Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - SBC into 95 Z

Well, as there are tons of questions that have been answered, i was wanting to swap to a LSx but i am short on cash and have a SBC that is "extra", i olmost sold it but i want to go ahead and put it in the 95 if possible. It looks like i can trim the metal to get a distributor in there pretty easily, but i need to know a couple of other thing.

1) Can i use the HEI dist. or not? Will it clear?

2) What belt system can i use to make it go with AC? Can the stock unit be use to still line up with the WP and make it rotate the right way?

A HEI has too big of cap to fit in there. You will want to use either a 42 series Mallory distributor or a MSD 85551 pro billet distibutor. The Mallory will give you a little more clearance than the MSD will. What AC compressor are you going to use?

I want to use whatever AC compressor i can. I found i can use the HEI. I think the stock serp system wont be able to power the WP, i think it is a bit too far back.

I can use a third gen system, but i dont kow what the hell to do to make the lies work for the AC system.

could always run a crab cap distributor setup. If you are running the stock setup i dont understand why it wouldnt be able to turn the WP?

Stock serp system does not control the water pup on a SBC.

Now, i have heard of a pulley that goes to the stock alternator and can run a separate belt to the later pump and control it, anyone ever heard of this?

I found i can use the HEI.

Here are a few pictures to look at from Tony Shepards 93' Z28, http://www.fast93z.com/pictures/album.php?id=5 . Have fun fitting a HEI in there! :)

If you look at the sticky above in the SBC forum, the BBC swap has a HEI in there, i am sure the SBC wll be a bit easier.

Well to each our own I guess, I wouldn't use a HEI for a performance car application anyway (they are however a great low rpm distributor). Let alone one that has that little amount of room for adjusting timing & changing the cap and rotor. I look at it as a servicing nightmare as far as time involved and the frustration that will happen changing things out as they wear.

Trust me, it is just what i have laying around till i get a MSD setup.

The HEI WILL fit in there. I installed an MSD streetfire HEI after my cheapie went out. I swapped them by simply removing the carb for some room. I dont consider that to be too much of a hassle. I am running the serp. set up from my 90 Rs. I was going to have an a/c shop make some lines to adapt the 3rd gen a/c to the 4th gen lines.

OK, thanks man. That was the first straight foreward answer i was looking for. I had another site keep trying to talk me into installing another LT1, i was just telling them i wasnt asking for thir opinion.


So, i guess my ideal will work fine then, use the stock system and a electric pump then, since it will easily be the same amount for a pump as a serp system, i dont have any belt drives laying around, much less buying a new OE pump.

The HEI WILL fit in there. I installed an MSD streetfire HEI after my cheapie went out. I swapped them by simply removing the carb for some room.

Ok, I give. After "massaging" the firewall and/or cutting the lower part of the cowl away, it will fit. Were you able to change the distributor w/o dropping the K-member? Or did you just change the cap, rotor, & coil? I didn't want to beat the hell out of my 97' WS6 just to get a distributor in my LT1, so I am going to go to a distributorless ignition from Electromotive. The Mallory 42 series distributor only needed a little bit of clearancing on the firewall to work in place of the Opti-spark, but I didn't feel like messing with things any more & am trying to use the easy button. My 95' Trans Am will be stripped later for just a race car whenever I get some more time to work on it.

I mocked it up, with the cowl not touched, it cannot go in, but you can tell there is a TON more room to be had with the cowl cut out, i will use a cold air for a 88-95 TBI truck cold air to clear the hood and keep unwanted rain water out.

Ok, I give. After "massaging" the firewall and/or cutting the lower part of the cowl away, it will fit. Were you able to change the distributor w/o dropping the K-member? Or did you just change the cap, rotor, & coil?

There is a (more or less) 8" square cut right where the center wiper is. I changed the whole distributor without lowering the k-member. It was close but no big deal.:chug: I even used a third gen radiator with the stock fan shroud. I used mac mid length headers and only had to redrill the two outer holes in each header to make them work with the older style heads. Other than that, it was pretty simple.

I mocked it up, with the cowl not touched, it cannot go in, but you can tell there is a TON more room to be had with the cowl cut out, i will use a cold air for a 88-95 TBI truck cold air to clear the hood and keep unwanted rain water out.

Yup, theres a LOT of unused space up there. I took out as little as possible, just enough for a small air cleaner to fit. Which is what I ended up using, a 6.5" X 1.5" air filter. I wanted to use the TBI intake you have but I havent found one yet.

I also managed to install the engine AND tranny from the top and WITH the heads on. Which is something many people say cant be done.:confused: I pulled the old and installed the new in about 5 hrs. Now I blew a head gasket and its time for some more fun under the hood.

Greta, thanks man, i am going to remove the trans from the bottom, the motor from the top, it is what i do with the 3rd gens.I think will be using a 90k mile L98 for the mean time, we will see what happens.