The time has come to think about spicing up the El Camino.

Have an 86' that's getting tired. I have thought about several options.

1. Stroker (crate)
2. GM Fast Burn (crate) GM
3 LT1
4. LS1

I will be my daily driver only because I like the beast. EFI appeals to me as it conserves gas and handles better. (my opinion)

So, I ask they board for their thoughts. EFI or carb?

I'm leaning towards the LS1 or Lt1 but can't decide which is the better choice, all opinions appreciated. I would be using a donor car if I go this route.

What else do I need and any pitfalls I should watch out for.

I know several on the board have done this conversion....any insight, tips or parts lists would be very much appreciated.

Thanks In Advance :D
John

Between the LS1 and LT1, the LT1 is an easier install. You can use stock motor mounts, stock or any of the El Camino headers for the LT1. The LS1 you would need custom motor mounts and probably Camaro exhaust manifolds or you would need to get a header 'kit' to make some. The kit is a header flange and pieces of pipe that you tack togeather and then send back where you bought if from and they do the weld up on it.

For both enigines you would need to update the fuel system: Electric fuel pump, and a return line. And if you use the trannies that come with the motors a new tranny mount and driveshaft.

Both can and have been done. A good place to look for information on an LS1 setup is on www.ls1tech.com part way down is a Hybrid/Conversion section. You can spend days looking through some of the posts there. It will give you an idea whats involved for an LS1. Both are great motors and there are a ton of aftermarket parts if one doesn't have enough kick for you.

So, Vette LT1/4L60E is the easier of the two,

what about gauges and cooling (radiator)

do you have a parts list I could use as a guide?

thanks
john

The Vette is easier if you want Air Conditioning.

For gauges you can adapt your stock gauges. I opted for a complete set of Autometer gauges. One problem with what I did is there is not enough room for all of the gauges in the pod so I have an A-pillar gauge pod. Also I had to build a custom wire harness for this.

The radiator you can do a couple of things. 1. Use your stock radiator but have an inlet welded on to it for the return line from the heads/throttle body. 2. or I know of one person that put a radiator from a Camaro in his Elky.

There is a partial list of things that I bought on my web site if you want to look at it. www.poltergeist.us follow the link on the left to the El Camino section.

EFI

Okay I'm wanting to know how you fitted on the electric mirrors. Am tired of the no action wire controlled ones that I have on my 86. By the way Phil at BRP (Brewer Restoration Performance is dropping an LS1 into a G body el camino. Plans on marketing the mounts after he fabricates the first set (second set is mine). Has a big web site showing putting ls1 in a camaro among others. Waiting for mounts lucky its slow time of year.

Gary

Okay I'm wanting to know how you fitted on the electric mirrors. Am tired of the no action wire controlled ones that I have on my 86.

Gary are you asking me or someone else?

Rob.

Asking you. Your web site shows them under the 12-7 pics. Did you fabricate new pad for mounting or are they that close of a fit. Talked to a guy in florida who dropped ls1 in his el camino and he said that there is a company out there that makes pads for mirrors that will allow you to use different mirrors easy of course I still don't have the name of the company but reminded me to call him again.

Gary

The mirrors are from a 92 Camaro. But the funny thing is there is no difference between these mirrors and the ones that came on Vettes, T/As, Montes, etc. The difference is the pad. I looked for weeks to try and find them (pads) but they were not made anymore. I then saw that Dave at Lauren Eng. sells a mirror kit (wire ones) but the housing is the same. Gave him a call and he has a set of the originals that he made a mold from and now makes them himself. I had to spend a little time doing a light sanding to them to get them as smooth as I wanted, then primed and painted them semi-gloss black. Give him a call and let him know what you want and he will get them off to you. Dave told me I was the first to ever call and ask for just the pads which surprised me. I still need to wire in the mirrors but that's just 1 of the 1001 things left to do.

Rob,

I was in LA on business for couple of months and went over to meet him as I was looking at his ground effects packages. He was helpful as could be. Seems to run a good operation. Showed me pics of his camino and described his putting the interior together. His camino was in trucking couple of months ago. I will call him about the pads and get them ordered and off to the junk yard in search of mirrors. Huge swapmeet this weekend in Turlock so maybe I can score some there.

Gary

John,

I thought you might like to hear about my El Camino LT1 installation.

I put a 96 LT1/4L60E in my 83 Choo Choo back in 1998 and it's been a great combo. It's an Impala SS engine with a 94 Firebird computer and MAS.
Here how it looks:

http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/data/3145/17782ECengine.jpg

Btw, for the A/C compressor clearance I just used a torch to heat the frame to a glow and then dinged it in a little with a ballpeen hammer. It's real easy. ( The Impala SS LT1's have the same accessory set up as the Camaro/Firebird LT1's.)
Also, you must drill new holes in the frame pad (passenger side only) to accommodate the rearward location of the motor mount. Other than that it's a bolt in.
The tranny mount bolted right up to my crossmember with no mods but I had to have the driveshaft shortened.
I didn't even have to remove the fuel tank. I just poked a hole in the lower part of the filler neck and installed a fitting with epoxy for the return fuel line.

Roger

Hay man i was in the same situation not to long ago, but i chose the lt1 its way simpler to put in then the ls1. To the ls1 to fit there is alot of mods go to this gage and you can see them
http://www.hotrodlane.cc
and this is a page with the lt1 mods
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/4955/camaro1.html

if you still consider running the ls1 go to this for the guys there can help you and alot of them have also done the lt1.

