4.3 Chevy in '87 LX-I???

[LJ1987LX-I]

Hey guys,
First off, let's get the experience part knocked out of the way. Me and a buddy have been building up an '01 GT Mustang. He also owns a drag car with his family and races for his family's team. This is a project me and a buddy are going to take on.

Now, I've been trying to figure out what I wanna do with my Accord for the longest time. From everywhere I can tell, it's had an A20A3 swap, and runs fine, minus a plugged/stuck open injector.

Thing I want to do, and through me and my buddy, the know-how is there; is putting a 4.3 V6 Chevy into the Honda. My intention is to do something different and making it a little weekend racer.

I'd twin-turbo the 4.3 and follow some things people have done to their GNX's. You can't tell me it wouldn't be fast! Lol.

Thoughts?

[RAZR]

Welcome to the Forum.

Are you planning on making a it RWD? or doing the 4.3 in the front wheel drive config?
This will be extermely hard just to let you kno. I dont even kno if it will fit it our engine bays. But this will be a cool project if it ends up getting done.

Post pics ASAP

[LJ1987LX-I]

Yeah, the rear end will be tub'd out to fit the RWD configuration, with a 4 point suspension, probably a ford rear end, not sure yet on that. 3-4 or maybe 5 speed if I can find a 5 speed that's strong enough. Shaving the ddoor handles on the rear doors and sealing the rear doors when I put a fuel cell in there. Or maybe just leave em unsealed but harder to get into.

Pics will come when I start the process.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Welcome to the Forum.

Are you planning on making a it RWD? or doing the 4.3 in the front wheel drive config?
This will be extermely hard just to let you kno. I dont even kno if it will fit it our engine bays. But this will be a cool project if it ends up getting done.

Post pics ASAP

And a 4.3 isn't much bigger than the motors we have in now, as far as size

[RAZR]

When i said i dont think it will fit i was thinking you were gunna do fwd.
If you have the fab abilities it can be done. This will be interesting and cool project.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Oh lol no. I think it'll be neat, and quite fast. Definitely excited to start on it.

[2oodoor]

And a 4.3 isn't much bigger than the motors we have in now, as far as size

Boy do you need a tape measure lol
I would like to see a 3.4 swap it would scram and kinda sounds like a four banger ya they make serious race parts for those stroker 60 deg v6 IMO 4.3 is limited unless u spend way too much u may as well use LS or Lt1 or 3. Those 3.4 are better for lite chasis my opinion

[LJ1987LX-I]

No lol I know what I mean, just sometimes through text it doesn't come out right. I've owned three vehicles with a 4.3 and I know I could fit one in there. That's all I meant. A 4.3 isn't as tall as the motor/transaxle, but it will need to sit higher in the car for the obvious reasons. The 3.4's and the newer 3.5's are nice but I can do a lot with a 4.3, seeing as in my area the minor parts (OEM bolt ons, etc.) are a lot more common.

[LJ1987LX-I]

I've decided to go with just one turbo, which will lower the total cost of the project, and will build me up boost faster. I've also decided on a Ford 8.8 inch rear with 3.27 ratio, which will also increase boost, and give me some acceleration in the process.

I'll either be ordering a 4.3 crate in, or looking for an 86-87 Buick Regal that has a 4.3, as for this type of 4.3 (different head designs) has more after-market options. I will probably be mating the engine to a tremec 6 speed, but will need to take some measurements for whee in the car the shifter will be situated. If it ends up too far back, I'll probably just go with a TH400 with either a trans-brake or. High-stall converter.

Once we get the driveline in the car and custom-fabbed mounts made up (yada yada yada), I will probably go with a MegaSquirt tuner, but I I can find a blow-through carb and manifold that would fit, I'll go the carbureted route.

Once the fuel delivery is figured, I'll put the car on the dyno to figure out the power curve levels to determine which turbo would perform the best in the car. My buddy thinks a 70 trim (his terminology, not sure it's correct) would suit it well, but we'll see what the dyno says when we get there.

I'll probably mount some MT Drag radials on the ass end, on a 15" rim set and try for 275/50 or the like.

Sound good so far?

[hammer3rd]

Just one aquestion? Why on earth would you want mess up a honda with that junk. If you want go with a newer b swap. I have been looking into this option and 200. 225 at the wheels is pretty easy to get and it is almost a bolt in. Just asking.

[2oodoor]

Just one aquestion? Why on earth would you want mess up a honda with that junk. If you want go with a newer b swap. I have been looking into this option and 200. 225 at the wheels is pretty easy to get and it is almost a bolt in. Just asking.

very good point

Other than making a drifter I really dont see the value of doing the chevy rwd swap, but a project like this in intreguing and interesting to me all the same.
I would see doing this swap in something like a GM fwd car that would be the mind blower, like a HHR or cobalt coupe, maybe a G6 lol

[LJ1987LX-I]

Lol I've been thinking about it for a while and everyone around here has already done a B swap and I'm just not interested in a B swap. I apologize for liking Chevy, it's what I drove before Honda, and I wanna combine the best of both worlds. The car is going to be set up like a pro-street, Drag car, but street legal and I'd use it to cruise around on weekends.

[A18A]

A honda with a B-series swap?
http://store.warlordgames.com/ekmps/shops/warlord/images/flock-of-sheep-5029-p.jpg

[LJ1987LX-I]

Exactly, and I'm going to be the wolf chasing them sheep.

