I have a friend that is putting a L3 with a T 6060 trans in a 56 Cascade Green Vette. It is, and had to be, a compact engine package just to fit. It came with a non matching 265 cid with 2 fours engine that he is going to sell. I cannot remember if the original trans was a 3 speed manual or a power glide. (The four speed trans did not arrive for Vettes until I think the 57 model year.) Anyway---- getting the shorties, the steering, the brake booster, the AC and the hydro boost in this 56 Vette has been uncharted territory. I saw a GAS Monkey Garage program recently wherein they were attempting to put a 2015, 6.4 HEMI Scat Pak drive train in a 71 340 E body MOPAR. Boy, the MOPAR package is powerful, but not compact it is not. They had a hell of a time with the modifications. It made me think about why the LS engines are so often used for these transplants.
I am putting a 5.3 in a 1981 Mazda RX7. It is a tight fit but it is in there. I recently saw a mazda Miata with a LS2 and the water pump was 1/2" from electric cooling fan.
All kinds of stuffing can be achieved. One of my friends put a 383 in a '63 (I think) Dart. He had to cut holes in the fender wells to feed the headers through. No way stock manifolds were going to work with that. He's dead now, but taught me a lot about performance and racing.
I appriciate everones input. positive or negetive ..... I'm still in the "thinking about it" stage . Earliest would be about a year from now. Still researching and planning . Its all good to think about ! This is the place to help me for sure! Keep it coming !!!
Just do what I did: buy an engine without a plan to begin with, that will get you started :TU: So far I have one lesson learned: In the deal I got the Moroso 20140 oil pan. That one has a couple of AN-10s instead of the original oil filter bracket. What that means is you will have to spend another $200 on oil filter accommodation. I don't know what other oil pans might fit, maybe the 20140 is our only options.
Been on the LS Tech site and there is a ton of info on there . I like the advice of just get the motor and go from there! Hope something happens this upcoming winter .....
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?285229-My-1965-Skylark-Wagon I'm currently in the process of putting a 5.3l/4L60E into my 65 Wagon. I did a similar swap to my 68 C10 with a 4.8L/4L85E and I love it. -Josh
lucerne has caddi norstar motors but some of the lacrosses i think had 5.3 option when the impalas did. ranier did ha.ve a 5.3. lacrosse had the 5.3 also. i googled it. also the sbc sbo and lt1 was offered in a buick in the 90s. the ls engine though is a cross platform engine that shares nothing with the old chevy engines so i dont get the hate at all.
well you would have to clearence for it but the thing would bolt to a ls1 since it was behind it oem for cheap. the only 5 speed i remember behind a ls1 is the nv3500 in the 4.8 (very early 5.3 trucks too) or nv4500 which was behind the 6.0 and a huge hd truck set up. t5 or something like that is going to cost more cause you will have to get parts to bolt it up. which i know you could get it but by the time you spent the money the used t56 could be setting under there. the nv3500 would be cheap but they wont hold up to alot of power hence the reason the 5.3 5 speed option was dropped.
If you're going to build the engine for any kind of power i would stay away from the T56. You have t spend considerable money to get one thats been modified (with T6060 guts) to survive past anything over 500rwhp. Depending on your budget i would go with a newer T6060 from the start but if you're going to keep the power below 500 a t56 will be fine...just get a good twin disc clutch.
