Today I finally started what is going to be a long drawn out prject car. My '90 Z is finally going to get the attention that it deserves. Today I started to tear the car down. I gutted the interior which lead to the discovery of my water intrusion problems. Good 'ol seam on every second gen had finally started to eat itself a little bit. My floors surprisingly are 100% solid and have no rust on them at all. They really did a nice job of holding the water in the car. lol, Today being as I had the day off I decided to go into work and tear the drivetrain out of the car. So I now have a 3.1 and a 3spd auto with 142,000kms on them for sale if anyone wants them. I need to get rid of them because I have no room for them since my 3800 will be on its way soon. Needless to say I have alot of work ahead of me so if anyone has any info for a series II 3800 s/c swap with a 5spd that would be greatly appreciated. The motor won't be going in anytime soon as I'm completely doing the body and having it ready in primer before I install the drivetrain. If anyone has or knows anyone that has a 5spd getrag out of a secong gen for sale that would be awsome. If I could get the whole assembly that would be even better....axles, cables, shifter, pedal and linkage...all that stuff...The motor will be going in stock at first with the exception of a power pulley for the supercharger to get everything set up right. Then all the power goodies will be going on after. I'll keep my progress posted as it may be slow for the time being as I'm an apprentice at a GM dealership so they have me working Monday-Saturday. Updates soon...




1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

while your at it are you using the W body spindles and such to... that way you can use the GTP axels (bigger ends) and GTP ball joint (bolts right on) and you get an 11" rotor, also an 98-02 F body caliper bracket and 12" rotor will bolt onto the W body spindle giving you 12" rotors, and a corvette caliper will bolt onto the F body caliper bracket if you wanted a nice ribbed aluminum 2 piston caliper, unlike the F body caliper that is 2 piston but not ribbed so it may spread under high load.... its a bolt on deal and since your cars all apart anyways and you'll have a ton more power when your done why not stop it just as quick as you get it going... its way cheaper than a big brake kit to, only problem is you get the bigger 5x115mm bolt patern, but then you can use the cool 5 star GTP rims.

Hey thanks for the idea. I was thinking about what to do about the brakes. Since yeah, the car will be a monster even with just a stock 3800 s/c. Being as I don't plan on keeping the motor stock for long once its in the car running properly stopping on a dime would also be a good idea. Now my question is will the the gtp axles work with the v6 getrag transmission? Or am I going to have to make some custom axles too. Either way I'll try and make it all work. I really like your idea though. Now I just gotta get some extra free time so I can start working on the car again. I think tomorrow I can so I'll be pulling the gas tank, might as well cause if I'm cutting and welding the last thing I need is a big fire. Plus it also has 3/4 of a tank of fresh gas in it from when I got it a couple of weeks ago. So I can fill up my other car lol. Any more ideas or suggestions keep em coming please. I plan on making this a really good all around car. thanks in advance.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

being the 3800 never came with a 5 speed, you will need a custom flywheel machined. if you are set on a 5 speed, you will need to use the j-body axles. gtp outer axle ends may fit the j-body axle, but you would have to try it to be sure. the thing with using a w-body strut and knuckle is its a bit longer so thew car is gonna sit higher. i personaly would use a j-body strut and a cadillac sts knuckle and brakes, that has already been proven to work quite well. dont forget you need to make custom mounts, headers, ect for it.

my personal opinion is a 3800 s/c is not worth the work. a 3400 is a bolt in, and a stock motor will hold 10psi without any issue. a turbo 3400 at 10psi will make 300hp, and there is a ton of room to grow on power. for what you spend putting a 3800 in it, you could have a rather nicly built 3400 turbo that could put out 350-400hp.

Thanks for the advice and info. I do know what is needed for the swap the suspension and brakes is something I do not know that much about so I'm really grateful for the advice and info. I know I need a custom flywheel. One from a standard firebird will work once it's machined to proper specs. It will be fairly costly yes but the performance route I am going with this motor will have it around the 400-450 hp range once I'm completely done with it. I will also be using the ZZP NIC cam which will have everyone scratching there head cause a guy I work with has one in his g.p. GTP and it sounds like it has a big block on idle. It's pure greatness. I know I have to do alot of wiring and motor mounts and all that stuff to. I have worked with a guy who is also going to help me with this car who does engine swaps on fiero's all the time. Currently we are putting a twin turbo 6.0L v8 in it with a old front wheel drive v8 transmission from an old cadillac eldorado. So from a fabrication stand point we really arent that limited to what we can do with my car. I know it fits and budget wise me and him can do it for a sum of about $2,000 so I'm not complaining. Keep in mind this price is including the stock 3800 s/c motor, 5spd getrag, flywheel, performance clutch and various other things. The price will increase as I find more things such as suggested the brake and suspension swap which I willl deffinately looking into. THanks again for the advice and info.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

you should set up a cardomain site with pics of the entire buildup and info if you haven't already, and if you have, what is the link.

i am very interested as i have been eyeing up this swap as well. trying to figure out what tranny to use.

is there any 6 spds out there that would fit? not sure if gm is even doing any front wheel 6 spds actually. sorry if it was a dumb question.


DEF BOY customs
92 Z24 tuckin 19's
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

No I havent set up a cardomain yet but I will be soon. Currently the car is at my work sitting like a drag car...lol Looks wicked when the engine and tranny are out and the suspension is completely unloaded. And about your 6spd transmission question...Well it's actually not dumb at all...see GM mass produced the 6spd for the G6 GTP and now they're overstocked and I can get my hands on one for approx. $1000 canadian. I'm looking into this to see how well it will work cause then I would have to get into getting completely custom axles made whereas the stock 5spd that comes in our second gen cars will also work...But the idea of 3800 s/c V6 6spd manual sounds pretty killer to me. I'll look into the details and let you guys know about it later....Now that I'm finally going to get some free time this week I can get started on doing some of the body work and clear out the engine bay to the bare necessities.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

I found outsome new things about that brake swap, if you use 99+ N-body spindles (aluminum) the F body caliper bolts directly to it with no redrilling of holes and then you can run the vette caliper, the wheel bearing and drive shaft end is the same for W-body and 99+ N-body and you need to use the 99+ N body lower ball joint cause its longer, with the N body spinlde it makes everything easier, it just all bolts on.
also if your droping the tank when you put a new one in get one from a 98+ (i think) J-body, they are the exact same dimention wise but they are plastic and thus lighter and no worries about rust ever again.

Hey thanks alot for the added info, I was actually wondering myself If the newer plastic gas tanks would work. And the brake swap sounds like a great investment. Although I wont be able to run my 14 sleeper alloys once the vette calipers are on lol. I asume I'll have to go with an 18 wheel combo with that brake setup? I was planning on using an 18 anyway. Just have to try and control my foot as not to burn them off. Oh well fun costs money. Especially when you have owned 3 cavaliers. Thanks for the added info, and hopefully next week I'll have some pics and stuff to show were I'm at thus far.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

Back from the dead. I finally have time to start working on the car again and will have pics within the next few days. The car is going to be going in a slightly different direction but I'm still planning on using a 3.8v6. Being as II recently moved out of the parents house and such this is a slow going build ephasis on slow, Because more or less everything is going to be getting done at once. With the drivetrain and removin all the rust being the biggest parts. Pretty much everything is currently stripped and the sand blasting will be started next week. This car will be done somday its just a matter of when.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

Plastic tank idea... I don't believe they're the same, but if you decide to use one you'll want to sit down with service manuals and check sending unit resistance. I believe it changed in 'mid '98 or '99. Not so fun to get the tank installed only to have to pull it to change the sending unit.