[Dr_Snooz]

Just one aquestion? Why on earth would you want mess up a honda with that junk. If you want go with a newer b swap. I have been looking into this option and 200. 225 at the wheels is pretty easy to get and it is almost a bolt in. Just asking.

I wasn't going to say anything, but since first blood has been drawn...

I'm thinking about what this is going to cost in both dollar and effort terms. You're going to easily put $20k into this project. At the end of it all, you're going to have a car worth all of $1,000, with additional deductions for it being a one-off that you can't take to a shop. It doesn't make sense to me. It would be less effort to build a full tube chassis and put the Honda body over it and have a real race machine when you're done. You obviously like the car well enough to work on it and I'm assuming you like it for the same reasons everyone does. It's spunky and highly refined. You want to improve it, but turning it into a Chevy is going to destroy what makes it unique. Making it RWD is going to eliminate the F1 suspension. There goes its spunk. Using a Chevy drivetrain will destroy its refinement. It's like turning your Mercedes into a donk. You have something unusual, but it's not better. I'd say understand first what makes the car special, then work from there.

Sorry to bag on your project. I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound to me like you've really thought this through. All I can see is an eventual Craiglist ad for a big pile of parts. Good luck with whatever you do.

[LJ1987LX-I]

I wasn't going to say anything, but since first blood has been drawn...

I'm thinking about what this is going to cost in both dollar and effort terms. You're going to easily put $20k into this project. At the end of it all, you're going to have a car worth all of $1,000, with additional deductions for it being a one-off that you can't take to a shop. It doesn't make sense to me. It would be less effort to build a full tube chassis and put the Honda body over it and have a real race machine when you're done. You obviously like the car well enough to work on it and I'm assuming you like it for the same reasons everyone does. It's spunky and highly refined. You want to improve it, but turning it into a Chevy is going to destroy what makes it unique. Making it RWD is going to eliminate the F1 suspension. There goes its spunk. Using a Chevy drivetrain will destroy its refinement. It's like turning your Mercedes into a donk. You have something unusual, but it's not better. I'd say understand first what makes the car special, then work from there.

Sorry to bag on your project. I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound to me like you've really thought this through. All I can see is an eventual Craiglist ad for a big pile of parts. Good luck with whatever you do.

I'm sorry, I'm well aware of how much it's going to cost. I've been pricing out parts for the last three months and am well aware that this is going to be expensive; I don't care. It's something that I want to do, it's something different, and I want to do something that Honda has never thought of before (S2K notwithstanding).

I can't take it anywhere to get it worked on? Like I would anyway. I don't believe in paying people to do something that I can do myself-- a lot cheaper, mind you.
Sorry that you feel that I'm taking away the car's "spunk." I've driven it the way it is now, and I bought it to be a project car.

I am at my buddies about every weekend, putting motors in and out of cars just for the hell of it. I can do any repair I need to. I am not worried. I am not afraid to take on this project. First blood be damned, I'm not hurt, it's the nay-Sayers that have the problem; they're the ones bleeding.

[89T]

I cant wait for pics and vids to start flowing.

[2drSE-i]

Come on guys, quit busting his balls. Let him do what he wants. I for one am ready to see this beast come to life!

[Bassmastry101]

Come on guys, quit busting his balls. Let him do what he wants. I for one am ready to see this beast come to life!

x2!

[LJ1987LX-I]

Thanks guys.

[Dr_Snooz]

Good grief. I'm not busting his balls. I'm giving him counsel. Is it right for me to sit quietly by while someone throws a bundle of money that he could use on other things down what appears to be a hole? Should I shine him on and say "go go go!" when I feel otherwise in my heart? I was planning to just mouth pleasantries and wait for this thread to die naturally, but it didn't seem right to me. So I spoke. If that's wrong, then I am wrong. And I apologize.

LJ1987LX-I, I'm not saying you don't have the talent and that you aren't the man. I'm saying that you are describing a "weekend racer" project of gargantuan proportions. You have already indicated elsewhere that money is an impediment and I feel that you are going to spend a lot more money than you realize before all is said and done. At the end of it all, you're going to have a car with zero resale value, so it doesn't strike me as a wise use of funds. It will take forever to finish and in that time, things are going to change. You're going to get into it and realize that it's an awful lot of work and really you'd rather be building a T-bucket hot rod anyway, so the project will get set aside. You're going to get a new job and have to move or a new baby will arrive or your wife is going to blow a gasket about the pile of parts in the garage that you haven't done anything with for months. Then you'll be dumping all your stuff on Craigslist, hoping to get a fraction of what you spent to get it all. Obviously, I don't know your situation and maybe you do know what you're getting into. All I have to go by is what you've written. Based on that, I'm saying that I'm not convinced you've really thought it through. That's all.

Again, I wish you well with the project and hope you produce a real eye-popper. Definitely show me up. I won't have any problem saying I was wrong. Just please think about what you're doing before spending a lot of money.

[A18A]

^ I see where you're coming from. I don't know about anyone else, but with a project car, I find the fun is in the journey rather than the destination. My daily driver for example, I had more fun stripping it back & putting it back together how I like it more so than I enjoy driving it (although I do like driving it). I reckon if you're having fun building it, it's not really a waste of money or time, even if it never gets completed.

