Ok so my 99 z24 has a rod knocking and i hear they are bad about that...so instead of rebuilding the engine or buying a different one ( mine only has 79k miles) i was thinking about converting to rwd i have a 4.3l from a 96 blazer....i don't really want to switch frames and cut it out to fit to an s-10 or blazer frame.. is there any way i can cut a channel in the floor board wide enough to stick the tranny and drive shaft back to the real wheels and make my own tunnel from sheet metal to form a tunnel? or should i just slap another fwd motor (i have 3.1 from a 96 regal fwd and tranny)
If you have to ask then you should not be thinking about this swap. There is this amazing feature of the site that is called a "search" It answers questions like this. USE IT
I did search...i just need to know if i have to switch frames or if i can get away with just fabricating a path for the new drive train... if you didnt kno the anwser why post?
I have a 4.3 and i'm pretty sure you would have fitment issues. It is an inline 6 with water pump driven pump. It is long! you would probably have to move your firewall or extend your front end somehow. The mounts would be very difficult to fabricate.
But seriously, I think you are about to get a lot of flaming.
Sig'less since '02!
Simple answer: no, you don't have to switch frames, and yes, you can build your own tranny/drive shaft tunnel
The real answer: in order to get away without swapping frames, you need to connect the front and rear subframes to deal with the twisting force that will be applied to the unibody structure.
mitdr knows the answer, I'm sure. That being said, these type questions are asked too often in such a vague manner as you just did, giving an indication that the author of the post is already in over their head.
This type of a swap is for someone who is capable of designing and fabricating their own vehicle chassis, because that's basically what you're going to end up doing in the end. Someone with these skills would not post such a vague question. If you want a V6 swap, you may be able to handle a 3x00 swap, as it doesn't require major fabricating and a dramatic chassis redesign.
thats what the site is for right?...to ask questions.... im gathering info on what all would needed to be done to do something like this. the 4.3 is a v6 not a stright six...im in here trying to figure out what i can and cant do...if i mess it up or cant do it..all im out is a car that has a blown engine...i can research conecting the sub frames i know that i have to redo the whole wiring harness and fabriacte mounts and find a rear end. i need to find out the length of the wheel base and all that which is a few clicks away and the lentght of the drive shaft to the rear end i do kno a little bit...i have tons of time and an eagerness to learn...but you can write me off as whatever you like....ill put pics up if i get it done....
why not to just buy a rear wheel drive car and put your body panels on it. Im sure it will handle and be easier that way.
1999 - Cavalier - 5speed - Exhaust - 17" rims - carbon fiber hood - the beater
i thought about gettin a 240sx frame or maybe a jimmy/blazer frame...but i dont kno of any frames around here that havnt been wrecked or affordable...making the subframe connectors seems to be just a matter of taking a few messurements and welding either steel tubing or alum. tubing...i already have some 1in steel square tubing and i have access to a drive train. i just need to see what all i have to fabricate. just a matter of taking my time and getting things right.
ok I'm going to say just stick to fwd and be happy ok done
i have thot about doing a swap like this with the 4.3 v6 from my truck. i know a guy who put a 2nd gen on an s10 chassis with a 3.8 from a gnx and put a plow on it. ill post some picks of it next time i see him
ecotec maniac wrote:i have thot about doing a swap like this with the 4.3 v6 from my truck. i know a guy who put a 2nd gen on an s10 chassis with a 3.8 from a gnx and put a plow on it. ill post some picks of it next time i see him
not even REMOTELY the same, as the latter requires FAR less fabrication.
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i never said they were the same, i was just giving him an idea
ecotec maniac wrote:i never said they were the same, i was just giving him an idea
then you must have not read the original post. he wanted a stock looking cav/fire, with a 4.3 and rwd. that'd take massive amounts of fab. putting a j body on a s-series frame would not look even remotely stock. think a j with 16+ inches of lift.
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If your dead set on making your car rear wheel drive message this guy, his car still looks stock from the front.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e98C1UPcJAg&feature=related
You could always just do a 3400/3500 hybrid swap. Put a turbo on it, run 10 psi and make like 400whp, if power is your goal or a stock engine.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
I cant believe people like this. Motor is blown. But I have a random non performance engine sitting in my closet. Instead of going the cheaper route and buying a shell for it or selling it and buying the proper engine for my blown motor, Ill fabricate my whole $1500ish car to successfully install this closet engine... RWD at that. Because you have to do that if the engine only came RWD you know. Yes, much more convenient.
^^^Hahahaha. Ill take Craig in the center square for the win.
