Drive in drive out 6lt conversion

[noodle]

Hi All.

Im about to get a 6lt dropped into a GU wagon. I dont have the time nor the necessary wiring skills to do this myself so I am looking at a drive in drive out option. Would prefer a reasonable turn around time too.

I know of
PGS Mornington
Ontrack 4x4

was wondering if there are any others I should try preferably in Vic.

Cheers

[bagsy]

try biders 4wd unlimited in cranbourne

[grinch2]

he's in qld, but give killa kustum kables a bell, his number is 0404 811 498 or killa lux on here.

[Guy]

Not including the motor itself .. what kind of $$ have you been quoted so far ?
My dad is looking at a motor swap for his GQ . and leaving the research bit up to me .. "because I know how to use the web so well" ..

[noodle]

Including the the motor and all parts I have heard of anywhere from 15 000 to 20 000 depending on what you are after. I will start making some calls today to get a better idea.

[Chucky]

If it's just the wiring side of things you are worried about then give Killa Kustoms a ring.
Makes up the wiring harness so it's very simple.

[noodle]

I would do chucky but im flat out with work and I know it would just end up dragging out.

[turps]

Who ever you get to do it. Makes sure you get a written quote and a time frame. I have seen some cars sit in workshops for a long time.

[MUD000]

Well I put a 6ltr in my 80 doing all the work myself & I spent every part of 20K doing it including the engineers
If some one was quoting $15k drive in drive out get it in writing as a fixed price cause I dont beleive it can be done
Cheers Dan

[VooDoo]

Well I put a 6ltr in my 80 doing all the work myself & I spent every part of 20K doing it including the engineers
If some one was quoting $15k drive in drive out get it in writing as a fixed price cause I dont beleive it can be done
Cheers Dan

Where was the trouble spots?

I got an engine, gearbox, wiring harness and PCM for under 3k
$500 for wiring mods
$1500 for Marks kits
sub $500 for mounts
AC and PS lines under $100
Extractors ill modify as i got 2 sets with the engine.

I cant see 10k tops in the job but am interested to see where your added up.

[hiluxmad]

6lt and auto for under 3k? good buy.
if you use all marks kit the $$$ add up real fast.
if you know some people Auto sparkys and the like and can fab stuff your self then 15k maybe using a crate motor.
drive in drive out inc engineers anywhere south of 25k would seem suss to me. if they are suppling all parts
but that being said they are getting more common now so the workshops will be getting quicker/more experienced at them and could be bringing prices down.
when i looked into it a while back they were still a new thing and not many were game to take it on.

[MUD000]

I agree 6ltr engine auto & loom for under $3K thats insane as you only can get gen 3's 5.7lts for that price.
My prices
create engine 6ltr L98 $6K
Creat auto $3850 4L80E
Acessory drive kit $1850 top mount alt (corvette)
Marks transfercase adaptor $1100
Auto controller (compushift) $1800
Dashdaq engine management computer $700
Wiring loom computer o2 senors computer $2500-$3000
auto loom & park neutral switch shifter etc $600
PWR radiator & thermo's with shroud $1400
Silicone hoses for intake $300
Exhaust $1400
Engineers $800
Noise test & blueslip $100
Hydrulic fittings for P/S & Auto $600
I didn't pay for auto sparky or any machining cost & there was no labour as I did it myself
If it was drive in drive out it would be every part of $25k
If I did another one it wouold be so much eaiser I reckon if you had all the bits & pieces & a shop was working on it full time you could have it going in 3 weeks no problems as my motor was sitting on the ground 3-4 weeks before I went to Tassie & I only worked on it after work & on weekends
It is a streight forward conversion with great results
IMHO thou
Cheers Dan

[zackde]

Well I put a 6ltr in my 80 doing all the work myself & I spent every part of 20K doing it including the engineers
If some one was quoting $15k drive in drive out get it in writing as a fixed price cause I dont beleive it can be done
Cheers Dan

Where was the trouble spots?

I got an engine, gearbox, wiring harness and PCM for under 3k
$500 for wiring mods
$1500 for Marks kits
sub $500 for mounts
AC and PS lines under $100
Extractors ill modify as i got 2 sets with the engine.

I cant see 10k tops in the job but am interested to see where your added up.

