Opinion Needed: Fifth Gen Project Ideas
#1
12-03-2015, 09:12 AM
Fifth Gen Project Ideas
Hey guys, I have ideas for a project I want to do with my 1998 fifth gen Monte that I've just been itching to talk about. I want to send my Monte back to its ancestral roots. My idea is this: I would like to set up my Monte to be rear wheel drive, and have the possiblity of being a v8. I was thinking of finding a 1994-1999 camaro junker ( roller ) to take the chassis from and swapping it with the monte's chassis. After that is done I want to find a transmission that will bolt in just fine with no issues, well no major ones anyway, 5 speed or 6 speed. I understand that I'd most likely need to get a fuel cell.. And lastly for the heart of the car, a small block v8. Maybe a 350 if it can fit. Any opinions torward my build ideas, positive or negative, will be helpful.
Last edited by ReaperMonte; 12-03-2015 at 09:14 AM.
#2
12-06-2015, 12:07 AM
The chassis sounds good. I dunno how much modification will be required for that. But a lot, to say the least. Transmission depends on the motor. I'd think an LS engine would fit, but that is purely a guess.
#3
12-06-2015, 09:09 AM
I'd search for RWD swap. This topic comes up fairly often, and there are lots of good replies in old threads.
What you'll find is that lots of people like to talk about it but once they understand the scope of it, virtually everyone backs out.
The main sticking point is that you really need one of two things:
-Have the tools and skill to do nearly all of the fabrication work yourself. That includes structural welding, sheet metal work, etc etc.
-Lacking that, you'd need a ton of money to pay a shop to fabricate it for you. Going this route, youd need serious cash since it's going to take weeks/months for a fabricator do this swap at $50+ / HR plus parts. Thus also isn't the place to cheap out as your life literally depends on this guy's work. If the welds come apart on the highway at 70 mph, you could kill yourself and others.
When you're talking this serious of a build, a fuel cell and what size engine are small details in the grand scheme. Any engine size can be used. There have been tube chassis rwd 5th gen montes with massive cubic inch big block chevy engines, so literally anything can fit, it's just a matter of how much work it'll take.
Being a person who has been researching the rwd/camaro conversion for a while (and owns both a 96 monte and 01 camaro), you need to keep in mind that the fbody chassis doesn't mate up in length or width. It isn't a simple weld in.
What you'll find is that lots of people like to talk about it but once they understand the scope of it, virtually everyone backs out.
The main sticking point is that you really need one of two things:
-Have the tools and skill to do nearly all of the fabrication work yourself. That includes structural welding, sheet metal work, etc etc.
-Lacking that, you'd need a ton of money to pay a shop to fabricate it for you. Going this route, youd need serious cash since it's going to take weeks/months for a fabricator do this swap at $50+ / HR plus parts. Thus also isn't the place to cheap out as your life literally depends on this guy's work. If the welds come apart on the highway at 70 mph, you could kill yourself and others.
When you're talking this serious of a build, a fuel cell and what size engine are small details in the grand scheme. Any engine size can be used. There have been tube chassis rwd 5th gen montes with massive cubic inch big block chevy engines, so literally anything can fit, it's just a matter of how much work it'll take.
Being a person who has been researching the rwd/camaro conversion for a while (and owns both a 96 monte and 01 camaro), you need to keep in mind that the fbody chassis doesn't mate up in length or width. It isn't a simple weld in.
