New Old Member

[86euro]

Howdy all! I've been a member for quite some time now but can't remember when I was last active. I honestly forgot about it. Looks like there's not much new activity here anymore, but I very much appreciate the fact that the forum is still here, along with it's info. I hope to start moving forward with my Chevy Celebrity projects in the coming months.

[SappySE107]

Welcome back I have been putting some time into the articles on the site and posting here and there. What are you plans with the Celebrity? Is that factory trim on it now? Looks super clean

[86euro]

It's factory trim, but not original to my car. Mostly from a Eurosport VR, but the rockers are from a 6000. I bought the car 19 years ago in Florida, with no rust. It was a white car then.

Plans are to replace the iron head mpfi 2.8 with a 3.4 from a Camaro. Just trying to keep it simple. But at the same time, I've always wanted to put a 3900 in it. So if I come across a deal on a lower mile 3900 in the next month or so, plans could possibly change.

[SappySE107]

Nice, it definitely looks like a VR but not quite so I thought it might be an aftermarket kit like my lumina has. I wouldn't use a 3.4 camaro motor. It has the starter on the wrong side for FWD. Any aluminum head motor would be easier, well, other than the LX9 3500 or the VVT pushrod motors. Those have different mounts, crank trigger, etc. Doable, just not as easy.

[86euro]

The reason I like the idea of the Camaro 3.4 is it's basically a direct swap for me, besides the starter mounting. That and I already have the engine. Not a ton of power, but more power than I have now. My only real worry about that option is regretting taking the easy way and settling on what is low power by today's standards.

Sometime around '08 I think, I had actually bought a nice 3400 to run in the car. I had aquired everything to mount it and make it work in my car (lots of underhood equipment differences between my '86 and the '87+ Celebrities) but my stock engine ran so darn well that I chose to leave it alone and I sold off the 3400. Then in '18 or so, I aquired a dirt cheap '05 Malibu with the 3500 and I was going to use that engine in my Celebrity... but the Malibu was just too nice to cut up, so I sold that too, lol.

Whatever I end up going with, I'm not worried at all about mounting. Anything that came in a w-body or a u-van will adapt easily to an a-body because the mounting is basically the same. Any amount of fabrication doesn't really bother me either. However, tuning does scare the crap out of me, lol. But I do have a friend that is willing to help with that.

[86euro]

Nice, it definitely looks like a VR but not quite so I thought it might be an aftermarket kit like my lumina has. I wouldn't use a 3.4 camaro motor. It has the starter on the wrong side for FWD. Any aluminum head motor would be easier, well, other than the LX9 3500 or the VVT pushrod motors. Those have different mounts, crank trigger, etc. Doable, just not as easy.

So I've been thinking more about this. Please keep in mind that I don't have a 3900 here to look over, but what is the chances of being able to run it off of an '89 speed density harness and 7737 (I think? Don't recall off hand) ecm, along with tuning? The stock cam and VVT can still be deleted, correct?

I know the non-VVT 3500 would be the smarter choice, but I really like displacement and the torque that generally comes with it.

[SappySE107]

Its what I built a motor to do, but its got a 3400 crank, forged rods and custom forged pistons. Cam bearing spacers, wot-tech big race cam (vvt delete). Basically its a big 3400 and will keep the 7x trigger. Bit more than that but I will be better off with a thread to go over what is done as I do it. ultimately, I think the 3900 I am building is more motor than I want in a lumina. I want some fuel economy though, and 250 whp is plenty. 3400 can do that. Cheaper, easier. Its really not a loss either way compared to an iron head engine.