97 cutlass 2dr LS1 swap, hard?

[motodh1983]

Does anyone know since the 97 Olds Cutlass Supreme SL 2dr coupes have the belly pan for rear wheel drive how hard would it be if I had the LS1 black 5 speed trans ECU shortened driveshaft (due to possible shorter wheel base) and rear suspension and axle, would the engine transplant be possible?

[pshojo]

It would be easier to use the LS1 from the GXP Grand Prix. And be ready to put alot of money and time into it. Miltzy Motor will do it for $7500.

[jeremy]

It would be easier to use the LS1 from the GXP Grand Prix.

They had the LS4 not the LS1

[pshojo]

Oh, ls4 was a shortened ls1 right? Look like I have one more engine to wiki

[motodh1983]

well that would work except the fact I want to make it rear wheel rear drive.

[rich17]

LS4 is a LS1 just different in cubic inches.






If you have to ask how hard it will be then you are not qualified to do it...

[ricklovin93]

waste of time go buy an f body for half of what it would cost to try the swap

[rich_e777]

You dont need to RWD swap a W-body, it wont last even if you do it, and its been done before. You want a final generation Cutlass Supreme with RWD like i do, heres how i figured it.

If i had one RWD i`d put its ass through some corners on a regular basis, so you`re going to need some strength in places that a W-body frame just wont have. Two options im looking at with a third im playing with.
1. Get a G-body and strip it bare, fabricate mounts for front and rear bumpers, trim body to mount Wbody cladding, swap rims over if they`ll fit. (will make on funny looking CS unless you plan on cutting the cabin/cockpit roof.

2. A completly custom tubular frame based off the shape of a W-body and build it up using aftermarket/ and re-engineered or fabricated parts from other similar cars.(a RWD w-body could probably be compared to F-bodies of the time.) So alot of AfterM parts from the Camaro and Firebird guys can be used, Not sure about that last GTO im mean rebadged VXR

The other idea i was playing with is similar to the 1st one but i`d use a rolling chassis from a C5 and go all out spare no expense day dream that has no hope of coming to life in the next 15 years. its just not as simple doing a conversion for these cars. L67 swap it and call it a day, you wont be disappointed unless your other ride is a Ferrari F-40 or a F-15 Eagle

[RobertISaar]

G-body frame swap has been done. dimensionally, the G is VERY similar to the first gen W.

[rich_e777]

G-body frame swap has been done. dimensionally, the G is VERY similar to the first gen W.

Got any pics or links? or a direction to point in? i Wouldnt mind seeing that. Had my CS next to an `86 for comparision and the way the windows and cabin/cockpit are shaped it wouldnt be the same as a W-body but i figured an easy solution would be with a highly modified G-body would be to just cut it off the W-body and mount it to the G-body with a rollcage built in for rigidity, plus subframe X-braces and strut towers bars front and rear. Full independant suspension from a `Vette would have to be mandatory, plus with a LS1, fuck the Camaro , you`d have a way better looking muscle car and you wouldnt have to worry about a Barbie edition coming out

But lets say someone did all this in his garage, im sure it wont handle like anything else on the road, so i can see issues arising that you`d have to take this frakenstein vehicle inspected and approved for road use. Dont know what kind of money you`d have to shell out for that but could be more than what you spent on creating the vehicle in the first place, Uncle Sam has a powder problem you know,expensive

[RobertISaar]

hmm.... maybe not?

http://www.w-body.com/showthread.php/50443-mmmm-rwd

i thought that used a full G-body frame, not pieces.

[zipper]

Got any pics or links?

This guy used a G-body for his build: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJKsD...ure=plpp_video

But like already mentioned, if you have to ask, then you're not qualified to do the swap. Just get something else that's already rwd.