Fitting a new motor into an old car

My son wants to buy a written of ve commie v8, and stick everything in it motor g/box,wiring ect.And sticking it in his ht/ute is there any major problems ?

Just one big one.... money lol

Not really sure about the ve engines but what's wrong with the older ls1? They're an easy engine to get power out of and castlemain make a sump and engine mounts to suit the ht. If you buy a complete car that's a good start. You'll be able to get the engine, box, loom and everything that you need from it.
These convertions are being done alot these days so to be honest theyre not that hard. I have a mate putting an ls1 into a ht prem and it hasn't cost him that much. He bought a complete written off vx ss for 2500. Stripped the engine, box and loom, sold the trim and everything else off the car for 1500. He then put that money into the conversion kit from castlemain.

When you think about it if you were to put another 8 into the car by the time you found an engine, freshened it up, bought mounts, exhaust etc etc the only real difference is wiring and fuel system.

As I said before alot of ppl do these conversions now so forums are your friend. I looked into putting a stock engine into my van but I thought by the time I get this injected engine in it might end up costing me a couple of g more but it will be more reliable, easier to drive, and you'll learn alot doing it

I say tell him to do it mate. if you need any hints feel free to ask and if I can't help I'll ask my mate who is doing the same thing

Good luck
Brad

im doing an ls1 conversion into my HQ. just waiting on the loom being made for the conversion,and the ecu being remapped for it. but u can get kits at very good prices from www.4blok.com.au oh also need a sump to suit. but it doesnt seem to be too difficult.

Thanks guys
I told him to go out on a limb and fit a Chrysler v8 in the old girl

HEMI I hope.

Regards

Rusty!

Rusty62TransAm wrote:HEMI I hope.

Regards

Rusty!

Yep don't know how it would fit, but it would be different

I found this in an old street machine mag if he is still liking the injected idea. got alot of good info in it aswell. i only took these pics with my phone cause I dont have a scanner sorry.









very nice van too

in the article they list everything needed to do the convertion and they say (in the bit that you cant read haha that says "drive away no more to pay:" I can try and get a clearer shot of this if you like)once you have the engine box and loom to do the convertion properly once you have the write off you should get change from $3500 for everything else inc brakes, extractors, wiring, the lot. And its quite an old magazine (july 04) so it might be even cheaper now

am slowley accrewing the parts for ls1 into my camaro. rear hump sump/pickup (cost $250 sh landed from states)camaro/trans am/corvette sumps all fit into hq no mods. holley are now making engine mounts that should also work (as mounts to 70s camaro are same as hq chev) my ls1 computer had to be programed to eliminate the bcm codes($500) otherwise it wont fire unless u use the entire commodore loom as ecu is coded to the key and car. a mate has fitted a ls2 into a ht prem and also needed ecu mod but made his own eng mounts and could not run the ac pump as it would not fit he has fitted a belt system from MARCH as i also have 2. an addapter is also needed if ur not using the factory trans eg t350/400 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbOHJCJPG64 link is to the ht premier

They way I understand the new rules the NSW RTA is bringing into force I'd be a bit carefull. As I understand it, if you fit a different motor into a vehicle then the day that it was fitted becomes the new date of manufacture and so the vehicle has to comply with ADR's current on that day. ie: you fit a LS1 into a HG on the 1/6/2011 then that is your new date of manufacture for the car and you may need things like stability control etc to get full rego otherwise the NSW RTA will shoehorn you into limited rego.
I dont want to scare you but I do suggest you contact the NSW RTA, or do a little research, before handing out the folding stuff for bits.

I have heard that the NSW RTA is trying to introduce this before the March election in NSW and I also believe (along with many others) that it's a ploy to get old & modified cars off the road.

I strongly suggest you have a read of this

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsccs_exempt_modifications.pdf

and this

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsccs_public_comment_dl1.html

GT wrote:They way I understand the new rules the NSW RTA is bringing into force I'd be a bit carefull. As I understand it, if you fit a different motor into a vehicle then the day that it was fitted becomes the new date of manufacture and so the vehicle has to comply with ADR's current on that day. ie: you fit a LS1 into a HG on the 1/6/2011 then that is your new date of manufacture for the car and you may need things like stability control etc to get full rego otherwise the NSW RTA will shoehorn you into limited rego.
I dont want to scare you but I do suggest you contact the NSW RTA, or do a little research, before handing out the folding stuff for bits.

I have heard that the NSW RTA is trying to introduce this before the March election in NSW and I also believe (along with many others) that it's a ploy to get old & modified cars off the road.

I strongly suggest you have a read of this

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsccs_exempt_modifications.pdf

and this

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsccs_public_comment_dl1.html

shit thats a bit scary. Does anyone have a number that I can call to find out more info about this? I could probably get away with saying mine is an older windsor with fuel injection added (which is possible) but I want to have it as legal as possible so was going to get it engineered

Mate just ring their tech department.

Regards Tony

RAT BAG wrote: I want to have it as legal as possible so was going to get it engineered

The engineers report, as we know it, is also set to become a thing of the past. You will now be required to get your car "certified" by a licensed certifier and have a cert plate attached to your car.

Check this out....

http://you-have-to-be-kidding.blogspot.com/2011/02/vsccs-part-1-establishing-need.html

So I have just called the rta because this really worried me.

I spoke to Mal haha, he was really helpful and an enthusiast like us, he told me that he hated the fact that the rta were "not in his words" trying to get old cars off the road.

He said that in regards to the date of manufacture bit, nothing has, or will be changing. He said that these rumours have been going around for a long time about the car meeting the standards for the date the engine was put in but that is wrong.

The car must meet the standards for the engine that has been put in the car ie. my xy van has to have an air filter fitted, has to have cat converters etc etc. these need to be up to the standards that the engine had when it was in the au. He said that I dont have to change anything on the car at all except for maybe the brakes but thats common sense.

He also told me that engineers certificates were looking to change. The reason being because of alot of dodgy engineers reports being done these days. Its basically the same according to Mal, you go and see an engineer and he tells you what needs to be done. Once it is all done and legal he sends off the information and pictures to a section of the rta who do the plates and send these out to you. I guess this was something that was bound to happen sooner or later with more and more dodgy engineers around these days

anyway thats a big load off my mind haha

Went to the engineers today, if we buy a donor car use everything.And fit bigger brakes from a HQ,as he looked in his bible and the ht came out with a 350 ??????.So a 6 ltr is a goer As long as it is n/a not blown