Cutlass Vortec swap

[87National]

My lord half of this whole thread is autistic. There is the Vortec SBC from the mid/late 90s, then the newer Gen III "LS" Based stuff. Vortec 4800, 5300, 6000, 8100

This is why I asked the OP to clarify what "vortec" means. Typical new forum member "drive by" thread....ask a vague question and then disapear off the face of the earth when others attempt to help.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

Yea, people are potatoes I expect nothing less nowadays.

 

[doood]

Same. No sure what opening the wallet has to do with it, pay someone to take longer....

ah well, $2700 was the factory rebuilt and warrantied long block... probably just as much for the swap kit including full exhaust, crossmember, blah blah blah. Had the exhaust been built correctly (a pipe was bent wrong).... I wouldn't have any complaints. $700 for the rear gears and posi. I did spend 500 on the radiator and it came with fans and the and shroud and it fit without fussing. I have hundreds of dollars in small boring, but completely necessary parts like the throttle body, throttle cable, fan relays, spark plug wires, coils, $1,000 worth of wheels and tires.... a fully functioning rally gauge cluster from Dakota Digital for $700. Rebuilt the 4L60E for $1500 (way too much)... $500 harness so I didn't have to fiddle with the junkyard one.... all that and the car started on the first crank and has all the local mechanics smiling when they see how pretty it is and how nice it sounds

you should add yours up... might surprise you what you have in it... I know the turbo guys have more in theirs... prolly $1200 in injectors.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

I know what I have in it, definitely spent money in the right places to make sure it holds together.

 

[08Malibu]

No mention of the budget.

If he can find a junkyard Vortec 350 that's functional then he'll be the luckiest guy I know. A junkyard motor in 2021 is going to be an LS imho. Pay for the swap parts ($1500), microsquirt if non electronic trans ($500) and another $1000 worth of miscellaneous of crap. And yes, need to be somewhat ingenuitive.

Other wise, crate motor ($3K with related needed goodies), or hunt for a used, running Olds. Depending on what he can find in used Olds world, it has the potential to be the cheapest program available.

Everything pretty under the hood doubles the price. and If he fas to hire all of it done then triple the price.

I managed to find 2 l31’s in 2 months for a total of $450. They’re out there

 

[ck1984]

I just swapped a 5.3LS into my 84 cutlass, the motor itself only cost $450cdn complete running but i probly spent closer to 4500 cdn when it was said n done but that includes 2t engine hoist etc.
the motor mated to the th350 with just $30 collar on the shaft.
the motor mounts i bought were trash ended up taking 20 hrs to modify once it was in the car and wouldnt fit.
next, it took along time to modify drivers side manifold to fit, then almost as much time to mod shifter rod cuz now manifold was in the way.
then to save a 1000 cdn i rebuilt a truck ypipe feeding into 3 inch side exit exhaust. its huge and sticks out, in retrospect dual 2 inch would look better if you care about that..

now its needs some faster gears in the rear and paint and i guess tune too, as it seems to be running very rich, but it does have different fabbed up intake, larger side exit exhaust and running in a car that about 2000 lighter!