1981 Monte Carlo LS1 6spd Conversion in process

I have been working on this car for about 5 years, mostly collecting parts and a little body work. This was my Grandma's from 1981 till 2001. It has about 60,000 miles on it. Fortunately she did not drive it in the snow very often so aside from the doors it was relatively rust free. The body will be changed to look like an '87 LS with the Flush Headlamps and the flush fitting rear bumper. The car was originally equipped with a 229 V6 (very slow). I pulled the engine 11/19/06. I am now in the process of removing everything I can. The plan is to have the body shell and frame to the media blaster by mid December. Here are some pics of the car in the current state of disassembly.

I have a 2000 LS1 with a 6 speed sitting in the garage. I just need to order Headers, Engine Mounts and have the Oil Pan modified.

Future Modifications will include:
Hotchkis Suspension
Baer Brakes
Paint

Here is the Body coming off the frame

Body and Frame Ready to go to the Media Blaster

Frame is being media blasted and powder coated. Underside of Body is being media blasted and painted black. Some minor rust in the inner rocker panel is going to be repaired as well.

Dana 60 for G-Body from Strange Engineering. 4.10 Posi.

2000 LS1 with 6spd

Chassis is back from Powder Coating

Here is the Body Back from being media blasted and primed. Underside was painted Trim Black

Dana 60 Installed on the frame, Hotchkis Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Currie Control Arms, Baer Disk Brakes

Front Suspension, 13" Baer Track Brakes, Adjustable Upper Control Arms, ATS C5 Spindles, Spohn Lower Control Arms, Hotchkis Springs

Installing New Brake and and Gas Lines.(Takes forever to Bend)

Firewall Painted Corvette Quick Silver

New LS1 Motor Mounts Installed (John Bzdel Mounts)

Well the Body is now bolted back to the Frame with new Poly Body Mounts. The LS1 with T-56 are now bolted in as well.

Here are some shots of the Floor Pans painted with Silver Rustoleum. You can also see the hole that was cut for the Shifter. The LS1 Camaro lower shifter boot will fit the hole in the tunnel nicely

Here is a shot of the Motor sitting in the car. The clearance to the firewall is really close to stock motor. The other shots show the how well the engine sits in the John Bzdel motor mounts and the clearance between the oil pan and frame. The oil pan was modified by John B as well. The pan was notched slightly at the cross member. The baffle had to be modified slightly but the oil pick-up does not have to be modified. The Air Conditioning compressor had to be removed in order to clear the frame. It will be relocated higher still on the passenger side.

I used a G-Force Cross Member to support the rear of the Transmission and give me room for full dual exhaust. It is a very heavy duty unit. I had to "massage" the drivers side Floor pan a little to make it fit. I started out using the Stock LS1 Trans mount, however, I found that it was pushing the cross member to far back and I could not get the bolt holes to line up with the frame. I decided to go with an 1970 A-body 4spd trans mount. It bolts right to the T-56, however it has 2 bolt bolts to the Cross member vs. the single center bolt on the LS1 mount. Therefore I had to drill 2 new mounting holes in the cross member. The A-Body mount is also shorter, so I had to make a spacer to get the trans at the right level. My local welding shop had some 5/8 aluminum stock on hand. They cut it to size and sanded off all of the rough edges for $20. I put two 9/16 holes to line up with the A-body mount. Below are pictures of the cross member, the two styles of trans mount (stock LS1 on left) and the mount as installed.

My Other Toys

1970 Camaro with 472 Cadillac

1952 MG Kit Car