Where did you get those figures from? AC. hoses, regas, receiver drier, service and power steering hoses all done myself and parts alone $575. Where can you get a Gen 4 engine with auto, loom, PCM, TCM and Harness for $3000? Very very lucky if you did, Marks adapters Transfer case adapter $1250, rear mount sump $450 if you can mod it yourself, seeing as your running AC accesory drive kit approx $750, fuel lines , regulator, fuel pump upgrade$$, and the Engineers Cert at least $1000, exhaust with cats $1550, HPC coating needs doing with the extra heat $650. With an Auto added into the equation doing it yourself well, well over $10000. Also all new bearings and snap rings for transfer rebuild, gaskets etc $550, drive shaft mods can not even remember what I paid.
Cheers Zack

[noodle]

Well from the calling around ive done to get a drive in drive out using the patrol 5 speed and engineered with a brand new LS2 is around 20 000 - 22 000.

[MUD000]

that is a realistic price but if you want the auto put that on top
Using the factory gearbox is certainly the cheapest option
Cheers Dan

[gouldy]

Well from the calling around ive done to get a drive in drive out using the patrol 5 speed and engineered with a brand new LS2 is around 20 000 - 22 000.

thats a rip off

[VooDoo]

Well I put a 6ltr in my 80 doing all the work myself & I spent every part of 20K doing it including the engineers
If some one was quoting $15k drive in drive out get it in writing as a fixed price cause I dont beleive it can be done
Cheers Dan

Where was the trouble spots?

I got an engine, gearbox, wiring harness and PCM for under 3k
$500 for wiring mods
$1500 for Marks kits
sub $500 for mounts
AC and PS lines under $100
Extractors ill modify as i got 2 sets with the engine.

I cant see 10k tops in the job but am interested to see where your added up.

Where did you get those figures from? AC. hoses, regas, receiver drier, service and power steering hoses all done myself and parts alone $575. Where can you get a Gen 4 engine with auto, loom, PCM, TCM and Harness for $3000? Very very lucky if you did, Marks adapters Transfer case adapter $1250, rear mount sump $450 if you can mod it yourself, seeing as your running AC accesory drive kit approx $750, fuel lines , regulator, fuel pump upgrade$$, and the Engineers Cert at least $1000, exhaust with cats $1550, HPC coating needs doing with the extra heat $650. With an Auto added into the equation doing it yourself well, well over $10000. Also all new bearings and snap rings for transfer rebuild, gaskets etc $550, drive shaft mods can not even remember what I paid.
Cheers Zack

MUD000: Some of those prices you quoted are WAY over the top. Im sure your car will be an awesome bit of gear but seriously, someone either ripped you blind or you took the first price you saw. Im not sure how you could pay $1850 for a drive kit unless it was one of those fully chromed up, polished show car setups the yanks sell. For $1850 i could fly to the US and bring back 3-4 sets of stock drive setups in my suitcase. Please dont take offence to my comments, they arent ment to have a go at anyone. Im just truely shocked that people are charging you those sorts of $$ when the parts aren't worth close to that. I come from a LS1 background so know the motors and parts intimately and while i realise that some customising is required, it doesnt mean 4x4 owners need to be ripped blind on parts. 3k on the loom? Its $700 brand new from holden. The PCM is $100 from the USA and O2 sensors are $72ea. Sure you need to graft it to the cruiser loom but thats $450 from killalux. Still a long way from $3k and thats using new parts. 2nd hand should cost under $1k complete with mods. The Stock PCM has a very high resolution and is easy to tune and monitor. Plenty of 1500+hp engines run it and no need for the Dashdaq if you buy the tuning software as it does it all.


My engine came off ebay (VZ not VE) but they sold new from Holden for $4k or Holmart for $4400. 4L65e is $1400 brand new and easy to find under $500 used.
Sump from a QLD workshop (free). Can be found from guys importing crate engines and using them in commo's as they use the factory sump not the US one.
Using the tojo AC system connected to the commo compressor. Its 2 lines to make and very simple. Mobile AC guy already has the fittings and i have the lines of the wreck modified to suit the cruiser. Same goes for the PS. The AC guy modifies those too.
Killalux for loom mods (again its very simple)
Eng cert $150 max in QLD (mod plate)
Fuel system is off my race car (surge tank and bosch 044) and made lines myself with speedflow fittings i had spare.
AC drive kit i made myself Inc 8 rib pullies

[MUD000]

Hi Voodoo the standard drive kits are worth $1350 but if you want the top mount alt they charge extra
The loom was loom you by from holden you still need to remove all the unwanted wires the computer you still need to get all the security removed it all adds up & at the moment the Aus $$ is crap most of those prices you quoted for the motors & auto are from a couple of years ago I remeber seeing 4l60e's as low as $1250 but the 4l80e 4x4 versions are alot more expensive try buying a L98 rear sump for 4K
The question that is being asked here is a drive in drive out price & I reckon the $25 000 being said would be a realistic price there are many ways to cut courners but I like to do things properly so it doesn't bite me in the bum latter
Cheers Dan

[VooDoo]

The L98 is no different to bolt up to a LS1 rear sump. You could have used an earlier one no issues at all. VATS removal in the PCM is simple. If you buy EFI LIve or HP Tuners you can do ity yourself. The Tuner should be able to do it at no cost when doing the tune in any case. Its literally a check box in the tune you untick.

