LS swap with stock manual trans

[Clarmo]

New to this site and never swapped before. Looking to swap a mild 5.3 (stock with cam, intake & carb)
Looking for the best way to do this. Seems there are lots of different directions
Original motor is the V6, trans is 3spd manual.
Here is my wish list:
Mounts that will keep the trans in the stock location,
Headers or manifolds that will clear the original manual linkage,
Cam,
Oil Pan,
Flywheel, clutch, & pilot bearing
I want to hook up the AC, Best compressor, lines mounts and mount locations,
Water pump
Power steering pump

I have everything from a 2003 pickup. What can I used or need to change?

I'm not looking for the cheapest way but don't want to kill the budget on a 3K billet mount and pulley system either.

Thanks guys!
Jamie

 

[Garrett1982]

Maybe see if you can find Holley 1" setback mounts. 1" setback puts you where you need to be with the stock trans. You will need the MSD 6010 box to run the coils if you are going carb. You will need a shallower pan. The stock truck pan hangs too low. I bought the GM musclercar pan from Summit. It is a hummer h3 pan and the kit runs about $150.

 

[clean8485]

Hi Jamie. Are you looking to use the 3 speed transmission in the Iraqi car, or are you switching to a different transmission? The Iraqi cars (heck, pretty much all of the manual transmission GM A body cars from '78-'81), have a kind of unique clutch setup, with a specific bellhousing & clutch fork. The cross shaft for the clutch linkage is anchored to a mounting boss with a threaded hole at the back of the engine block. The shifter in those cars is located pretty far forward in the floor (relatively speaking).
I suppose that what I'm saying, is that in order to do the LS engine swap, you're probably going to have to switch from the existing mechanical clutch linkage, to a hydraulic setup. I've heard about issues with some hydraulic setups with pedal effort with a stock clutch pedal (there's some info on MonteCarloSS.com). I'm not sure how long the 3 speed Saginaw would hold up behind an LS engine, and if you swap to a different transmission, then you're probably going to have some concerns about shifter location (unless you cut the floor and relocate the shifter further back).
I looked at the photos of that car when it was up for sale on Kijiji. It looks like its one of the nicest, cleanest low mileage Iraqi Malibus left out there these days. If you proceed with the swap you're proposing, then I believe that you're going to be looking at doing some surgery on that car, in order to get it done.
Its your car, and you can do what you want with it. If it were me, I think I'd try to keep that car pretty much original, and I'd look for another candidate for an LS swap. Just my $0.02.

 

[Clarmo]

Hi Jamie. Are you looking to use the 3 speed transmission in the Iraqi car, or are you switching to a different transmission? The Iraqi cars (heck, pretty much all of the manual transmission GM A body cars from '78-'81), have a kind of unique clutch setup, with a specific bellhousing & clutch fork. The cross shaft for the clutch linkage is anchored to a mounting boss with a threaded hole at the back of the engine block. The shifter in those cars is located pretty far forward in the floor (relatively speaking).
I suppose that what I'm saying, is that in order to do the LS engine swap, you're probably going to have to switch from the existing mechanical clutch linkage, to a hydraulic setup. I've heard about issues with some hydraulic setups with pedal effort with a stock clutch pedal (there's some info on MonteCarloSS.com). I'm not sure how long the 3 speed Saginaw would hold up behind an LS engine, and if you swap to a different transmission, then you're probably going to have some concerns about shifter location (unless you cut the floor and relocate the shifter further back).
I looked at the photos of that car when it was up for sale on Kijiji. It looks like its one of the nicest, cleanest low mileage Iraqi Malibus left out there these days. If you proceed with the swap you're proposing, then I believe that you're going to be looking at doing some surgery on that car, in order to get it done.
Its your car, and you can do what you want with it. If it were me, I think I'd try to keep that car pretty much original, and I'd look for another candidate for an LS swap. Just my $0.02.

