This month, we wanted to show you how Primo Restorations in Rancho Cucamonga, California, bought a clean '92 Chevy Camaro, pulled out the engine (and transmission), and swapped it into an American classic. The 355-c.i.d. engine was painted to match and hooked up with several accessories that got the '57 Chevy Bel Air rolling like a modern day custom.
The engine swap is one of the classic build techniques that we've been telling you about in past issues of . With our new Lowrider Garage, we want to give you all of the options that are available when you build your own car. This donor car was bought for around $600 and after the engine and transmission were pulled out, the car was sent to the junkyard for $175, bringing the engine in at $425.
We normally don't like to suggest this method for an engine swap, but this engine was strong and the Camaro that was used had been in a small fender bender and the shop knew that the car was destined to be a donor vehicle. The engine was given several upgrades, including roller lifters and double timing chain. A comparable engine would have cost around $2,500 to start with.
After ordering a few parts, the engine was ready to be built. Once completed, this engine came in at under $5,000, making this engine swap the modern day budget build that we've been taking about. Now follow along as Primo Restorations assembles and drops this newer engine into an American classic.
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The engine was pulled out and painted candy "burple" to match the exterior of the Bel Air.
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The oil pressure sending unit sensor was pulled away with this adapter to allow the intake
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SCE gaskets were used to seal the chrome intake and aluminum angled plug heads.
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The first thing that was opened was the ARP engine kit, as we were going to need it to ass
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The engine valley was cleaned and ready to have the intake bolted on.
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A thick bead of high-heat silicone was used to seal the front and rear of the intake.
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The Professional Products chrome intake was used to complement the hooked-up chromed-out e
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The dual roller timing chain was checked and then ready to be covered.
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This billet timing pointer was bolted on to help us get the engine timing right.
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We used this Proform harmonic balancer installation tool that pushes the balancer onto the
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With the engine painted, the regular ARP head bolts were swapped out one a time. Each head
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The intake was torqued from the center out.
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A Proform AC-Delco chrome valve cover was used.
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This is what not to do! Most backyard or "shade tree" mechanics will hammer in the harmoni
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The fuel pump plate was installed.
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The intake received an angled water neck to allow the Cool-Flex hose to be routed to the r
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SCE gaskets were used throughout the engine build, including the valve covers.
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As you can see, the kit was coming together as the power steering pump was bolted on.
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Frank installed a set of PML valve covers that looked era correct with a modern flavor to
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The Edelbrock carb had the fittings swapped on it for AN fittings to allow the carb to be
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The Edelbrock carb was outfitted with AN fittings to allow the carb to be plumbed.
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An MSD ready to run distributor was dropped into place after TDC ("top dead center") was f
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The pulleys and brackets were bolted on to complete the transplant.
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The Endurashine carb had the fuel feed fitting removed.
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The 31/48-inch stainless steel tubing was bent to the right angles.
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Here's a view of the hard-line plumbed from the fuel pump to the carb.
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After the engine was bolted to the frame, next up was to start bolting up the chrome-plate