In the USA there are literally millions of LS series engines at every single wrecker. The Loom, Drive system, PCM and the Auto controller (and the auto) can be sourced very cheap. Sure freight can be a killer but the US$ was 93c for ages. I remember seeing a 4L80 inc transfer case landed here under 1k on the LS1 forum. Brand new your auto controller is $700US plus $50 shipping. Im betting you bought local.

BTW, i started collecting parts for my conversion 6 weeks ago not years ago. The engine/gearbox i picked up last weekend.

If anyone needs help sourcing parts let me know, im happy to point them in the right direction. Note though im not a retailer nor a shop but i do have a lot of contacts that im sure will save anyone $1000 on the prices quoted.

[zackde]

MUD000: Some of those prices you quoted are WAY over the top. Im sure your car will be an awesome bit of gear but seriously, someone either ripped you blind or you took the first price you saw. Im not sure how you could pay $1850 for a drive kit unless it was one of those fully chromed up, polished show car setups the yanks sell. For $1850 i could fly to the US and bring back 3-4 sets of stock drive setups in my suitcase. Please dont take offence to my comments, they arent ment to have a go at anyone. Im just truely shocked that people are charging you those sorts of $$ when the parts aren't worth close to that. I come from a LS1 background so know the motors and parts intimately and while i realise that some customising is required, it doesnt mean 4x4 owners need to be ripped blind on parts. 3k on the loom? Its $700 brand new from holden. The PCM is $100 from the USA and O2 sensors are $72ea. Sure you need to graft it to the cruiser loom but thats $450 from killalux. Still a long way from $3k and thats using new parts. 2nd hand should cost under $1k complete with mods. The Stock PCM has a very high resolution and is easy to tune and monitor. Plenty of 1500+hp engines run it and no need for the Dashdaq if you buy the tuning software as it does it all.


My engine came off ebay (VZ not VE) but they sold new from Holden for $4k or Holmart for $4400. 4L65e is $1400 brand new and easy to find under $500 used.
Sump from a QLD workshop (free). Can be found from guys importing crate engines and using them in commo's as they use the factory sump not the US one.
Using the tojo AC system connected to the commo compressor. Its 2 lines to make and very simple. Mobile AC guy already has the fittings and i have the lines of the wreck modified to suit the cruiser. Same goes for the PS. The AC guy modifies those too.
Killalux for loom mods (again its very simple)
Eng cert $150 max in QLD (mod plate)
Fuel system is off my race car (surge tank and bosch 044) and made lines myself with speedflow fittings i had spare

I am sorry Voodoo I have done this conversion aswell. prices from Holmart for the gearbox alone was $2650, the crate engine was nearly $6000 but cannot remember the exact price, but a crate gen 3 was dearer than the price you claim, my first gearbox came from Craigs Auto and that was $3000. So with engine (new crate), new gearbox and marks Auto to trans adapter, THREE PARTS ONLY $10250 and I have not even talked about wiring loom, PCM TCM, program for PCM, TCM, radiator, Trans cooler, shifter, intake, cooling fans mechanical or thermo, fuel fittings, fuel lines, regulator, fuel pump, trans lines, exhaust $1550, Headers from Marks $990, Transfer case seperate and rebuild. I do not know what a place of business would charge for the transfer rebuild which has to be done to install new input shaft, but I did mine and new bearings, snap rings, gaskets came to $550. There would have to be close to $5000 in parts in that list after all there is $2540 in exhaust alone, HPC coating headers and exhaust $640. The question was not what is the cheapest way to do it, it was to drive in, out of a place of business such as power torque.

another question how does the mod plate work? do you not have to get an approved engineer to asses and then sign off on the conversion? who does that for $150

[VooDoo]

