First a V8 powered Fiero and now this. We have friends V8 swapping Pontiacs, I approve!

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/buying-maintenance/a26131407/pontiac-montana-sv6-ls-swap/?src=socialflowFBCAD&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=socialflowFBCD

Dropping a northstar in there should be fairly easy

Agreed, so long as it is a Northstar from a FWD configuration vehicle and not from the XLR. I remember we had to change the bellhousing on the Northstar to match up with the 4L60/4L80-E transmission bolt pattern when I was still at Powertrain, in order for us to put the Northstar/SC Northstar in the XLR.

The LS4 is a transverse engine to begin with so this may almost be a bolt in for the van.  I have seen them in Cavaliers, Fieros and now a minivan.  Bellhousing is the same as the 3800.

Its actually a really easy swap, since the ubody is wbody based the wbody ls4 subframe bolts right up, the transmission is a 4t65 so the axles and drivetrain works as factory, just need to change the wiring harness and flash the pcm. 

Who is this man? Where the heck has he been? Probably a lurker!?

Edited February 26, 20197 yr by Frosty

On 2/26/2019 at 2:00 PM, Frosty said:

Who is this man? Where the heck has he been? Probably a lurker!?

We scared him sooo bad, he's not been around since meetin us at the Dustoff!!!!  

Hey guys that be me, but that vsn isn't a w body

Tells us more about your wild ride. How did you do it?

7 hours ago, V8montana said:

Hey guys that be me, but that vsn isn't a w body

 

23 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Tells us more about your wild ride. How did you do it?

 we must know more!  

Well, started off with a dream of having a family car that was actually fun to drive. Purchased a 2006 impala ss donor car. The vans subframe is drastically different  from the impala' so but that being said it shared the same style  transmission. Started off my making a new mounts on the rear passenger side of the subframe. Bolted the Trans into its original mount. Squared up the engine drilled the mounting holes and that be it. Next que the 10-15 times I installed and removed the engine.. fitment issues ranging from pulleys hitting frame to alternator vs windsheild motor etc....  also after about 1000miles had to pull it out again...temperamental transmissions, got it rebuilt along with an LSD differential since then just tackled the 400 hours of wiring got everything functional including ABS cruise control everything you would expect in a vehicle turn key.

So how much time do you think you have in engineering, fabrication, and grunt work do you think you have in this?

How much real money - including the van and donor car do you think you have in it?

Over 10grand Canadian easy and time wise is hard to say but grunt work likely 100hrs wiring a lot more

It's nearly impossible to say how long and much I've put into it but if I ever build another it'll be a breese