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motor swap help
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Posted by: v6bird

i have a 1984 firebird with a 2.8 v6. i have got a 1980 301 with ath 350 tranny what do i need to make the V8 go in i know i have to move mounts to the next holes new rad what else to i need to make the motor and tranny fit right

Posted by: MikeT

hate to tell you this but you'd be MUCH better off swaping in a 305 or 350. The 301 is a dog, and truthfully, not much of an upgrade over a 2.8l. You can get a 350 fairly cheap, plus you can pull the parts you need off another f-bod.

You'll probibly need the tranny crossmember, plus the tranny from a 82-92 f-bod. You could use any long tailhousing v8 th350 or 700r4, but then you'd have to fab up a torque arm mount. If you get one from an 82-92 f-bod it already got the mount on it.

What exactly is your goal with this car?

Posted by: v6bird

the only reason i want to put in the 301 is i got it real cheap and i see y now everybody is telling me this motor was a mistake by GM. everybody has told me to go find a 305 and do that instead of this but no money means no 305 right now. my goal with this car is to get the motor in running good sounding ok and then cheapo paint and sell it to buy a late 70 firebird with a 350. the only reason im not just keeping the 2.8 in is the 2.8 is cracked and got this motor and th 350 tranny really cheap and it runs.
so any that can help with info on how to do the swap will really help.
thanks

Posted by: MikeT

try www.thirdgen.org

I really don't know what you'll need exactly. However, it may cost more than its worth to do. Even if you got the motor and tranny real cheap. If you have to spend a few hundered on other parts its not worth it.

I don't know if the stock crossmember will fit. And I know you'll need some way to mount the torque arm.

After you've figured out how much it'll cost to do. Call some junkyards and see how much a 305/700r4 combo will cost. Because you can get whatever parts you need off the donor car. And it might just be cheaper.

Also, around here the resale on an 84 bird with an oddball engine and 3 speed would be less than $1,000. If it had a more common setup maybe $1,500. But it may be different where you live.

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