My last 3rd gen was a 1988 GTA L98 with the Aussie 9

I bought it in '90 and sold it in '95

In hindsight I should have kept it but the lure of the 4th gen blinded me:smiling1:

My 3rd Gen is an 86 Z/28, started as rear drum auto 10 Bolt 305 ended up as a 350 9 bolt 5 Speed car, redone from ground up. The rear was out of an 88 so had the weak rear brakes swapped them for an 89 set up.

UnFortunately or maybe fortunately, I think something internal in the engine broke this morning as I was starting the Iroc to go for a drive. It turned over 2-3 revolutions like normal and right about the time where it normally fires up I got what I think was a slight backfire or metal on metal sound (wasn’t expecting anything out of the ordinary and it all happened really fast) and it locked up tight. It was only cranking on the starter but what ever it is, the crank won’t budge in either direction with a breaker bar, wondering if it dropped a valve or maybe had a timing related failure. Oil is full, radiator is full too, so I don’t think it hydrolocked. I haven’t driven it in a couple weeks but the last time I did drive it, it was funning flawlessly as it has since I put it on the road. I was preoccupied with Kevin Harvick’s last race so I didn’t dig any further than the breaker bar yet. Might be about LS swap time…

That sucks.

A truck 5.3 could be had cheap enough and would be a huge upgrade over the stock engine.

Maybe get the 4L80E with it for an additional upgrade over the 700R4

I’m thinking about trying to find a ragged out LS1 6speed 4th gen complete car and swapping it over that way. We’ll see what happens.

Well, you know my "old school" vote: Tree-eighty-tree FTW! Dress it up like the original 305. Plus, you already HAVE a nice LS powered Camaro. :D

Actually I have also considered this route as well because of how much easier the swap would be. Time will tell, I’m hoping I’ll get lucky and it’s something stupid on the 305.

This is defintiely an easy route. The entire drivetrain bolt rights in from the rear axle to the engine. Some of the 4th gen exhausts even fit the 3rdgen chassis.

Yea this is definitely my ideal scenario. I’ve never been a huge 700R guy, so if I can find the right 4th gen at a decent price I’ll probably go for it. The 700R is main reason a tpi 383 is second on my list and not first. If I do the 383 I’m definitely gonna have to figure something out there. Yea I can beef it up but it’s just lipstick on a pig as far as I’m concerned. The torsion limited slip is a huge upgrade as well over my factory auburn.

I finally got time to dig around a little bit… so far nothing major on the top end. I can’t believe how clean this engine is especially since it sat for 20 years. I did absolutely zero cleaning on the valve cover or in the heads. The original gaskets are in pristine condition. Still holding out some hope that it’s something stupid.
More updates to come as I have more time to look at it.

Man that is a clean looking valvetrain. you have me on the HUNT for a matching 91' z28 to go with my 11'. I really want to find one with a red interior and some patina like yours.

Time for one of those small inspection camera's like Milwaukee and others make.

Slide it in the spark plug hole and have a look.

A lot easier than pulling the heads.

Get one of those easy to use rubber ended compression testers just press it into the cylinder and crank it over far easier than screwing the old style in hole by hole.

Good Luck with it.