Also, 93+ tanks have a modular sending unit rather than the older assembly with a separate pump. The modular sender costs more to replace, and upgrading the pump properly is an issue. So far I've only seen one company selling an upgrade fuel pump with the correct connections for the "jet pump" in the bottom of the modular sender. The jet pump is a venturi effect pump which keeps the cup of the sender full even if the tank level is below the top of the cup. Without a functioning jet pump you're likely to experience the same fuel starvation issues that guys with 3rd gen Js experience when they try installing the Blazer pump. If you're clever you could get a pump from an LS1 equipped F car and work it in there, but it's a whole lot easier to stick with the older tank and pump imo.

While you're looking for rust be sure to look at the inner fenders in front of the strut towers just below the hood line. The inner and outer fenders are bolted together there and it's a common area for rust to develop, at least here in New England. Also look at typical areas such as rockers and front lower section of rear 1/4 panels. Sucks to do a bunch of mechanical work only to find the car is rusting away afterward.

Sounds like you work for a decent dealership if they're letting you work on your car there. That can be worth much more than a pay raise at the end of a year.

-->Slow

The WannaBeGTP
WannaBeGTP..2
WannaBeGTP..3


last but not least the GPC-gay purple cav. My dd.

Here are a few pics I took with my cell phone last night. I have a long ways to go being as the engine bay is looking pretty empty. Right now the objective is to redo the fire wall..aka get rid of the ledge that cause our cars carpet to get wet when it rains. Lots more to come within the next couple of weeks.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

And yes the dealership is great for letting us work on and build our cars in the shop. We have a built 2, 11 second grand prixs and a 12 second fiero. Not to mention a giant lifted 89 jeep yj with a 350 chevy motor. Our managers are just as big of gear heads as we are. Monday through thursday I can work on my car from 5 when we close until 9 when the whole building gets closed.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

Gawd, that's clean by our standards. My 93 is parked because holes were developing in it. And it's still in better shape than many on the road here.

Now if your purple car was a 94 coupe, I'd have to talk with you. My wife wants to replace the 93 with a purple 94 and I'm not about to buy a potential rust bucket from this area.

-->Slow

Yeah I'm not complaining with the shape that my '90 is in. It has 142,000 original kms. I bought it off some old lady who had it since new for $200. It has really only two bad sections. The fire wall and the hidden hole behind the drivers side skirt at the front fender. Really that about all needs to be repaired. The rear fender lips have minor cancer that just started to come through when I bought the car so really its a solid car I just want all of the rust to be gone 'cause I plan on keeping it for a long time. It will never be driven in winter again thats for sure. I dont think a z with a 3.8 turbo would handle rain let alone snow anyway. As for the gas tank the one in the car is bad I was just looking at options for the future. Deff. thanks for the info. Monday I'll be back at it removing the engine harness and the drivers seat and start sandblasting my firewall. step by step it'll get there.
Slowolej Have you taken you '93 to the track? and your monte carlo sounds prettty sick.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.

No, the '93 never went to the track. I didn't want to abuse the Isuzu trans or take a chance breaking the spaghetti axles they use in the 2.2 5 spd. The next car will have a better trans and engine and I'l probably get it down to the local 1/4.

The Monte was fun for a lot of years. It wasn't so much a race car as more like a Caddy. Big engine, smooth ride, builds enough speed to launch a Missile. It's rusted now, too, mostly from sitting in a friend's yard for years. That's another car with over 200k miles on the body. I'm going to strip out the powertrain and look for another Monte to put it in. Someday. When I get some of these other projects done.

-->Slow

Ouch....So I worked on my car again the other night...continueing to strip it down I removed every last bit of interior pieces the z24 kit and lastly the fenders and got a not so nice surprise. The front lift point at the drivers door, from the lower hinge down the frame is ....GONE!! while loosening the two lower fender bolts it tore off the mount fromt the frame structre itself. F$$K I'll have pictures later.
Verdict is to scrap it find another car and use all the pieces i want or to put all the effort into sectioning in another piece of frame.


1990 Z24, mint shape-Under construction...soon to be Z24GTP
1996 cavalier base sedan aka the "purple people eater" my beater
1999 Z24-Sold.