I've also found that probably more than less modified cars have a worse resale value than a stock equivalent. Resale value will be the last thing on my mind if I'm gonna have a project car anyway

But that's just me :)

[89T]

^ I find the fun is in the journey rather than the destination.

may I?

[LJ1987LX-I]

Snooz, I ain't upset. I'm just saying. I don't care how much I spend. I wanna do something different. You're talking to someone who wanted to make a 1978gmc Sierra 4x4 a 1500 hp drag truck. I don't care about money. But I'm not going to go broke over it either. It'll take a while because I'm goin to budget for the parts. That's the longest part.

[LJ1987LX-I]

This project is pretty much set in stone. One way or another it'll be completed. If I have to put in a 3.8, so be it, but I'm trying with a 4.3 first. I might try and get into some pro-street competitions with it if it does well enough on my trial runs. Once I get tune figured and boost set right I'll take it to the track and see how hard she pulls. My buddy is thinking high 7's to low 8's in the eighth and high 9's to low 10's in the quarter. My buddy races for Walker Racing if you've ever heard of them, and races a '96 Dodge Avenger, participates in monster mopar and the like. He has way more mechanical know-how than I do; and I've been learning from him. Couldn't tell you how many motors I've pulled, torn apart, and put back together with him in the last year, and learning about everything along the way. That's how I know that this whole project is very much possible. I wouldn't have dreamed of it of we hadn't have been talking about doing some mods to the car.

One day soon I'll prove you wrong, but I'm not doing so out of spite. I'm doing it because I'm sure you really would like to see the car and the potential power it'd produce. I even plan on doing a step-by-step documentary type deal so anyone who want to try one themselves and see how it's done. It won't be easy, mind you, but I've never turned away from something that was difficult. I'm ready to tackle this project head on and don't plan on stopping until its done. Plus, I am super excited to see what she'll do in the end.

[Bassmastry101]

Sounds like you really are serious about this. I for one am looking forward to this build, regardless if it fails or not. If you earned the money and want to throw it at a project like this then more power to you. As long as your happy doing it and learning more as you go, have fun.

Good luck and keep us updated. Subscribed.

[Bassmastry101]

Btw, this thread made me think of the civette.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DudjNvnsfKE

[LJ1987LX-I]

Well, I'm not going to do something like that, not as crazy anyway.

[MessyHonda]

rwd accord...nice

[LJ1987LX-I]

Once finished it'll be a champ

[Dr_Snooz]

This project is pretty much set in stone.

Sounds good. Let's see the pics!

[Vanilla Sky]

A C4 Corvette is close enough in wheel base and track width to fit under the 3gee. C4 Corvettes are less than $1000 in the kind of condition you'd be looking for, since you're going to be cutting the body off.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Snooz, once I get started I'll have a whole picture thread devoted to this project.

[obdriver6]

I'm looking forward to this!

[LJ1987LX-I]

Me too, lol. It's going to be an exciting build.

[2oodoor]

Btw, this thread made me think of the civette.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DudjNvnsfKE

that is definatley a worth while project right there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfR_Ztug9N0&feature=related

[Bassmastry101]

that is definatley a worth while project right there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfR_Ztug9N0&feature=related

I think I spent over half my day at work sat looking through his build thread lol. Can't wait to see another RWD 3gee!

[LJ1987LX-I]

Spent some time watching YouTube and seeing that little hatch with the 'Vette motor in it was kinda a stupid build. Yeah, I will admit, it is cool, but that is WAYYY too much power to try to tame with that short of wheel base.

I'm doing a turboed V6 and have the very likelihood of my car doing the same thing, but I'm going to be making a suspension system that will hopefully dig the ass end down and keep me from losing control like that.

[Bassmastry101]

Any update?

[LJ1987LX-I]

Put on hold, got laid off from work so I've been job searching. Will keep y'all informed.

[DBMaster]

Greetings from The Humungus, The Lord Humungus. The Warrior of the Wasteland. The Ayatolla of Rock and Rolla!

[DBMaster]

Before you ask...

http://www.videohippy.com/video/123012/The-Lord-Humungus-Speech

The discussions of these projects always make me think of the vehicles from "The Road Warrior."

[AccordEpicenter]

7's to low 8's in the eighth and high 9's to low 10's in the quarter

umm... 7s and low 8s in the 1/8mi does not translate to 9s or 10s in the 1/4 haha. But I still wanna race you when you get the car sorted out.

Honda power vs Chevy power, turbo!

[Ichiban]

I wasn't going to say anything, but since first blood has been drawn...

I'm thinking about what this is going to cost in both dollar and effort terms. You're going to easily put $20k into this project. At the end of it all, you're going to have a car worth all of $1,000, with additional deductions for it being a one-off that you can't take to a shop. It doesn't make sense to me. It would be less effort to build a full tube chassis and put the Honda body over it and have a real race machine when you're done. You obviously like the car well enough to work on it and I'm assuming you like it for the same reasons everyone does. It's spunky and highly refined. You want to improve it, but turning it into a Chevy is going to destroy what makes it unique. Making it RWD is going to eliminate the F1 suspension. There goes its spunk. Using a Chevy drivetrain will destroy its refinement. It's like turning your Mercedes into a donk. You have something unusual, but it's not better. I'd say understand first what makes the car special, then work from there.

Sorry to bag on your project. I could be wrong, but it doesn't sound to me like you've really thought this through. All I can see is an eventual Craiglist ad for a big pile of parts. Good luck with whatever you do.



I put the impossible B20A into my 82. If you can fab, and stick with a project, it's really not that hard or expensive, just time intensive.

With that out of the way, lets see this thing done. I always wanted to do a 4.3/350 swap into a jap car, but I considered an early corolla or 2wd hilux, something already rear wheel drive.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Lol it will be strange. But once I get the car done and figured out I'd be glad to race anyone of you guys. Not that I'd know I'd win, but to see what your cars could do and whatnot.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Hey guys, just to let you know, I'm working on getting back on my feet. Plans have changed for the Honda... Don't worry, still doing a V6/RWD swap.

A buddy of mine (the one who's going to be helping me through the project) bought a 96 V-6 'stang with a 3.8 under the hood. He's going to sell me the motor, ECM, and exhaust for $500.

We're going to tear down the motor and re-bearing everything, new valve guides, new rings, and we're going to throw in a mild-cam, and slap a vortex (spelling) supercharger on it.

Motor runs strong, and sounds quite impressive, but I am going to do all this because the motor has 160000 miles on it.

He's keeping the transmission in it for another build, so I just gotta find a rear end and transmission and we'll start working on the build then! I'll keep y'all posted

[Vanilla Sky]

For $500, you can get more power out of a SBC 350, even if you have to take a weight penalty. Hell, that puts you in the LT1 price range. $1000 LT1/T5 combos are easy to find in running, driving Camaros, letting you sell off the rest of the car to get that $1000 down to practically nothing. I'd take that path before putting in an engine with only slightly more power potential than the motor coming out. For all that work, you're getting about 40 HP more than the current engine. Not worth it for such a modest power increase.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Heads are going to be ported and intake. He's got a few more ideas to add to it but he thinks it's still going to be pretty fast.

[pickupman6]

Its not that hard to get 300 hp out of a 3.8 I used to hang around the mustang forums and have seen a lot of 6 cyl ponys putting out 300hp. Iv seen a few putting out close to 600. Those motors are really detuned from the factory, a little bit of head work, cam, intake, exhaust and you got 250hp.

[LJ1987LX-I]

All I really need is around 250-275 and the Accord would scream. But I'm thinking about going up to 300.

[Vanilla Sky]

Or spend the same money on an LT1 motor and start at the 3.8's finishing power.

I've worked on some crazy swaps in my life. Don't bother with a swap that will give you less power than something else that's very easy to get. Hell, I could get myself into a nicely built 350 for less than $1000, and it should already be in the 600 HP range. It's not incredibly hard to get an engine in that power range when you have so much displacement at hand.

[LJ1987LX-I]

I've worked with Chevy's. Power gains are ridiculously easy to do. But I want something a little more mild for this car, and of I decide I want more than the 3.8 down the road, I might actually build up a 4.3 and throw that in there. Turboed and all.

[Vanilla Sky]

If you're building it to use a Ford engine now, do you want to go through the trouble of making a GM engine fit down the road? Going up in size with the affordable Ford stuff out there doesn't leave you with much other than the truck motors, and they aren't terribly reliable. For the work involved, the GM upgrade path is a better choice.

[LJ1987LX-I]

The engine size between the 3.8 and the 4.3 are similar. The transmission tunnel will be cut big enough to pull the tranny out through the floor, instead of having to lift the car. Shouldn't have any issue fitting a trans for a 4.3 in there. Only thing I'll have to change is the exhaust layout, because if I do the 4.3, I'm doing a turbo.

[Bassmastry101]

What trans are you planning for, an auto or manual? A manual might take up less room, however a th350 trans is pretty short. Might now h ave to cut up the floor too much, mostly the firewall.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Me and my buddy are re-thinking the project. We've been bouncing around the idea of putting a small-block V8 in there. Here's some of our plans via Facebook Messenger, from me to him:

It's a long message so bear with me.
I'm going to go out and buy an S10 frame, okay?
Pull the cab off,shorten the frame if necessary, though we shouldn't have to by much, the wheel bases are similar between the honda and the S10.
Then we'll pull everything off the honda, suspension, steering, everything. Seats. Everything.
Line the car body on the S10 frame making surethe wheel-wells were over all tires, and making sure the whole body was centered on the frame. Then mark it.
Cut into the floor pan and firewall in the honda enough so we can drop the body to make it sit inside the frame, then we'll weld or bolt in plates along various points on the underside of the frame rails to serve as body mounts.
Then we'll notch the frame where it comes into the cab, enough so that it sits about an inch or two above the original floor. Then we'll weld or bolt a couple of flat plates into it so it still has some frame rigidity
We'll mount the front seats to both of these plate braces, front and back
Now, I'm thinking about doing a 350 small block, a 383 stroker, or a 400 swap onto the S10 frame.
Not sure which one yet, they're all the sme sized block, though I could do it with a 360 too, lol.
Then once we get a few things figured, we'll lower the car, using drop spindles and possible do a rear frame notch to accomodate the axle. Don't know if it'll need it though. I'll probably run a Ford 9 inch, or maybe a GM 10 or 12 bolt.3.73 gears or so.
Put a decent cam in the motor, and either super charge, or turbo the motor after the proper internals are installed, and try to find a manual transmission for it, though if I have to, I'll run an automatic

[LJ1987LX-I]

duplicate post

[Ayeobe]

That sounds quite badass, man. i'd suggest keeping, or trying to figure how to keep the honda suspention, though.. or at least making sure its got good shit, so itll handle as well as it used to.

[LJ1987LX-I]

My buddy has some ideas for a 4-link suspension. We're building the Honda up for the dragstrip/ street cruiser.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Okay guys,

I was talking to an acquaintance last night and managed to work out a deal of sorts.

He's got an '89 Accord that he needs a motor and transmission in, and I have a motor and transmission that I want to replace with something bigger and (let the flaming begin) better. ***

For my engine (A20A3) and my transmission, he is going to trade me (1) S10 Blazer frame, (1) Ford rear axle 9" with 3.73's, sheet steel that's 1/4" -3/8" thick for mounting the body to the frame, tubular steel for suspension (rear), and the front suspension off of a G body car of he has one laying around. No money changing hands, just parts.

I've also decided on going the way of a Chevy 350 for the power plant, and I will make the build a progressive build, meaning I'm going to put the rebuilt block into the car and as I go along down the road, I'll add different parts here and there.

*** While I personally believe that Honda is a manufacturer of one of the most reliable engines in the world, and think they're great for what they are, I am not a total Honda fanboy. I've always liked my Chevys, and I like the Hondas too, hence the mating of Chevy and Honda.

[LJ1987LX-I]

I think I'll officially name this project "Project: Honda GM3503G".

What y'all think?

[RAZR]

I think I'll officially name this project "Project: Honda GM3503G".

What y'all think?

I like it :)

[LJ1987LX-I]

Thank you! I'm going to put it on the vanity plates maybe lol

[obdriver6]

I'm glad you're sticking to this project!

[LJ1987LX-I]

It may take me some time to get finished, but it'll happen.

I just landed myself one hell of a hourly job, upwards of 56 hours a week, potentially. So the money will be there.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Okay guys, I wanted your input.

As you know, I'm getting a deal on a frame, rear axle, plate steel for body mounts, and tubular steel for rear suspension parts, and I'm spending no money at all to acquire these. Just trading off my A20A3 and trans.

Well, I have the opportunity to pick up a FREE Chevy 307 that just needs rebuilt. Fine, because I'd be putting all new parts into a 350. Whole thing is, the 350, I'd have to buy, then buy MORE parts. With this 307, all I gotta do is buy the parts and pay for some machine work.

So if I go with the 307, all I got to really pay for is tranny, some parts for tranny, motor, driveshaft, and a few odds and ends here and there.

What you guys think? Should I go 350? or should I go 307?

[LJ1987LX-I]

Disregard, I'm sticking with the 350, lol!

[Ichiban]

Run away from that 307. A brutal truck motor that was outperformed by the inline 6, and those were terrible.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Yeah, I'm sticking with the 350. I think I'd enjoy it more, anyway.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Okay guys, if everything works out the way I'm hoping it does (but somehow it rarely does) I'll be starting the project later in this year. Looking at maybe October or November, but possibly sooner.

GM3503G should be rolling along here pretty soon.

[LJ1987LX-I]

One final change, and we're golden.

Instead of using a 350 for the heart, I've decided, due to massive chiding of my buddy, to do an L98 5.3 Chevy swap. This equals out to anywhere between 327 and 330 Cu. In.

Reasoning behind this decision is that I can produce power in the areas I want on stock internals and proper tuning. That being said, here's the parts list that I have to accrue.

L98 Chevy 5.3 engine
Truck wiring harness
ECU
Garrett GT40 turbo (all the various parts hitherto)
Plate steel
Ford 8.8" rear axle (3.27 to 3.73 gear ratio)
Tremec 6 speed tranny ( not sure about this, wanting a 5 speed, but we'll see what I can find)

And various little items.

I'm going to be trying to collect the parts together here pretty soon, so...

[Vanilla Sky]

If you intend to drag race the car, I'd stick with a TH350. If you still want a good highway car, I'd put a well built 4L60e go in there, maybe an old school built 700r4.

By the way, you're line of thinking isn't far off of mine. I was going to use a Corvette, though. C4 Corvette frames can be carried easily by 2 people, so they're light weight. They tuck the engine behind the wheels, too, so it would handle well. The mono leaf suspension is as far ahead of its time as double wishbone in a sedan.

[LJ1987LX-I]

If you intend to drag race the car, I'd stick with a TH350. If you still want a good highway car, I'd put a well built 4L60e go in there, maybe an old school built 700r4.

By the way, you're line of thinking isn't far off of mine. I was going to use a Corvette, though. C4 Corvette frames can be carried easily by 2 people, so they're light weight. They tuck the engine behind the wheels, too, so it would handle well. The mono leaf suspension is as far ahead of its time as double wishbone in a sedan.

Well I'm wanting it to stay a manual. They can typically take more abuse, and I'm more a home with a manual anyway, it will keep me from doing something stupid like texting or talking while driving (not the greatest multi-tasker lol). That and I can take off in second while cruising, reducing wheel-spin that'd brin undue attention from the police, so.

