need to be swapped? Is there an additional speed sensor on the z28 rearend verses the 3.8 camaro?

MYBAD79 · Sep 14, 2013

Swapping the entire axle might be less work than messing with the brake lines and trying to adapt it .... The proportioning valve could simply be replaced with a manual adjustable valve but why mess with it ???
When i swapped the axle on my mustang it wasnt really all that difficult or time consuming ...

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

MYBAD79 said:
Swapping the entire axle might be less work than messing with the brake lines and trying to adapt it .... The proportioning valve could simply be replaced with a manual adjustable valve but why mess with it ???
When i swapped the axle on my mustang it wasnt really all that difficult or time consuming ...

my camaro and the z28 have the same disc rearends. Main quesion is since both calipers seem to have their own brake line from this proportioning valve would they also have their own speed sensor?

Twin_Turbo · Sep 14, 2013

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

Twin_Turbo said:

So this is the only place it gets vss signals? I see wires going towards each wheel by the emergency brakes.

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

Marck

okay on the 3.8 camaro there is a sensor on top of the differential. However the z28 is different in that aspect. While it's connector is where the fuel pump connects that is all both cars share in common.

The z28 abs wires kinda have a retainer that bolts to the top of the differential, then that harness splits in a "T" and goes to each wheel. There is a sensor behind each axle flange and then I feel a reluctor ring on each axle.

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

I see reference to rearends with/without traction control. This z28 has traction control.

Guess I have to swap rearends, but this will insure pcm isn't affected by incorrect gears and odometer is accurate.

MYBAD79 · Sep 14, 2013

JeffP1167 said:
I see reference to rearends with/without traction control. This z28 has traction control.

Guess I have to swap rearends, but this will insure pcm isn't affected by incorrect gears and odometer is accurate.

And like I said, it's not THAT much work... If it was me, I prefer that kinda work over messing with brake lines and adapting lines/wires.....

Haha, you are swapping bodies rather than engines ..... :3rd:

JeffP1167 · Sep 14, 2013

MYBAD79 said:
JeffP1167 said:

I see reference to rearends with/without traction control. This z28 has traction control.

Guess I have to swap rearends, but this will insure pcm isn't affected by incorrect gears and odometer is accurate.

Click to expand...

And like I said, it's not THAT much work... If it was me, I prefer that kinda work over messing with brake lines and adapting lines/wires.....

Haha, you are swapping bodies rather than engines ..... :3rd:

Yep, pretty much, like my girlfriend said, can't we just swap bodies.

JeffP1167 · Sep 15, 2013

The z28 rearend is ready to come out now. Now I need to remove my camaro's rearend and swap them. I will also be of course removing the exhaust and all the z28 specific heat shields.

When it's all done everything should work unless I messed up!

Yes in case you were wondering I have caught some grief on why swap a z28 donor into a v6 can and vice versa. Work is progressing nicely though and with any luck both cars should be complete in 2 weeks.