Swapping an LS into your third-gen is a great way to turn your Trans Am or Camaro into a sleeper, track car, or if you need something more efficient and powerful. But we hardly need to sell anyone on doing an LS swap, or at least wanting to, we all know the benefits. However, there’s a reason you haven’t seen a ton of LS swapped third-gen F-Bodies out there, and it’s not a lack of desire to change the powertrain out.
Even though we’re well into a decade’s worth of LS swaps into just about any vehicle out there, the ease of the swap and availability of parts doesn’t always seem like it’s improved. When it came time for Project Redrum, we didn’t have a lot of time to hunt down parts off junkyard cars, and didn’t want to spend a ton of cash on swap parts either. Since 3rd-gen swaps aren’t nearly as popular as 2nd-gen LS swaps (yet! — Ed.), the market isn’t exactly flooded with parts to make the job simple. Thankfully, our site sponsor who always has our back, Hawks Motorsports, had just the kit put together to help us out.
Their 1982-1992 Chevy Camaro or Pontiac Firebird LS Conversion Kit is an ideal solution for third-gen swaps that are maintaining the factory k-member. This kit can be used on either a car equipped with a 4L60E automatic, or T56 manual transmission out of an F-Body. The kit includes all the staples you need for a seamless conversion and even includes their polished stainless “budget” headers and aluminized steel y-pipe, so all you have to do is hook up your catback and go!
This kit comes with:
- Engine Motor Mount Pads: Part #SP-971
- Transmission Crossmember: Part Numbers Automatic 4L60E #HT-4L60EXM or T56 6 Speed Manual #HT-T56XM
- A/C Compressor Notch Plate Kit: Part #HT-LS1ACPLATE
- Fuel Pump Kit 255LPH: Part #RT-135-FL98-FPK
- Fuel Line Kit with Fuel Pressure Regulator & Gauge: Part #LSXFUELLINE-BLACK
- Throttle Cable Kit Black: Part #LOK-TC-1000LS1U
- A/C Line Kit: Part #AA2593
- Polished Stainless “Budget” Headers & Aluminized Steel Y-Pipe: Part #HTLS1H3134/HTLS1YPIPE
We want to thank Hawks Motorsports for coming to our rescue with this swap. Stay tuned for the full coverage of the Project Redrum LS swap coming soon! We’ll give you the full look at the swap, and other parts we ended up using to turn this into a killer build.
Shawn Henry is a Texas native who has spent the majority of his career building and selling F-Bodies and Corvettes. Now studying journalism, he is taking a new direction with his love of GM Performance vehicles.