Frame wise, I'm probably going to just stick with a standard cab short box S10 frame due to less wheel-base differences.

[Vanilla Sky]

In case you haven't measured a C4, they have very close to the same wheel base and length as the 3gee. No need to lower the car, as it will already be low to the ground. They do have a very tall frame cross section, though.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Yeah, but the S10 will offer the rigidity through some of the notching I'm going to have to do, there ain't much winning with it... Lol. Gotta set the car on a G-Body GM IFS, and that isn't going to be the easiest to figure out, lol. Just hope it doesn't end up wider than the car. A little bit and I wouldn't mind at all. But just not sure. Probably going to try and finagle some Chevy bolt pattern axles into the solid rear Ford, so hopefully it doesn't get too terrible.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Suppose I could see if the S10 front suspension would work but I'd have to buy a lowering kit for the front.

[Vanilla Sky]

I'd use the Honda suspension up front to be honest. Tie the frame into the front cross member. I'd use that Ford 9" out back, no doubt. I'd use a triangulated 4 link with either a really long panhard bar or a watt's link to locate the axle out back.

[2oodoor]

If I were seriously going to frankinbowtie an Accord, I wouldn't be trying to make it a full frame car, it would be a unibody tube chassis hybrid.
I would buy a Fox body Mustang, early 90s factory four link, 8.8 diff, Jig up the Honda and take some measurments to match as many structural commons as I could with the Fox, and start cutting and welding in the Mustang Fox unibody rigid floor framing.
Why use GM axle flanges? no way man... :rolleyes:what the hell would be the point?
I would do the front in tubing and probably use Jegs Mustang II style aftermarket subframing so tuning the front suspension would be quicker, simpler and less expensive.
Shape the tubing as close as possible to match the Accords front sheet metal support structure profile.
The Accords front clip (subframing, crossmembers and suspension) would be chunked but the outer sheet metal would be conserved to be made one piece, which would be a tedious process to do it losing as much weight as possible and still be rigid enough to support itself with minimum attaching points to the tube frame. Here it would be a toss up labor time wise to maybe just cast a fiberglass mould for the front clip with the afore mentioned product with less time taking off weight and more just keeping it together long enough to make a casting for the fiberglass. I would be focusing more on the back half and motor supporting front crossmembers before I could decide how to hang the facia and fenders back on it all.
To save time and to still have options later I would just buy the LS oem complete with tranny and oem tunable ECM and all wiring. LS swaps are a bit more involved than typical SBC. I think they do make a carburated intake for them so that may be a shortcut there using a stand alone ignition and TH350 era trans. ehhh I dunno, those are pricey.
Time, money and labor all factor in. Getting a workable unit together that gets frankinbowonda going so it could be played becomes priority once the back half project gets that far along. All the details involving expense, like high dollar over the top gay turbos and rainbow xmas tree fragrance for the rear view, just retards the reality of the project IMO.
If too many little details of the dream rod get so crazy before anything is even started, it make it less likely to materialize.
This can be done but getting a rolling chassis together, with an Accord hull that supports a 300+ hp RWD powerplant is already a six month or better project.
If I was considering a full frame, it would be a s10 two door 2wd blazer and a bunch of 2 inch square tubing, channel and angle.

[Vanilla Sky]

There's space to put the chassis tubing in the car and not use up any space. Following the bottom corners of the floor pan, you can hide a lot of tubing.

Here's a cross cut of the rocker panel area of a 3gee. I made this cut myself. I also have cross cuts of the roof support.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/wannabe_otaku/death/IMAG0023.jpg

[LJ1987LX-I]

I'd use the Honda suspension up front to be honest. Tie the frame into the front cross member.

I like that idea, but the biggest thing I'm worrying about is finding a stiff enough suspension to keep the car from grinding the oil pan.


I'd use that Ford 9" out back, no doubt. I'd use a triangulated 4 link with either a really long panhard bar or a watt's link to locate the axle out back

Me and my buddy were thinking something along the lines of that. Thinking about mounting the bars as far out to the end of the axle as I feasibly can, but I'm not sure how well that'd work out.


If I were seriously going to frankinbowtie an Accord, I wouldn't be trying to make it a full frame car, it would be a unibody tube chassis hybrid.

But making it a full frame makes it a lot easier to do, figuratively speaking, because all I have to do is cut into the body to sink it into the frame. Then of course in the front seats the frame will be notched to accommodate the usage of the pedals.


I would buy a Fox body Mustang, early 90s factory four link, 8.8 diff, Jig up the Honda and take some measurments to match as many structural commons as I could with the Fox, and start cutting and welding in the Mustang Fox unibody rigid floor framing.

I know what you're saying, but I want to be able to unbolt the frame from the body with relative ease. Big issue I'm going to have is making sure that the bolts don't tear through the floor boards of the Honda. I'll have to come up with an idea to spread the forces out.


Why use GM axle flanges? no way man... what the hell would be the point?

Because GM 10/12/14 bolts suck. But I'll have to use a G-Body front end and it uses the Chevy 5on5 bolt pattern, and I want the rear to match. Ford's been known for making a better axle.


I would do the front in tubing and probably use Jegs Mustang II style aftermarket subframing so tuning the front suspension would be quicker, simpler and less expensive.

