Renken2000Classic
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- May 10, 2022
- Messages
- 248
I've got a complete drivetrain from a wrecked '98 Firebird Formula that I'm not sure what to do with. I saved it with the intent of putting the engine, or engine and trans in one of my other vehicles. The car drives though, so my choices are really:
1. Try to put it back together and drive it as what it is. It is damaged in the front (a $1 or 1.5k parts donor vehicle might be the way to go there). It drives like it is, so I keep everything circulated periodically.
2. Pull the engine and trans and then decide what to put it in (2, maybe 3 choices, all old).
3. Let it go to my heirs, lol, or
4. Just sell it if I can get at least like $2k for it.
One thing (of many probably) about doing a swap is that it has a chip key; something in the steering column that's tied to the motor and won't let the thing start if it doesn't see the chip. I think there's a way around it, but not sure what it is; prob an aftermarket fix. One little thing like that can stop you cold.
Now that I bring that up though, I'm reminded that the engine is actually from a Corvette... it was replaced at a dealership many years ago; I'm not sure what they did or had to do to make that work since the ignition switch seems original.
Several choices. Probably what I'd most like to do involves 2 motor swaps with the older vehicles, but not sure that's practical. What I'd most need to do would just be use the LS1 in place of a worn out truck engine, but I'd like to keep the engine and trans together and the truck's a manual.
Just looking for some opinions, and conversation re. My tastes are a little different, so anything I did with it would not be show car type stuff; just running and driving fun vehicle.
1. Try to put it back together and drive it as what it is. It is damaged in the front (a $1 or 1.5k parts donor vehicle might be the way to go there). It drives like it is, so I keep everything circulated periodically.
2. Pull the engine and trans and then decide what to put it in (2, maybe 3 choices, all old).
3. Let it go to my heirs, lol, or
4. Just sell it if I can get at least like $2k for it.
One thing (of many probably) about doing a swap is that it has a chip key; something in the steering column that's tied to the motor and won't let the thing start if it doesn't see the chip. I think there's a way around it, but not sure what it is; prob an aftermarket fix. One little thing like that can stop you cold.
Now that I bring that up though, I'm reminded that the engine is actually from a Corvette... it was replaced at a dealership many years ago; I'm not sure what they did or had to do to make that work since the ignition switch seems original.
Several choices. Probably what I'd most like to do involves 2 motor swaps with the older vehicles, but not sure that's practical. What I'd most need to do would just be use the LS1 in place of a worn out truck engine, but I'd like to keep the engine and trans together and the truck's a manual.
Just looking for some opinions, and conversation re. My tastes are a little different, so anything I did with it would not be show car type stuff; just running and driving fun vehicle.
