When a fully functional car is just a little more than buying just an engine and rebuilding it, I'd rather tear apart a running car. At least you know you'll have everything you'll need, and you can part the rest of the car out on the forums to make a few bucks.

I wouldn't bother buying something high mileage and doing a full rebuild. Machine shop costs will eat you alive, and are proven to be less reliable than a sealed gm engine.

I think you need to expand states if there is literally nothing in your state. I drove from Indiana to New York to get my donor car.

I would expand your search to all of the other 3800 powered car forums, craigslist for all local major cities, ebay, junkyards for local major cities, etc. Don't worry of it is a state or two away, gas is cheap nowadays and all the parts you need will fit in the trunk of a w body.

I wouldn't bother looking for a monte carlo either. Production numbers on supercharged montes are far far lower than gp gtps. I would spend 90%+ of your time looking for a gtp, then maybe a bonneville, park ave, etc. The core of the engine's are all the same, so it's not like a monte carlo engine will be any better or worse than a gp engine. Granted the h body stuff has a few oddball things, but they're not that crazy different and there is less chance that they were abused than a more sporty car.


If you really got in a pinch, I'd rather just go buy a regular 3800 and top swap it before you install it. You can buy top swaps online if absolutely necessary, and regular 3800s are going to be a dime a dozen, they're literally everywhere.

 

yea I kinda realized the monte has plenty of trunk room..ihave everything under the engine bay in the trunk except the block and tranny...the front wheels are about to come off the ground lol,ive been tinkering with the 3400 to learn how an engine goes back together..its pretty simple,im drilling out the bolts so I don't have to worry about buying a pulley puller or any special tools

and l32 are about as common as aids around here (Louisiana is #2 in the US for most aids) hahaha......ive thought about picking one up and top swapping and I heard you can make more power doing that due to more compression??


since im on this thread I need to know if its ok to cut and extend the small harness coming from the firewall to the fuse box,im relocating the box to where the windshield washer container is,(right under the battery in the front bumper) ive got a bracket to hold it and im trying to figure out an easy access point maybe a hole cut in the wheel well with a lid that just pops off,im using the stock fuse box just modifying it a little

 

I like turbo over supercharged. I have the supercharged 2004 Intimidator but if I had the opportunity and money to do turbo Ill take off that supercharger and go turbo in a heartbeat.

 

An l32 is supercharged with the dbw tb and gen 5 blower. Do you mean l36 or l26 perhaps?

I wouldn't cut anything you don't have to, especially if you're going to be doing an engine swap. IMO, I'd complete the swap first, get all the bugs worked out, then start screwing around with side projects like this. There has been more than 1 car with an l67 swap that was never finished and never drove due to bugs and issues. Being your first swap, you definitely don't need any potential for more complication.

 

yea I mean the l36,theres actually a grandprix my gf's friend drives that has a non SC 3800,but I figured id come out cheaper and having to do less if I just find a supercharged 3800

and for the fuse box relocation I found a way so I don't have to extend my wires,i don't want to go back and check any wires if theres something wrong when I put a motor in it

but is it true that a stock l36+top swap can make more power than a stock l67?

 

If it was a 1 for 1 where you had both an l67 and an l36 of the same mileage and condition, you would be right. But if you're limited to ultra high mileage l67s where you're going to be rebuilding and replacing everything, then I'd rather go l36 w a top swap. It is a good bit of effort, a little worse than a head gasket change but it'll be easier than a complete top to bottom rebuild.

It can. On a basic bolt on car, the difference isn't huge. You'll run a little less boost (larger pulley) in trade for a little more compression so in the end, you'll net about the same. However, the more modded you get, the better off you are with higher compression. The m90 is not made to run huge boost levels or turn crazy high rpm. You quickly get to a point where you're just way out its efficiency range, and for every tiny pulley size drop, you're adding a ton more heat.

The idea with higher compression is that you don't have to go as small on the sc pulley for a certain mod level which will keep the blower in a more efficient operating range. This translates into cooler outlet temps, and thus less strain on the intercooler system.


Another reason why the top swap cars tend to be a bit faster are the stock 3.29 gears of the non hd trans vs the 2.93 gears on the hd trans.

 

Theoretically, a top swapped L36 would indeed make more power due to the higher compression of the L36 (9.4:1 vs L67 8.5:1). However, it's not safe to run a top swapped L36 "stock" because it's a guarantee that there will be KR. You should either get a larger supercharger pulley or mod the top swapped L36 as if you were putting a smaller pulley on an L67, such as a 3.4" pulley setup.

Edit: Bumpin beat me to it with more info, lol.

 

Man I havnt been on for a while but as others have said already and just like I told you in your other posts about the same thing.... if you want big power a turbo is the best way. If you want 10's a turbo is the best way. Forget about twin charging it as its a waste. Plan on breaking many transmissions with this much power and not being able to hook up under 50mph. I am living what you are asking for so I know. My monte is a 500whp monster that runs low 11's. I'm sure I could get a high 10sec pass but it would be a massive struggle. I've broke many transmissions and spent tons and tons of money into this car to get it here. It's fun for highway roll races and that's it. Anything under 50mph it does nothing but spin on the street and torque steer is insane. This is why we bought and modded a 2011 ctsv to 600whp as its a better platform to work with. I still have the monte and always will but I've moved onto a different platform now.

 

yea that's my best bet im guessing,after I build it I don't want to keep pouring money in it for trannys or other parts

all L67's around here are high mileage,or raced and put through hell everyday

so I want to know more about the l36 with l26 top swap like a few members here have? what kind of gains does that bring? I think ive decided to just go with bolt ons and a cam+some type of headers,i seen the Pacesetters on ZZP but ive seen that they are a struggle to get them to fit perfect,il save my money to build up a big block 70's c10,its my dream truck