I'm talking to my buddy now about how well working in a Mustang K-member would be into a Chevy Frame, that way the engine would be a little more open.


Shape the tubing as close as possible to match the Accords front sheet metal support structure profile.
The Accords front clip (subframing, crossmembers and suspension) would be chunked but the outer sheet metal would be conserved to be made one piece, which would be a tedious process to do it losing as much weight as possible and still be rigid enough to support itself with minimum attaching points to the tube frame. Here it would be a toss up labor time wise to maybe just cast a fiberglass mould for the front clip with the afore mentioned product with less time taking off weight and more just keeping it together long enough to make a casting for the fiberglass

I was actually thinking about having the front clip being a molded piece of fiberglass or something like that, it'd cut down a little on weight, maybe, but at the same time, I'd have it to where I could remove it with 4 to 6 pins to get to working on the engine.


I would be focusing more on the back half and motor supporting front crossmembers before I could decide how to hang the facia and fenders back on it all.

Totally agreed. Gotta get that shit done before I can move on to making the beast look nice.


To save time and to still have options later I would just buy the LS oem complete with tranny and oem tunable ECM and all wiring.

Nah, I'm omitting the tranny and going manual, all on preferences, wouldn't be terribly hard to make work, though. I'm sure I can figure something out to omit wiring for the tranny and not have many issues. And as far as I know, the ECM can be tuned, if not, there's always megasquirt and all the rest. Thinking to run MSD ignition and getting a good fuel system in there. And I can get the truck wiring harness pretty cheap, or just find out the gauge of the wiring and wire it myself. I don't know about that yet, so I'm not going to commit on that until I do.


LS swaps are a bit more involved than typical SBC.

Yeah, but once done, should work like a champ. If I don't have the know-how, my buddy does, it'll get figured out in due time.


I think they do make a carburated intake for them so that may be a shortcut there using a stand alone ignition and TH350 era trans. ehhh I dunno, those are pricey.

They make Carb'd intakes for them, but I don't want a ridiculous sized cowl on the hood, just enough to close the hood over the motor. EFI would make this chore a little simpler. Again, I'm probably going to stick with a manual, it's what I would like to have in the car, I've got some more research to do on them, though.


Time, money and labor all factor in. Getting a workable unit together that gets frankinbowonda going so it could be played becomes priority once the back half project gets that far along. All the details involving expense, like high dollar over the top gay turbos and rainbow xmas tree fragrance for the rear view, just retards the reality of the project IMO.

In the long run, it's just going to be cheaper to do it this way, because I don't have to go and replace a bunch of parts, more of just putting them in there (motor wise), and I don't have to buy a bunch of performance parts just to get the turbo to work without grenading the motor.


If too many little details of the dream rod get so crazy before anything is even started, it make it less likely to materialize.

That's why I'm keeping this whole brainstorm generalized. If I do too far into the specifics, I won't wanna do it, so I'm just going to keep optimistic and not plan too far ahead, just do it one step at a time.

Step 1: Get my license back.
Step 2: Get the build parts together.
Step 3: Find a replacement vehicle while the Honda goes down for the project.

And that's as far as I am, and will be for a while.


This can be done but getting a rolling chassis together, with an Accord hull that supports a 300+ hp RWD powerplant is already a six month or better project.

This project will get as long as it needs. I fully intend to see this finished.


If I was considering a full frame, it would be a s10 two door 2wd blazer and a bunch of 2 inch square tubing, channel and angle.

The 2-door 2wd Blazer is pretty much the same frame. as far as everything else goes, like stated, I'll pick it up as needed.

[pickupman6]

I thought the L98 was the 350 they put in the IROC, and other cars of the late 80s early 90s. I quit keeping up with gm because their new crap is just that, crap. I have completely turned my back on them. Whoever I still have a soft spot for some of their older stuff. If it was me (and its not) I would stick with a 350/350. 350 turbos are tough as nails out the box but if you build one and put in a manual valve body wou have an unstoppable beast. Couple that with some 3.08 gears in the rear and the accords light weight and you have a rocket.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Well, I have as many issues determining which engine is which in there L's. It's the 5.3 variant. If I could find an EFI'd 350 WITH a 5 speed tranny... I'd be happy. More than happy, ecstatic! But everywhere I'm seeing, the 5.3 is capable of producing some epic power in my price-range.

Here's a video of a Fairmount or whatever with this motor installed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk9uU_3VHT0

Here's another link on this motor in a Nova:

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445384

[LJ1987LX-I]

Oh and I guess I should be calling it LS or some shit like that lol.

[pickupman6]

I'm not saying you are wrong, I too am confused, and it wouldn't surprise me if the resurrected that name plate, wouldn't be the first time. I also have no doubt that you can make a 5.3 a beast, I mean its a chevy, there are tons of companies offering performance parts for them. I'm just a little more old school when it comes to gm performance. I haven't been keeping up with gm for over 10 years. I've been playin with fords since I graduated high school and just recently got bit by the honda bug. My last build was an 85 f150 with a 300 inline 6. I massaged the head a little bit a custom 276 grind cam, offenhauser intake, holly 600cfm 4 barrel, rocker arms of a gm 250, and custom made headers. The old girl was pushing 350 hp according to the butt dyno, and also based on the fact that it would walk away from my buddies 02 2500 with the 6.0 that had a performance chip that was supposed to add 25 hp. You probably now understand my username. I've also built a 302 ranger with 351 cleveland heads on it mated to a c6. Sorry for ramblin, lookin forward to your build.

