LFX in a 1966 Chevelle - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

67-LS1 · 02-04-2021, 11:43 PM

I’m going to post some pics of my project to take an LFX V6 and a 6 speed auto from a wrecked 2013 Camaro and install them in my 1966 Chevelle.
The Camaro had 525 miles on it when it was wrecked so the engine was almost new. I got the engine, transmission, engine wire harness and the ECM. It shipped to me on the front subframe from the Camaro.

The car had the original 283/Powerglide. I bought it from the second owner.

I removed the engine and test fit the LFX. No dice. So I decided to lift the body off to modify the frame. I also decided at this point go with Hotchkis suspension and Wilwood brakes.

67-LS1 · 02-04-2021, 11:53 PM

Once the frame was out I started to tr6 to figure out motor mounts. I learned some interesting things.
- One side of the Chevelle frame is 90 degrees from the other side.
- The sides of the LFX engine are parallel to one another.
- This means the sides of the engine are 45 degrees from the frame.
So to make motor mount fabrication easier I built a wooden box to mimic the engine sides. This was a LOT easier than swinging the engine in every 5 minutes.

67-LS1 · 02-04-2021, 11:58 PM

I cut away a big piece of the front K member and reboxed it. I also added a plate across the bottom. I set the engine up high to keep the pan and tranny pan up as high as I could. I knew the car was going to be low.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 12:06 AM

I used wood to make mock-ups of plates to mount to the side of the engine. Once I had them correct I cut them from steel.
I built the motor mounts in place.
You can see how high the engine is from the trans and crossmember photo.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 12:10 AM

Loading up the frame to go to powder coating.
Once it came back I started to assemble the suspension and brakes.
Then back on the ground.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 12:16 AM

Engine going on the frame. The stick down pipes with cats not only cleared both sides but also lined up with the crossmember humps.
I eventually eliminated the second cats. The first cats are still on the car.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 12:22 AM

With the combination of the new trans being gigantic and me mounting it high for more clearance, the trans tunnel was destined for the trash heap.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 12:25 AM

I enlarged the trans tunnel and the driveshaft tunnel but as I’ll show you later, I didn’t go back far enough.
My bad.

Deputy347k9 · 02-05-2021, 06:15 AM

Truly amazing, you are one talented motor scooter. Love view the progress through you pictures. God really blessed you with a great talent!

Bigdumogre · 02-05-2021, 06:18 AM

Holy crap that’s some talent. That’s gonna be a great reliable cruiser once it’s done.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 09:15 AM

Once I got the tunnel done I worked on the shifter. I wanted to use a powerglide shifter so I had to make the “throw” match what the trans needed. I attached some graph paper to a workbench and started to work it out.
Once I had it figured, I cut a new detent plate for the shifter, first from wood then metal. It took a few tries...

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 09:18 AM

These transmissions don’t use traditional “slip yokes” so I had to use a CV style driveshaft with an adaptor to the stock 3 bolt flange.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 09:21 AM

Now the fun part...
I had a guy mod my harness but I ended up almost completely rebuilding it anyway. He just broke out the wires I needed. I stripped a lot of unused wires from the harness. I also extended the last portion of the harness so I could hide the ECM behind the passenger side headlight.

67-LS1 · 02-05-2021, 09:29 AM

Now the fun part...
I had a guy mod my harness but I ended up almost completely rebuilding it anyway. He just broke out the wires I needed. I stripped a lot of unused wires from the harness. I also extended the last portion of the harness so I could hide the ECM behind the passenger side headlight.
Note that I am not running the BCM.