My first car when I turned 16 was a 3spd Taxi. I had big plans (no money) for that car until I bought my 1969 Chevelle Malibu convertible then I forgot all about that old Taxi and passed it down to my brother. 27 years later, the convertible is long gone and I have a Taxi again but 1000 times nicer than the car I had at 16. Those dreams of fixing up the old 3spd Taxi just came back to life that's all. I am very torn about leaving this car original vs changing it. I've been working on cars my whole life, drag raced full time for 15 years, owned my shop for 16 years now. I respect original cars like this. It's been a long time since I had a "driver" to cruise around in and that's what I want to do with this car but the 110hp isn't nice to drive. I'm not looking to make another race car out of it just want to cruise down the highway at 75mph with the stock 2.73 gears, stock trans with the A/C ice cold!
My goal would be to keep it as stock as possible except the engine. Cutting it up is NOT an option!!! And if this car ever becomes valuable (like those Hemi cars 🙂 I can always put the original engine back in.
I would use the original 3spd and want to use the original linkage. I know how the clutch set up is and I don't think its any different then the 4spd's. I realize I'll need to do some fabricating to make things work but that's most of the fun, making parts!
Also thinking I might just put a nice Small block or LT1 if the LS swap is too intrusive.

 

[MrSony]

My first car when I turned 16 was a 3spd Taxi. I had big plans (no money) for that car until I bought my 1969 Chevelle Malibu convertible then I forgot all about that old Taxi and passed it down to my brother. 27 years later, the convertible is long gone and I have a Taxi again but 1000 times nicer than the car I had at 16. Those dreams of fixing up the old 3spd Taxi just came back to life that's all. I am very torn about leaving this car original vs changing it. I've been working on cars my whole life, drag raced full time for 15 years, owned my shop for 16 years now. I respect original cars like this. It's been a long time since I had a "driver" to cruise around in and that's what I want to do with this car but the 110hp isn't nice to drive. I'm not looking to make another race car out of it just want to cruise down the highway at 75mph with the stock 2.73 gears, stock trans with the A/C ice cold!
My goal would be to keep it as stock as possible except the engine. Cutting it up is NOT an option!!! And if this car ever becomes valuable (like those Hemi cars 🙂 I can always put the original engine back in.
I would use the original 3spd and want to use the original linkage. I know how the clutch set up is and I don't think its any different then the 4spd's. I realize I'll need to do some fabricating to make things work but that's most of the fun, making parts!
Also thinking I might just put a nice Small block or LT1 if the LS swap is too intrusive.

Easiest thing to to would be a Buick 350. Same bellhousing, just a 231 plus two cylinders on the front.

 

[Garrett1982]

Easiest thing to to would be a Buick 350. Same bellhousing, just a 231 plus two cylinders on the front.

I think they had the 229 chevy v6, so a sbc would be easier.

 

[Clarmo]

I think they had the 229 chevy v6, so a sbc would be easier.

Correct, 229 chevy V6 in this one.

 

[clean8485]

Hi Jamie. Thanks very much for explaining what your goals are for the car. Gives me a better idea of what you'd like to have when you're done. I think for what you're planning on doing, swapping in the SBC would probably be the easiest & quickest way to get the kind of power that you're looking for, keep the stock clutch setup & 3 speed trans and the 2.73 rear gears. By moving the stock engine mounts further forward on the front frame crossmember, the SBC will fall in there, and the back of the block will sit in the same position as the V6. You'll probably need a bigger rad and a shorter fan shroud, but pretty much everything else should transfer over.
I recently sold an Iraqi taxi that I had (not as nice as yours!). The plan that I had in mind for it, was to swap in a later 4.3 V6 (same engine family as the 229). I got my hands on a factory type 4.3 4 barrel intake manifold and distributor, and I have a pair of the tubular style GM exhaust manifolds. The 4.3 engine (which I still have here) is one of the late '80s engines, with a roller cam and the 1 piece rear main seal. I was going to have to get the block drilled for the O.E. mechanical fuel pump, but there's a local machine shop guy here who said he could do that, because he does a similar job for guys who use the 4.3 as a marine engine. I was planning on pulling the 3 speed, and swapping in a T5 from a mid '80s S10. The way I was looking at it, it wouldn't be too hard to build the 4.3 to put out around 200HP (much better than the 229), and with the 5 speed, the car would be way more fun to drive, and still get decent fuel economy. Also, if you take it to a show or a cruise night, you could say that its the "special high output" model of the Iraqi taxi, that's very rare, just to mess with folks a bit.

 

[MrSony]

Correct, 229 chevy V6 in this one.

my bad. Forgot that motor even existed.

 

[ssn696]

What's wrong with a Gen 1 350? It will bolt in (same flywheel!) with no changes except moving the motor mounts forward. You'll need a V8 fan shroud and throttle cable. You could keep the 3-speed, or go to a Saginaw 4 speed without cutting up the floor at all. Finally, put an aftermarket fuel injection system with a GN tank in the back for more performance and better cold-start.