chevy 3.8l series 2

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chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vega craig » Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:36 am

has anyone done a newer 3.8 series 2 engine in there car/ i have a 73 vega wagon with a 81 buick 3.8 350 trans ,iam thinking of putting a 98 3.8 series 2 from a camaro in the vega with the overdrive trans . any thoughts ? my big ? is what about exhuast manifolds. craig motor mounts?
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby Fastmax32168 » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:56 pm

My thoughts are that It is going to make a whole lot more power and get a lot better mileage than that 81 vintage will.

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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby txturbo » Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:01 pm

this is the swap I am planning. I have a 72 Vega GT and a wrecked 96 Camaro with the 3.8/auto.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby cammerjeff » Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:19 am

I think it should be a very good swap, I have a 97 Firebird Cnvt with the 3800 T-5 combo and it is fun to drive, and returns 28-29 MPG on the highway. Just be sure to grab the entire wiring harness and sensors along with the computor to make the swap easier. It should be even more fun in a car that weighs almost 1000lbs less than a F-body. Keep us informed on how the conversion is going.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby hammerdown7 » Wed Nov 09, 2011 8:16 am

Just in case anyone is interested, I have a brand new T-5 for a middle 90's Camaro/Firebird V6. I think the bell is new also, not sure and somewhere is a 20K mile flywheel/clutch/hydraulic throwout bearing/master cylinder. I was going to adapt it to my Cosworth but that's not going to happen now. Purchased it 5 years ago.

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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby kkdbrt » Tue Jun 19, 2012 11:56 pm

im getting ready to do a 72 with a 3.8 5 speed. i just got a donor 96 camaro im gonna use everything i can from the car. interior included. i have wanted to do this since i had my last vega in high school.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vegastre » Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:12 am

Very cool build. You might be the first? I forget which version possibly the supercharged is rated conservatively at 175 horse and in old school terms closer to 300 HP? The Vega should fly down the road. If you proceed be sure and start a project Journal with plenty of pics.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby cammerjeff » Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:49 am

Those series II 3800's are rated at 200 HP in N/A form, and 250 HP in Super charged form. And they have all kinda low end torque!!!! It should be a great swap! Keep us posted with Pic's!!!!!
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vegastre » Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:02 am

and 250 HP in Super charged form


I have rode in a Superchraged high 13 second GTP basically stock except for a couple of caddy touches to the motor. The little H-body would be even faster and as you mentioned 29 MPG.

I have toyed with the idea of the L67 3.8 II Supercharged in the Astre. In fact I have done the measurements including altering the cowl. Not an easy swap even the NA version is no walk in the park. Its sort of the reason I have been waiting for someone to be the guinea pig on this deal. Timely thread for me because I have a great deal on a SC motor and I am very close to buying it for a future swap. Its that or rebuild the tired 70's 3.8 sometime this winter.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vegastre » Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:10 pm

Update:
First I want to personally thank members who responded to this thread. I had put the whole idea of the 3800 swap and decision making process on the back burner. Seeing the thread again got me off dead center and after revisiting my notes I have definitely decided to do this swap over the winter months providing I can find all the parts within budget.

Normally when I settle in on an idea there is no turning back. I went to look at the L-67 series 1 Supercharged 3800 engine and it looked sort of beat. At $300 its hard to turn down a running engine but I have decided if I am going to go to all the trouble of the swap I will just hold out for the L-32 series3 with the improved Eaton Gen 5 m90 Supercharger and internals not to mention an advertized 260 HP. Looking at my old notes the series 1 Supercharger is not very desirable anyway which played into my decision to pass. I am in no hurry so I have plenty of time to find a motor and in the mean time I will also be looking for a 3800 Camaro/Firebird block with FWD bosses...and so it goes.

In the mean time someone do this 3800 swap =)
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby SeniorSavage » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:55 pm

I recently bought my wife a 96' Regal Custom with the 3800 series II engine in it and i personally guarantee that the posted HP of 200 is very close to being accurate. You actually have to be careful not to squeal the tires during the rush-hour traffic. Lots of bottom-end torque as mentioned. Also, it gets good gas mileage and is the quietest car I've ever owned. no wonder Gramps drove them eh? An excellent engine indeed.

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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vegastre » Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:54 am

An excellent engine indeed.



Put a bid in on a badly wrecked 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP 3800 SC at a local car auction. Surprisingly I did not get it at a $1100 bid. A wrecking yard bought it and of course if you take a car to them they will offer you almost nothing. Its like they have an agreement among themselves that they have public prices they pay and car auction bids. The caveat here it was low milage.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby hammerdown7 » Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:00 am

Has anyone ever put an SC in an H-body? I'm not so sure they will fit.

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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby vegastre » Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:16 pm

Good Question, in stock form not in a million years because the throttle body is at the back of the motor and extends approx 8 inches. Not to mention no RWD motor bosses. Lucky for me the 3800 NA came in RWD Camaros and I can use one of those blocks. Also the entire cowl area will need to be reworked. My Astre is a good candidate because I have deleted all the stock factory heat and AC ducts and related blower, etc already. For me its a simple matter of modifying the cowl however I wish. Let me correct that and say not a simple job because the real trick will be to do it with out the cowl looking all chopped up and bastardized. I certainly wouldn't suggest this swap for a novice.
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Re: chevy 3.8l series 2

Postby kkdbrt » Sun Aug 12, 2012 9:31 pm

so i got the camaro striped and now have a storage unit full of parts. i do still need a t-5 trans and s-10 parts for the 5 lug conversion then im gonna put the car together then tear it appart and restore everything. probly gonna take about a year to do
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