02-04-2021, 11:43 PM	#1
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	LFX in a 1966 Chevelle I’m going to post some pics of my project to take an LFX V6 and a 6 speed auto from a wrecked 2013 Camaro and install them in my 1966 Chevelle. The Camaro had 525 miles on it when it was wrecked so the engine was almost new. I got the engine, transmission, engine wire harness and the ECM. It shipped to me on the front subframe from the Camaro. The car had the original 283/Powerglide. I bought it from the second owner. I removed the engine and test fit the LFX. No dice. So I decided to lift the body off to modify the frame. I also decided at this point go with Hotchkis suspension and Wilwood brakes. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-04-2021, 11:53 PM	#2
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Once the frame was out I started to tr6 to figure out motor mounts. I learned some interesting things. - One side of the Chevelle frame is 90 degrees from the other side. - The sides of the LFX engine are parallel to one another. - This means the sides of the engine are 45 degrees from the frame. So to make motor mount fabrication easier I built a wooden box to mimic the engine sides. This was a LOT easier than swinging the engine in every 5 minutes. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-04-2021, 11:58 PM	#3
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	I cut away a big piece of the front K member and reboxed it. I also added a plate across the bottom. I set the engine up high to keep the pan and tranny pan up as high as I could. I knew the car was going to be low. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs. Last edited by 67-LS1; 10-01-2021 at 07:09 PM.

02-05-2021, 12:06 AM	#4
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	I used wood to make mock-ups of plates to mount to the side of the engine. Once I had them correct I cut them from steel. I built the motor mounts in place. You can see how high the engine is from the trans and crossmember photo. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 12:10 AM	#5
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Loading up the frame to go to powder coating. Once it came back I started to assemble the suspension and brakes. Then back on the ground. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 12:16 AM	#6
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Engine going on the frame. The stick down pipes with cats not only cleared both sides but also lined up with the crossmember humps. I eventually eliminated the second cats. The first cats are still on the car. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 12:22 AM	#7
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	With the combination of the new trans being gigantic and me mounting it high for more clearance, the trans tunnel was destined for the trash heap. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs. Last edited by 67-LS1; 10-01-2021 at 07:10 PM.

02-05-2021, 12:25 AM	#8
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	I enlarged the trans tunnel and the driveshaft tunnel but as I’ll show you later, I didn’t go back far enough. My bad. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 06:15 AM	#9
Deputy347k9 Drives: 2014 Ashen Gray Convertible Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Havelock, NC Posts: 1,328	Truly amazing, you are one talented motor scooter. Love view the progress through you pictures. God really blessed you with a great talent! __________________

02-05-2021, 06:18 AM	#10
Bigdumogre Drives: 2012 Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: New York Posts: 1,434	Holy crap that’s some talent. That’s gonna be a great reliable cruiser once it’s done. __________________ 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS - CSP Custom Cam 232/240 .615/.615 113 +3, Texas speed CNC heads, FTI billet triple disc converter, K&N cai, Katech ported TB, GPI Ported/rod modded manifold, Texas speed 1 7/8 headers, HFC, Flowmaster 2 chambers with x pipe, Mishimoto CC, MSD wires, Roto fab washer relocation, tru cool 40k trans cooler, apex scoop, Pedders extreme coil overs and much more!!

02-05-2021, 09:15 AM	#11
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Once I got the tunnel done I worked on the shifter. I wanted to use a powerglide shifter so I had to make the “throw” match what the trans needed. I attached some graph paper to a workbench and started to work it out. Once I had it figured, I cut a new detent plate for the shifter, first from wood then metal. It took a few tries... Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 09:18 AM	#12
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	These transmissions don’t use traditional “slip yokes” so I had to use a CV style driveshaft with an adaptor to the stock 3 bolt flange. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 09:21 AM	#13
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Now the fun part... I had a guy mod my harness but I ended up almost completely rebuilding it anyway. He just broke out the wires I needed. I stripped a lot of unused wires from the harness. I also extended the last portion of the harness so I could hide the ECM behind the passenger side headlight. __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.

02-05-2021, 09:29 AM	#14
67-LS1 Drives: 1966 Chevelle Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Northern California Posts: 141	Now the fun part... I had a guy mod my harness but I ended up almost completely rebuilding it anyway. He just broke out the wires I needed. I stripped a lot of unused wires from the harness. I also extended the last portion of the harness so I could hide the ECM behind the passenger side headlight. Note that I am not running the BCM. Attached Images __________________ 66 Chevelle with 2013 LFX V6, 6 speed auto, full Hotchkis suspension, Wilwood 4 wheel discs.