Im just in the mids of getting a 96 / 97 lt1 and t56 six speed for my 69 chevelle malibu. If you have any questions i might be able to give you the answer.

jim

Also keep in mind that if you want to do any kind of upgrades to the engine later down the road, parts for the LT1 will be cheaper. Also the LS1 swap will require modification of the oil pan in order to fit it in the chassis (I think)

Heres an excellent site about swapping an LS1/T56 into a Monte Carlo.

http://www.montecarloss.com/ls1montecarloss/

Here is his homepage

http://home.earthlink.net/~bzdel/index1.htm

ya you do have to change the pan. What ends up happenign is the lower sump area gets shotend and the sump pick up tube has to be lengthened. Because of the new block lay out the motor sits to far back in the bay so you have to get some relocating brackets. wonce this is done there is the situation with your front pullies end up getting in the way of you k member. In lue of this you have to relocat the alternator and the air conditioner. As you can tell its one hell of a job i havnt done it my self but i have been in contact with alot of ppl that have and done realy realy alot of reserch on the net

me i would go for a stroked out lt1 or ls1, but thats just me. but the lt1 or the ls1 would both be good options with respectable hp.

LS1 with LS6 heads and intake and a fat cam,and you'd be rollin'

John,

I thought you might like to hear about my El Camino LT1 installation.

I put a 96 LT1/4L60E in my 83 Choo Choo back in 1998 and it's been a great combo. It's an Impala SS engine with a 94 Firebird computer and MAS.
Here how it looks:
http://home.austin.rr.com/roadster/LT1.jpg

Btw, for the A/C compressor clearance I just used a torch to heat the frame to a glow and then dinged it in a little with a ballpeen hammer. It's real easy. ( The Impala SS LT1's have the same accessory set up as the Camaro/Firebird LT1's.)
Also, you must drill new holes in the frame pad (passenger side only) to accommodate the rearward location of the motor mount. Other than that it's a bolt in.
The tranny mount bolted right up to my crossmember with no mods but I had to have the driveshaft shortened.
I didn't even have to remove the fuel tank. I just poked a hole in the lower part of the filler neck and installed a fitting with epoxy for the return fuel line.

Roger

I think I read somewhere else that the stock V8 motor mounts worked "as is" on an LT1 swap? Your 4L60e tranny bolted up to the stock crossmember? Was that an automatic crossmember? That would be great as I have a '79 Elky and I just bought a '96 LT1 conversion out of a Camaro. As you can tell I'm confused. :)

I think I read somewhere else that the stock V8 motor mounts worked "as is" on an LT1 swap? Your 4L60e tranny bolted up to the stock crossmember? Was that an automatic crossmember? That would be great as I have a '79 Elky and I just bought a '96 LT1 conversion out of a Camaro. As you can tell I'm confused. :)

On the Corvette LT1, yes, motor mounts as-is. On the Firebird/Camaro/Impala SS LT1, you have to move the passenger side mounting bracket back. It's easy to do.

Yes, mine was a stock automatic crossmember.

Btw, sorry it took me so many years to answer. I forgot to subscribe to the thread.:wow:

Put a 93 LT1 in my 72 it was a bolt in swap except for the 6 speed shifter. If you go LT1 go with 94 or newer the 93 had the unique computer they used with that years Fbodies and the LT5 Corvette. If you loose the ECM your done. They don't make them anymore and no one has a core to rebuild. The other advantage is that the 94 went sequential. If you do get a 93 you can upgrade it to the 94 with very little work. I am heading that way now with the help from speed scene wiring. They did my original harness conversion for the first swap instal. It's a hoot to drive with the 4.11's the overdrive of the 93 6 speed makes it cruise at about 2600 at 70 MPH. It is lightning quick with the 3.08 first gear of the 93 T56. The only trouble I have is getting seat time in it with 2 sons. All though the oldest is out on his own now :twisted:. So one more to go and it's all mine again.

Wow, talk about dredging up an old thread.......

Thanks for the info beestoys keep us updated on your progress.

Wow, talk about dredging up an old thread.......


Wow, talk about dredging up an old thread.......

LOL sorry john didn't see the date and I haven't been in here for a while. Camino is in the run as you have it stage right now. Been like that for a couple years I had a catastrophic failure between water pump, distributor, coil and computer. It took me almost a year to get it all figured out. That's also when I found out about the scarcity of the 93 ECM's. Hence the change over idea to the 94 system. I have been talking with Zac at Speed Scene he set up my first install building the entire harness and reprogramming the computer for me at the same time. He had a similar issue in his S10 conversion and was the one that turned me onto the 94 system upgrade. He is going to fab a new harness for 500.00 to make it a plug and play. The only thing I have to add is the MAF sensor which I got as part of the computer deal. This powertrain will eventually find it's way in my oldest sons 91 Firebird that is setting next to the garage. The 6 speed will stay but is going behind a 489 big block I have had for a while now. That engine has a Holley 2x4 tunnel ram injection system Valley head services raised port aluminum heads and a Holley Annihilator ignition system.
The big issue as we all know is putting together the pennies to do this so it takes time. But I know one day it will be there and as fun as the LT1 is I Know the big block will be even more fun.

That's great man, I'm happy for you. I love a happy ending. Good luck with the big block.