3.8 Buick replaced with a 3800. (Page 1/1)
ICouldaBeenAV8 JAN 28, 09:47 PM
I have a chance of acquiring a 1971 Vega wagon with an original dealer installed 3.8 Buick. What are the chances of an easy swap with a 3800 Series II or III? Currently an automatic.
Darth Fiero JAN 29, 04:34 PM
All 3800s have the FWD V6 bell housing bolt pattern. So a 3800 from a FWD car, minivan, or F-body isn't going to bolt up to the stock transmission in your Vega - not that you would want to use it anyway.

GM made versions of the 700R4, 4L60-E, and RWD 5-speed manual transmissions that have the FWD V6 bell housing. If you are going to keep the car an automatic, then I would do a swap using a 4L60-E from a 95-02 Camaro/Firebird that came stock with the 3800 engine. I do not recommend using a 4L60-E from a 4cyl S10 or 3.4 V6 F-body as they use weaker internal components.

If you are going to super or turbocharge the engine, then you are going to need a performance build done to the trans.

If you just want a non-SC 3800 Series 2 in your Vega, you could just get the entire dropout powertrain from a 95-02 Camaro or Firebird. However, 99-02 models used a drive-by-wire throttle body control system that will require more work to install into your Vega (but it should still work fine if you are keeping the engine bone stock).

-ryan

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More is more. Less is not enough.

Custom GM OBD1 & OBD2 Tuning | Engine Conversions & more | www.gmtuners.com

[This message has been edited by Darth Fiero (edited 01-29-2016).]

Khw JAN 30, 03:49 PM

quote
Originally posted by Darth Fiero:


GM made versions of the 700R4, 4L60-E, and RWD 5-speed manual transmissions that have the FWD V6 bell housing. If you are going to keep the car an automatic, then I would do a swap using a 4L60-E from a 95-02 Camaro/Firebird that came stock with the 3800 engine. I do not recommend using a 4L60-E from a 4cyl S10 or 3.4 V6 F-body as they use weaker internal components.




Thank you Darth!

I asked this question here in the "other cars" section in another thread but don't recall if it was answered . I wanted to know if the 3800 used in the f-bodies was still FWD bell housing pattern and if so did they make RWD transmissions that bolted up to them for the RWD f-bodies. I was curious because if I can find a late 70's early 80 Bulletside Datsun 620 or a Dodge/Plymouth/Mistubishi D50/Arrow/MightMax for the right price, I'd like to get one to put the 3800SC in and lower it and all.

[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 01-30-2016).]

ICouldaBeenAV8 JAN 31, 09:51 PM
Thanks for the info. Going to look at the Vega tomorrow. Supposedly this was a GM 3.8 retrofit to satisfy a lawsuit regarding the original 4-cyl.
Darth Fiero FEB 01, 12:55 AM

quote
Originally posted by Khw:


Thank you Darth!

I asked this question here in the "other cars" section in another thread but don't recall if it was answered . I wanted to know if the 3800 used in the f-bodies was still FWD bell housing pattern and if so did they make RWD transmissions that bolted up to them for the RWD f-bodies. I was curious because if I can find a late 70's early 80 Bulletside Datsun 620 or a Dodge/Plymouth/Mistubishi D50/Arrow/MightMax for the right price, I'd like to get one to put the 3800SC in and lower it and all.




In case my post wasn't clear, yes, the 3800 Series 2 engines that were used in the 95-02 Camaros and Firebirds had the same bell housing as the FWD 3800 engines. Auto transmission flexplate is DIFFERENT from FWD to RWD though...

[This message has been edited by Darth Fiero (edited 02-01-2016).]

ICouldaBeenAV8 FEB 01, 10:37 PM
If all this takes place, the transmission will be a manual.