[pickupman6]

Lj's LS-LX-i
Lol

[LJ1987LX-I]

I'm not saying you are wrong, I too am confused, and it wouldn't surprise me if the resurrected that name plate, wouldn't be the first time. I also have no doubt that you can make a 5.3 a beast, I mean its a chevy, there are tons of companies offering performance parts for them. I'm just a little more old school when it comes to gm performance. I haven't been keeping up with gm for over 10 years. I've been playin with fords since I graduated high school and just recently got bit by the honda bug. My last build was an 85 f150 with a 300 inline 6. I massaged the head a little bit a custom 276 grind cam, offenhauser intake, holly 600cfm 4 barrel, rocker arms of a gm 250, and custom made headers. The old girl was pushing 350 hp according to the butt dyno, and also based on the fact that it would walk away from my buddies 02 2500 with the 6.0 that had a performance chip that was supposed to add 25 hp. You probably now understand my username. I've also built a 302 ranger with 351 cleveland heads on it mated to a c6. Sorry for ramblin, lookin forward to your build.

Lol yeah I hear ya, I'm not much into the newer shit, but all this tuning ability... Mmm mmm mmm. Lol.

And I'm liking that, LSLX-i. Should make that a license plate ha

[A18A]

put a couple vtec heads on it and you can tell people you done a ls-vtec swap lol.

[pickupman6]

Didn't even think about that ls, I can see where this could get confusing. "My car has an ls motor" opens hood. "Um that's a v8" "never said the ls came from a honda"

[LJ1987LX-I]

Lol well not sure how seeing as the heads on our cars are bigger than those in the v8's lol

[Vanilla Sky]

The 5.3 is an iron block, aluminum head LS engine. It's exclusively a truck motor, but the bottom end is built to handle more abuse. If I were to build an LS motor, it would be one of the 6 litre variants.

Are you sure it's an L98? That's the old RPO from the TPI Camaros, IIRC. It's just a tuned port 350.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Well I guess it might be called an LS, not too sure on that but it's the 5.3 liter out of the 97-03 tahoes and silverados I think.

[Vanilla Sky]

Ok, then it's not an L98. The LS truck motor is, like I said, a really good starting point.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Gotcha see I heard three different names so I just went with the one I heard it called more lol so LS it is. If I look around I can find motor and ECU for $1000 go to a dealership and get a truck wiring harness, for around $25-$50 and then tranny which should should be $2000 for what I'm looking at (Tremec 6-speed) and the Garret GT40 which should wind up between $3-$4000.

[2oodoor]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_LS_engine
Enjoy^^^
the 5.3 is a remarkable creation that has been available in many forms even in a FWD Impala SS which isn't made too much different than a late 90s Accord.
The Trailblazer SS 5.3 is an unstoppable beast as was said.
The LT1 engine can be had cheep and is a great engine that came with a 6 speed manual. You can find them in craigslist all the time, there in last gen camaros & fbirds. Those had the leaking intakes which causes various symptoms to think the motors bad and average people dont want to fix em since they come out the bottom.
Pickupman i had sEveral 300 inlines and i love em. I had one that was forged pistons and 240 head, 15:1 comp even with a stock carter carb it would tote the mail. (haul ass) lol

[Vanilla Sky]

I'd package the ECU together with the motor. If I'm not mistaken, in some applications, the ECU is already bolted to the engine. If that's the case, you should be able to wire it up without buying a harness. You should be able to source a junkyard harness, now that these trucks are getting old enough to be in the pick n' pulls.

[2oodoor]

^^I agree, makes it a lot less expense. All that controller hardware is completly capable of managing add ons as they're aquired too. Jet or diablo & whatever brand tuner can be added at reasonable cost, maybe evn find that in pullapart too.

[Vanilla Sky]

The GM ECU is pretty well hacked, so it's tunable. Check out Moates.net for info.

[pickupman6]

Aw dang I forgot to mention the 240 head swap. The gm 250 rocker arms wouldn't fit on the 300 head.

[2oodoor]

Miata chassis used for rwd conversion, there is a v8 kit to fit this chassis too, Just another option to consider. This uses a configuration similar to what Vanilla was describing I believe.
http://flyinmiata.com/projects/installation_photos/IMG_6843.jpg

[Bassmastry101]

The Banshee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWapxzvC-wo&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6AA451D15A7B62C4

[Vanilla Sky]

You'd have to widen the Miata. A Vette is surprisingly close.

[2oodoor]

The Banshee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWapxzvC-wo&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6AA451D15A7B62C4

You caused me to go out on a youtube spree for about an hour, looking at the miata conversions then back to Hondas and then a Integra with a blown BBC LOL

[Bassmastry101]

You caused me to go out on a youtube spree for about an hour, looking at the miata conversions then back to Hondas and then a Integra with a blown BBC LOL

You're welcome :D

[LJ1987LX-I]

Question. How would I go about tying the front suspension of the Honda into the Chevy frame? Weld it? I realize if I kept the wishbone suspension I'd need to get a hold of heavier coils and struts but yeah.

[LJ1987LX-I]

Oh but you know this car is waaaaaay cooler than a Miata lol