LS7 Swap into V6 cheaper than factory?
 

So I was dreaming about the new Camaro when I woke up this morning, and I had a thought... You could MAKE a LT1 for pretty cheap money! Check my math:

1) Lets just say the V6 Camaro starts at $24,000

2) Lets just say you could still buy a new LS7 for $13,000 in 2009

3) Lets say you bought the stock engine controller for ~$400 (as currently listed) and it worked in the V6 Camaro with no issues.

4) Lets say you bought a nice kit that fit this engine into this chassis for $2000 (probably high) from GM or aftermarket...

5) Lets say you also bought the TREMEC 6 speed manual for $3000 (maybe low?)

6) And now lets say you add in some nicer shocks, brakes, and "details" of your choosing for another $5000...

...............

Now you have a 500hp 2009 Camaro for $47,400 with probably better parts than factory... AND you could probably sell of that nice-new V6/tranny combo for a few grand to offset some of the other costs...

Does this make sense? Do you think the factory could do it for less?

I'm not necessarily advocating this, but it makes me feel a lot better than an LT1 2009 Camaro could be had for similar cost to a Shelby GT500!

It would be a pretty cool project anyway... :headbang:

Thoughts?

~LSx

The factory could do it for a lot less, IMO. Parts seem to always cost more seperately than they do as a whole.

Factory for sure.

I think the factory could do it for less, although I still think you are right that it would be one very cool project.

I know you make concessions for various suspension and chassis upgrades in addition to the motor, but I would have to think that a ZL-1 type Camaro would probably be packed with more upgrades over and above that of a V6 alone, not to mention it may actually come with a beefed up rear-end and other adjustments to handle all of that HP. So, even if you completed the swap, the car would likely still not be quite as much of an upgrade as a comparable factory ZL-1.

Not to mention that you could probably just make a few mods to the LS3 (assuming it is the V8 used) and have well over 500HP at the fly at a very reasonable price. I mean, just throw in a new exhaust, CAI, and cam swap and I would be willing to bet a shiney penny that you would be well over 500 at the flywheel!

And their goes your warranty too.

If the warranty was being considered, then i don't think anyone would be swapping out the V6 for the LS7 :rolleyes:

It is a hypothetical situation.....

Also, there will most definitely be ways to achieve 500HP on a 425Hp LS3 without voiding your factory warranty.


Not to mention that you can indeed have the modifications I previously mentioned and still have some kind of a warranty as there are a great deal of tuners and dealers that will supplement their own warranty for any parts that are not covered under the factory warranty. Albeit, it may not be a 5yr/100,000 mile warranty.

For example....
http://lingenfelter.com/GTO366LS2.htm

That is on an LS2 GTO, but it illustrates my point. At the bottom you will notice they back their work with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

this is just me but i believe that the LS3 6.2 will have more than 425 maybe more if that is what it is rated. Because i dint think they will let 6.1 hemi have the same hp as the 6.2liter.

Well, I just threw out 425hp as an approximation. However, the widely held belief in the Corvette community is that it will have 425Hp for the regular vette and 435HP for the Z51 due to an upgraded exhaust. We will find out for certain in about one month.

Either way, I don't necessarily know why they would care if the hemi has the same HP rating. I would hope they are more concerned with the overall performance of the Camaro versus the Challenger, and a 425hp Camaro should be able to out run a 425 Challenger any day of the week if the weight rumors are true.

i thought the LS7s from gm performance were going for more than just 13,000? i would have to say factory would be the way to go.

I would love to have a 427 cubic inch, hand built, work of art under my hood. I'd slap badges all the way around that sucka to make sure everyone knew what it was capable of.:evil:

Not to mention, the Z06 for example is much much more than just a motor swap into a base Corvette :cool:

Never - no emblems, watching the jaws drop would be much more fun

Sleeper all the way :thumbsup: :smoking: