Well I was looking around and I can see that the 3100, 3400, 3500 swaps into sunfires are more common, but I wanna go all out and go with the 3800 S/C V6 from the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. I have a few questions from anyone who can help me with this.

1) I know I can use the existing transmission since my sunfire came with the 2.2OHV on the 3400 swap but can I use it on the 3800 S/C swap

2) What kind of mounts do I need? I know they need to be custom, but what kinds?

3) Is there any firewall cutting or strut tower modifications?

Any other help would be much appreciated.

Alex . wrote:1) I know I can use the existing transmission since my sunfire came with the 2.2OHV on the 3400 swap but can I use it on the 3800 S/C swap

Yes, the 3800 shares the same bellhousing. The only thing you're going to have to mod is the flywheel. I believe it requires a machined down F-body one.

Alex . wrote:2) What kind of mounts do I need? I know they need to be custom, but what kinds?

You're going to need mounts that bolt to the block at the accessory end from the bottom. I believe all of the guys who have done a 3800 have attached the mounts to the custom sub frame (all have made a custom subframe)

Alex . wrote:3) Is there any firewall cutting or strut tower modifications?

No on both accounts. The engine fits in the bay rather well, but the radiator needs to be moved forward a bit, and the mounts are all custom. Other than that, it's not really a shoehorn job (like the 3.4 DOHC, 3.5 DOHC or the Northstar )

Alright thank you.

Is there anyone out there who has done this swap that can give me some pointers, or who has written up a little step by step guide

i think i remember lenko did this

http://www.j-body.org/members/jlenko/cars/4/

lets not forget Raven



Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!

Devon Madison
http://www.j-body.org/members/z24unit97/cars/1/

myself included

if you want a step by step you shouldn't do this swap you know how long it will take to do this swap if we had to stop and write things down

the mounts i used are
NOVA trans mount (energy suspension urethane mount) lower engine and lower trans
stock 5spd front mount uethane
2 custom dog bones

look in the 3rd gen section for NOTa2-4 i got all my pics in there not really de tailed but just so you know no one has done the same mounts everyones are a little different

also you have to use the 3800 camero flywheel its tho thick so machine it down to .84" from then centre ring so the part that touches the engine to the clutch surface has to be .84, this its 1.14" you will be takin a lot off.


JBO since July 30, 2001

http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=30&i=45918&t=45918


JBO since July 30, 2001

I did this swap into my 99 sunfire (the 3800 s/c swap) It does take alot of time and work but i would say it is worth it!!! check my site it might help. here is the link : http://www.cardomain.com/ride/758239

i think what would really be interesting is to just bypass all the 3. V6s and put the 4.3 vortec in a sunfire that car would probably haul so much a$$.

Bill wrote:i think what would really be interesting is to just bypass all the 3. V6s and put the 4.3 vortec in a sunfire that car would probably haul so much a$$.

Have fun. The 4.3 does not share the bellhousing with any of the other V6's. It uses the SBC pattern, for which there is no FWD tranny. I have heard of people making adapter plates for bellhousings, but now you're getting into a major fabbing swap.

Now a RWD 4.3 conversion could be quite sick, though, especially if you went with one from a Syclone or Typhoon.

or justhte 95 Safari with the HO motor in it ;P

this is what's probably going into the other project car. . IF I can find a 5-speed manual to hook up to it.

yeah exactly my point brad, Why not the 4.3 heck people have put V8's in sunfires and cavys why not a vortec engine.

why the 4.3 the 3800SC has more power the nthe 4.3 does

there what 190hp and 250 ftlbs
3800sc is 240hp and 280 ftlbs way more aftermarket out ther for the 3800 since it comes factory with a supercharger you can get any sized pully u want



JBO since July 30, 2001

Gee why not a suburban engine why not a 5.7, why not a 454 that has way more power than your supercharged V6. And other people have put V8's in J's before.

Probably because of the cost for the power. To do the V8 swap, or just to convert to RWD in general is gonna cost way more than an L67 swap and a bunch of upgrades.

Well true if you did the V8 swap you would probably be paying through the nose for the power, but it would probably be worth every penny.

why is it all these nebs have no cars in there profile
a V8 would be worth it in the car but you have to do it right anyone can put a V8 in there cavalier but to get it to run on the street is a different story theres the north star Z24 which is probably the sexiest swap to date a 454 woul dbe nice but not practical for daily driving and would likely be a trailer queen the 3800 is as big as you get without modifications to the engien bay and depending on how you do it you may choose to like my swap i beefed things up around the upper mount



JBO since July 30, 2001

a Northstar in an older Z24, i bet that car would be a rocket going down the road.

Bill wrote:Well true if you did the V8 swap you would probably be paying through the nose for the power, but it would probably be worth every penny.

The only thingit would be worth is if you're using it as a straight up drag car. Other than that, some people need to get thear head out of the old days and start to realize that you don't need a big V8 to make power and good times.

What does having a V8 prove? That you have the ability to purchase parts and throw them on a car. Nothing more. I love to see it when people just throw @!#$ on and have no idea what they're doing, and just making their magical V8 even slower than what it was. Perhaps being 50-60 years old and needing doseage of viagra in order to make sexy time would sway my view a bit though into thinking that a V8 is the end all solution to all vehicles.

probably so sho off.

yeah go as big as you can with the least trouble.
my opinion is a 3400 max.... 3800 would require much more work with the subframe. If you have the time and cash go for the 3800.

with my cav I went with the 3400, It was an auto car so I kept the auto.
As with my s10, well it has too much for the street and my heavy foot. EFi 406, Twins... and the 6 speed viper trans...
Ill agree with you shooff to a certain point. Yeah its easier to get hp out of a v8 by bolting on parts, but thats cause the cubic inches are there. Even a poorly tuned 400 will run pretty good. I still think that displacement rules.




01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e

Jo you mention the S10 those either came with a 4 banger or a V6 right, the V6 being the 4.3 can you take the 4.3 on those and put a smaller V6 like the 3.1, 3.4 3,8 etc in. Or like wise could you take a small V8 and put it in those trucks or would there not be enough room in the engine bay.

there's a corvette motor in one S10 out in Alberta, so it's been done before for the S trucks.

as for going smaller, I think you could only really get the 3800 out of a Camaro into there cause it's one of the only other V6's that are RWD. I haven't seen a 3400 or 3100 in RWD before.