BGordon

I have located a drivetrain from a 2000 Camaro Z28 SS with a 6 speed manual transmission with 80,000 miles delivered to me for $5200.
Seems a bit high to me but I have not had any luck locating a wrecked Z28 or TransAm close enough for me to purchase and pick up with my trailer.

My questions;
If I go this route, what specific components do I need to make sure and get from the donor car?

My list so far
Engine with intake and accessory stuff attached (AC compressor, alternator, power steering pump, tensioner, starter, exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters)
Wiring Harness and computer
Bellhousing & Cluch assembly with the hydraulic hoses attached
6 speed transmission with shifter
Drive shaft with transmission tail shaft

With respect to the computer, since I will not be getting the steering column and the ignition key, what do I have to do to make the computer work when running the setup since it will not be registering the anti-theft chip?

Any other things to look for or items from the donor car that will help?

I did post this same question on the regular Miata forum but thought the readers on here who have gone thru the same conversion might have some specific and useful suggestions.

acedeuce802

Maybe there's less drivetrains for sale around you and they are a premium, but $5200 is LS2/T56 territory in MI. I got my 1999 LS1/T56 with harness and accessories for $2700 I think.

What kit (or custom) do you plan on using? This may drive your accessory choice. Most people use CTS-V accessories, since they are 3/4" slimmer than F-Body accessories. But F-Body can be made to work for sure. Starter also depends on your header choice.

An F-Body starter won't work with V8Roadsters long tubes, and I'm not sure about the Sanderson/FM.

Coils are another part that's easily removed, so make sure those come with it as well.

If you are using a V8roadsters driveline kit, it will come with a new driveshaft, and I believe when using Driveshaft Shop they use all new yokes. But if you will have a shop cut/weld or use any existing yoke, then yes get the driveshaft.

Your list looks pretty complete. I'm using a lot less OEM parts than most, so I can't say for sure. But your list is about what mine came with, minus driveshaft.

You can have the VATS disabled by someone with HPTuners. That will allow you to use the harness/ECU like a standalone. Just give it power, ground, and ignition.

BGordon

Thanks for the information.
If you know of a less expensive alternative to come up with a drivetrain, by all means clue me in because I have been searching for months. The drivetrain I sourced is in South Carolina and will have to be shipped to me because anything within 100 miles seems to be an absolute bust.

I will be using the V8 roadster front subframe and Flyin Miata shorty headers.
For the rest, I will be using a combination of purchased stuff and fabricate some for myself. I am a draftsman at a fabrication shop and can have our cutting table kick me out any structural parts I might need. For the various parts I have spent the last few weeks printing out all of the LD swap threads I can find and picking specifics I like from each. Also have watched the excellent youtube Thunderbolt video series where Tom detailed his high dollar deluxe swap.

acedeuce802

Looking around it seems like $5200 is pretty average now. Not sure if things changed in the past year, or I just got a good deal.

I searched on car-part.com and found American Camaro and Firebird | Home

Looks like they have an LS1 and T56 with what I'm guessing are PRC heads (ad says pcr). Just an option if you want to stay local.

BGordon

Same thing I ran into.
LS1 with automatics are pretty common and quite a bit cheaper.
The problem seems to be that the 6 speed is worth as much as the engine.

stng_96

The 6speed is most definitely the issue, they aren't as common as LS based engines and they are getting more unusual.

Also, I'd suggest reading some build threads here, all these questions aside from cost of the drivetrain are answered in many locations.

BGordon

There are some costs mentioned in the individual build threads, all of which I have read and printed out and studied.
The price I have been quoted seems significantly higher than any of the build threads that use a donor car and I have been hoping somebody can point me in the direction of something available at a lower price.

5.0MX5

Local car and you may know the project well.

https://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/5984263091.html

Question is what could you sell the Vett part of the project for.

BGordon

Would have been a real good possibility.
Only thing is that I bought the drivetrain this afternoon.
Now to sell the stock drivetrain from my Miata.
If anybody knows of somebody looking for an outstanding condition 2000 Miata engine and 6 speed transmission and torsion? Differential please point them my direction.

Edit; All Miata drive train stuff was sold.