Chevette swap;which engine is best?

[ChevetteLE]

Greetings,

Cool site,don't hate the new guy. I've been visiting this site for a year or two and now and I want to finish my Chevette project.

Anyway,the purpose of this exercise is to build a 13sec. Chevette for $1000.

Of course,it's give and take,I can tell you a couple of neat things about Chevettes,and maybe,you can tell me which engine I should look for to complete this project.

First of all,as engine swaps go,I need to make motor mounts,so FWD or RWD is of little concern,as is the bellhousing/torque converters.

Anyway,after several visits to this site,I have determined that I should look for a "GenIII 3400" with a full roller valvetrain? Yes???

I already know that the oil pan and timing cover should match and I must use Camaro/S-10 accessory drives and Aluminum heads are not drilled for RWD accessories.

OK,for you Chevette guys,you probably already know about putting Isuzu Impulse front brakes on a Chevette.
The spindle and the tie rods,they bolt on.

The Fatter Isuzu rear axle requires a little bit of cutting/welding on the torque tube mount,aside from that,it's abolt in,and usually has a sway bar on it.
The only problem is that a posi costs $1400.

The Monza/late Vega rear end is a GM 7.5",you have to replace(welding) all of the mounts an it's a drum brake.

Junkyard posi's are available.

Some people put S-10 rears in Chevettes,but that's just dangerous.They cut the leaf spring.

Well,if I go to the pick and pull,what's the best all around torque motor?(EFI/SFI)

THanks,Lawrence

[Bones]

First of all,as engine swaps go,I need to make motor mounts,so FWD or RWD is of little concern,as is the bellhousing/torque converters.

It's easiest to use a RWD block because the starter is already on the passanger side and it will bolt right up to whatever tranny you're using. There's plenty of info on this site and on the rest of the internet as far as what bolts up and what doesn't, what parts are best, etc. so you'll have to do some searching and decide what will work best for you.

I'm preparing a motor for a chevette swap myself: a '95 3.4L camaro block with the top-end from a 2001 malibu. I've got a bigger budget and I'm hoping to be pushing high 12s and still maintaining good gas mileage. If you wait around a couple months I'll let you know how it turned out.

[Superdave]

i'd go with a 3500 LX9 (well, and i did.. lol)

201 HP stock, decent cam and good exhaust will put a Chevette in the 13's easy on that.


One of these days i hope to find a good Chevette to swap.. I did find a '71 Vega for $750 though...

[Bones]

One of these days i hope to find a good Chevette to swap..

It's amazing to me how much people are willing to pay for a decent chevette, but they ARE fun cars... like an over-sized go-cart. Mine's got the best handbrake of any car I've ever driven

[ChevetteLE]

Thanks guys,

The 3.4 Camaro engines look good,a 100hp boost for 100lb. weight penalty.

But I want the big valve,splayed valve aluminum heads with SEFI and full roller valvetrain and the big port tuned ram manifold.

The local "pick and pull" sells a complete engine(flexplate to ALDL) for about $150,if the parts are there or not.

Let me reiterate the $1000 budget here.(minus wheels,tires and paint,of course.)

I guess you guys know all of the "pick it yourself", junkyard tips,you look for a "scorpion"(badly rear-ended) or a "K-car"(T-boned) and the engine is probably good.

So, do you think that the 96-97 Lumina APV/Sillhouette 3400's are the best junkyard dogs for my purpose?

Isuzu trannys have a driver side mounted starter.

Thanks, Lawrence

PS Cool Z,Superdave,how about Pontiac 6000STS AWD?

[Superdave]

Thanks I'd break the AWD on the first launch


with 3400's the newer the better, 03+ are the best.

[SappySE107]

00-02 are best IMO 10mm rocker arm bolts > 8mm rocker arm bolts

You do not want a minivan motor. They have the worst environment and usually have rear head issues. Their intake manifolds suck too.

[Bones]

Isuzu trannys have a driver side mounted starter.

Didn't know that, but the starter might hit the steering shaft anyway. Even if it doesn't it will really limit your options for routing the exhaust down.

[ChevetteLE]

Thanx guys,

OK,back to the original premise...what would be the best complete engine to yank and just drop in?(with a posi,a torquey 3.4 should get me into the 14's,and I can build on that.)
Or,better yet,what would be the best junkyard combo?

Heads,Intake,crank,pistons,cams,rockers....etc.?

Junkyard stuff here is very cheeeep.

What is the best manifold-head combo?

Anyway,I need a torquey 200 HP engine,if I can get a basic 160 HP engine that can be upgraded to 200HP....

Thanx,Lawrence

PS,My house is paid off,I can refinance it and buy a ZO-6 Corvette,there's no honor in that.

[SappySE107]

all 3400 is the cheapest.

3500 is the most efficient for the money.

3400 block, 3.4 DOHC pistons and rods (rod are the same), stock 3400 oil pump, 4.2 trail blazer injectors or 3800 SC, 3500 non VVT heads and manifolds. You will need the TB adapter and thats about it. over 12:1 compression too. Better get the double roller chain setup and modify the crank. Add a cam and headers and you have over 250 whp easily. Simulations show over 300 crank

[ChevetteLE]

Thanx,

I hope that I can remember all of that..

Are all 3400 blocks roller cams?

Roller rockers?

InterchangeabilitY?

Double roller-Cloyes,got it!

I'm starting to work on aesthetics now.

Coolest looking valve covers?....lol

Lawrence,thanx!

[SappySE107]

cloyes double roller only fits the RWD setup with non roller cam. TCE is releasing a double roller for the FWD setup that is adjustable but I don't have them yet. They require more work but if you have it all apart, its not that bad.

All 3400s are roller cam. roller rockers are all the same for these motors until you get into the VVT pushrods (not compatible).

[ezrollin]

I've got a book that has a factory 2.8 chevette swap,it was a proto-type and would apply to the 2.8-3.4 rwd engines. I could probably get some useful info but will have to pick it up next trip up to Inverness.

[mrdontplay]

Hate to resurrect an old thread but i found it searching for chevette swaps. Does anyone on the forum have a 60 degree swapped chevette? hope to keep the thread going. I am also planning a swap for my chevette.I'm leaning towards the ecotec but I haven't decided.

[lampy]

chevette swap

I dont have a V6 powered Vette .....YET..... I have an 83 chevette with a junk 1.6 and a 2.8 stroked to 3.1 on an engine stand. The vette has the th200c in it, trying to figure out if the 2.8 will bolt up or not found some old threads about the th200 sounds like it might bolt right up. The way the mounts are set up in the in the vette fabbing mounts should be easy, I'll keep checking on this thread and update my progress if you are interested.