MUD000: Some of those prices you quoted are WAY over the top. Im sure your car will be an awesome bit of gear but seriously, someone either ripped you blind or you took the first price you saw. Im not sure how you could pay $1850 for a drive kit unless it was one of those fully chromed up, polished show car setups the yanks sell. For $1850 i could fly to the US and bring back 3-4 sets of stock drive setups in my suitcase. Please dont take offence to my comments, they arent ment to have a go at anyone. Im just truely shocked that people are charging you those sorts of $$ when the parts aren't worth close to that. I come from a LS1 background so know the motors and parts intimately and while i realise that some customising is required, it doesnt mean 4x4 owners need to be ripped blind on parts. 3k on the loom? Its $700 brand new from holden. The PCM is $100 from the USA and O2 sensors are $72ea. Sure you need to graft it to the cruiser loom but thats $450 from killalux. Still a long way from $3k and thats using new parts. 2nd hand should cost under $1k complete with mods. The Stock PCM has a very high resolution and is easy to tune and monitor. Plenty of 1500+hp engines run it and no need for the Dashdaq if you buy the tuning software as it does it all.


My engine came off ebay (VZ not VE) but they sold new from Holden for $4k or Holmart for $4400. 4L65e is $1400 brand new and easy to find under $500 used.
Sump from a QLD workshop (free). Can be found from guys importing crate engines and using them in commo's as they use the factory sump not the US one.
Using the tojo AC system connected to the commo compressor. Its 2 lines to make and very simple. Mobile AC guy already has the fittings and i have the lines of the wreck modified to suit the cruiser. Same goes for the PS. The AC guy modifies those too.
Killalux for loom mods (again its very simple)
Eng cert $150 max in QLD (mod plate)
Fuel system is off my race car (surge tank and bosch 044) and made lines myself with speedflow fittings i had spare

I am sorry Voodoo I have done this conversion aswell. prices from Holmart for the gearbox alone was $2650, the crate engine was nearly $6000 but cannot remember the exact price, but a crate gen 3 was dearer than the price you claim, my first gearbox came from Craigs Auto and that was $3000. So with engine (new crate), new gearbox and marks Auto to trans adapter, THREE PARTS ONLY $10250 and I have not even talked about wiring loom, PCM TCM, program for PCM, TCM, radiator, Trans cooler, shifter, intake, cooling fans mechanical or thermo, fuel fittings, fuel lines, regulator, fuel pump, trans lines, exhaust $1550, Headers from Marks $990, Transfer case seperate and rebuild. I do not know what a place of business would charge for the transfer rebuild which has to be done to install new input shaft, but I did mine and new bearings, snap rings, gaskets came to $550. There would have to be close to $5000 in parts in that list after all there is $2540 in exhaust alone, HPC coating headers and exhaust $640. The question was not what is the cheapest way to do it, it was to drive in, out of a place of business such as power torque.

another question how does the mod plate work? do you not have to get an approved engineer to asses and then sign off on the conversion? who does that for $150

If you choose to use brand new parts then im sure the conversion will cost you heaps but there isnt any real reason to do so. Low K engines and gearboxes work fine. My VZ engine had 60k's on it. I personally bought 3 of the 4k engines from Holden for engine swaps in mates cars. Not sure if they had any left though. I do see some of them advertised for 10k in the justparts mags. You would have to be silly to pay those prices though.

Mod plates are pretty easy to get in QLD if you do things right. Powertorque arranged mine when i put a GT35/40 turbo on my Caprice and when i put the 408 in my GTO. QLD's rules can be pretty easy but if the engineer doesnt like the work then you will have problems. They dont do drive drive out deals but not bad on the tuning side of things.

[zackde]

If you choose to use brand new parts then im sure the conversion will cost you heaps but there isnt any real reason to do so. Low K engines and gearboxes work fine. My VZ engine had 60k's on it. I personally bought 3 of the 4k engines from Holden for engine swaps in mates cars. Not sure if they had any left though. I do see some of them advertised for 10k in the justparts mags. You would have to be silly to pay those prices though.

Mod plates are pretty easy to get in QLD if you do things right. Powertorque arranged mine when i put a GT35/40 turbo on my Caprice and when i put the 408 in my GTO. QLD's rules can be pretty easy but if the engineer doesnt like the work then you will have problems. They dont do drive drive out deals but not bad on the tuning side of things.

Yes I agree using second hand parts will work fine, definitely the cheapest way to do this type of conversion. As for there being no real reason to use new parts, of course there is a real reason, did not want to remove a blown engine and replace it with another used engine, my personal opinion was seemed like a lot of work, so went new and was prepared to pay, bit like putting a 408 C.I. engine in a GTO no real reason to spend that kind of money when the original size engine works fine. My point is the original poster of this thread was asking what he would expect to pay drive in out, if a place of business was to quote this type of job they are going to price mostly new parts, and seeing as he wanted a quick turn around there isn't time to shop for the cheapest second hand parts they can find, its going to cost!!

If we want to do a thread on the cheapest way to source parts and do this type of conversion that would be cool, but not what was asked.
Cheers Zack.

[gouldy]

Why put in a brand new ls2/l98/l76 ?
A low km late model vy/vz ls1 with a cam and good tune will have a lot more power than the 6l std crate motor, between 275-300rwkw in a commodore and with the right choice of cam, the torque will be low in the rpm range. Do some research on here: http://www.ls1.com.au/

I dont think noodle stated he is looking at an auto conversion, so why complicate things for him.

Noodle: you can do an ls1 conversion your self in a gq or gu with 5spd for under 10g, so you be the judge. Is 20-22g installed to dear? I think it is and as far as the 6l v 5.7 in std form goes, a 6l is good for about an extra 20rwkw and torque is a little lower in the rpm.

So if your on a budget go the low km 5.7 with a cam and if you have plenty of coin to waste? pay some one to rip you off for the 6l walk in walk out.

[gouldy]

If you choose to use brand new parts then im sure the conversion will cost you heaps but there isnt any real reason to do so. Low K engines and gearboxes work fine. My VZ engine had 60k's on it. I personally bought 3 of the 4k engines from Holden for engine swaps in mates cars. Not sure if they had any left though. I do see some of them advertised for 10k in the justparts mags. You would have to be silly to pay those prices though.

Mod plates are pretty easy to get in QLD if you do things right. Powertorque arranged mine when i put a GT35/40 turbo on my Caprice and when i put the 408 in my GTO. QLD's rules can be pretty easy but if the engineer doesnt like the work then you will have problems. They dont do drive drive out deals but not bad on the tuning side of things.

Yes I agree using second hand parts will work fine, definitely the cheapest way to do this type of conversion. As for there being no real reason to use new parts, of course there is a real reason, did not want to remove a blown engine and replace it with another used engine, my personal opinion was seemed like a lot of work, so went new and was prepared to pay, bit like putting a 408 C.I. engine in a GTO no real reason to spend that kind of money when the original size engine works fine. My point is the original poster of this thread was asking what he would expect to pay drive in out, if a place of business was to quote this type of job they are going to price mostly new parts, and seeing as he wanted a quick turn around there isn't time to shop for the cheapest second hand parts they can find, its going to cost!!

If we want to do a thread on the cheapest way to source parts and do this type of conversion that would be cool, but not what was asked.
Cheers Zack.

Using a second hand engine does not mean that all other parts have to be second hand.
A good installer will do research and find different choices for the conversion, for example Marks v Dellow adaptors, both work but the price is a lot different.
Another example Marks Extractors cost about $900 and Ve commodore exhaust manifolds cost between $50 and $150, and don't think that the extractors give more power where you need it because they will not.
Its about the making the correct (researched) choices, not cutting corners.
cheers

[killalux]

I can do a drive in drive out conversion, Using a brand new 6L for around the $20000 mark no worries. We Just did a 6L (2nd hand) into my mates GU with manual gearbox for around the $10000 mark, This was not including labour however.

Just need to know which parts to use and where to get them at the right price.

We can even do the a/c with the stock compressor without touching the lines.

Don't have to buy all the overpriced marks adapters gear to get it right!

Steve

[frp88]

for that much why wouldn't you just turbo or supercharge the 6 cylinder that can't cost 20k

[built4thrashing]

A mate of mine has just bought a GU with a cast iron 6.0ltrChev in it and it cost the previous owner just under $90k to have it done. Alot of that was in the cost of getting the motor sent from the states and it included the full Snake Racing 8in lift kit and carbon fiber dash inserts and full engineering on 37's. Its a beast and uses less fuel that a stock GU.


He bought it mainly for towing his Drag cars about and i doubt it will ever get used in anger out in the bush while he owns it.


B4T

[Shadow]

90K?

The cast iron 6 litres are not alot dearer than thier alloy brothers.

If he really spent 90K, hes a dick!

[mike_nofx]

Wow... the price people pay for a bit of power!!

Even when i had a 1.3L sierra i didnt have any power (or lack thereof) issues off-road.

[VooDoo]

Wow.

I have a complete cast iron 6.7L stroker here making 340rwkw in a commodore someone can buy for $15k but after seeing that maybe i should increase the price lol.

Nothing like 1000+nm of torque