3500 into 80 Chevy Monza

[Fastmax32168]

Hi all, I am in the process of installing a non VVT 3500 out of a Chevy Malibu into a 1980 Chevy Monza. I intend to use a 700R4 out of a camaro or S-10 behind it.
My plan is to port the intake and heads and install the street/strip camshaft into the motor before installing it.
I have a couple of questions I was hoping you guys could help me with. Let me preface by saying I am a pretty good fabricator and having to do so doesnt scare me. So I was wondering
1. Will this combo get near the 250 crank HP mark?
2. Will 3400 camaro headers bolt to 3500 heads? I understand I may have to cut and weld on them to get them into the Monza.
3. What would be the simplest way to "run" this motor. My tentative plan has been to track down a Z-24 computer/harness and install it along with the 3400 chip that is available for this combo. I have also looked at setting it up with a Megasquirt system however. Advice on this is greatly appreciated.
4. Are their any pitfalls you guys can see that I need to look out for on this path I have taken?
Thanks
Roy

[SappySE107]

With headers and good port work with that cam, 250 crank is no problem. The headers won't work because of the port spacing. You would need the right flanges and then weld up the tubes. I am not sure how much room you have in that setup or its configuration but you may want to start from scratch. I would use OBD1 as its cheaper and proven to work. I have yet to try out megasquirt though so i cannot give you a comparison between the systems. There are plenty of people on this site that can help you with the OBD1 setup.

[Superdave]

The headers will work, just vertically oval the holes about 1/8" outwards. The problem is that those headers will have 1.5" primaries which are too small for your combination. You'll still hit 250 HP easy with them though.


I don't know how much research you've done on it but you'll need a flexplate for a 95 S10 2.2 4cyl to get the torque converter spaced correctly. I used a 91 Cavalier ECM and harness in my swap and it worked out pretty well.

a chip for a stock 3400 won't run that cammed 3500 very well, you'll need to pick up the hardware from Moates.net to tune it yourself. The Ostrich 2.0 and a home built or bought ALDL circuit along with Tunerpro RT (which is free) will get you going in the right direction. When it comes time to tune post up in the OBD1 tuning section and we can guide you along a bit more.


This sounds like a fun project, a while back i had plans to do the same to a '73 Vega but i couldn't find one in good enough shape so i put one into a '89 Camaro instead.

[Fastmax32168]

Thanks for the replies.
I originally bought this motor to stick into a 92 Cavalier Z-24 Convertible that I bought, but that car only has 23K actual miles on it and is so showroom new that after I got it I couldnt bear to take it apart and decided to just leave it the way it came from the general.




I had researched putting it into that car, but going RWD with it is a new direction.
I would probably be OK with the 1.5 inch primaries, the goal of this car is to be a fun, sporty, high fuel mileage vintage ride. If I need to go really fast I have another Monza and a Corvette that both top 450 HP.
I will have to take a look at it once I get it set in place and then decide if it is easier to start from scratch or try to modify a set.
Dave, Does it have to be a 95 model flex plate specifically, or is there a year range of 2.2 flexplates that will work?
Also does anyone know if they ever made a 2004R trans with the small bolt pattern to fit the 60 degree? It would be easier to fit in the tunnel if they made one. Otherwise I can use the 700, it is just going to be bit more work and a tighter fit.
Roy

[bob442]

i thought there would be an issue with putting a L trans to a T block, starter? is there a fix i dont know about?

[Fastmax32168]

i thought there would be an issue with putting a L trans to a T block, starter? is there a fix i dont know about?

I think I am going to have to cut a hole on the other side of the trans bellhousing in order for the starter to slip into. Somebody correct me if thats wrong.
And now that I think about that, it probably would cause a major issue with the Camaro headers, so I am probably left to building a set.
Roy

[Jonpro03]

I use a megasquirt to run my setup. The megasquirt requires a lot of work to build and install, but once there tuning is very very simple. If you have a WBo2 sensor, you can have the fuel curve set after about 3 hours of driving using autotune and megalog viewer.

I have a Megasquirt 2 v3.0, the newest release is Megasquirt 3. It has a lot of extra features including sequential fuel injection, I just can't swallow the price tag.

[Superdave]

the starter issue only applies to the T5, it fits the 700R4 just fine.



you will have to modify the dust cover but that's just a little work with some tin snips.


95 2.2 S10 i know works, but i'd assume that any 2.2 S10 with a 4L60E would probably have the same one.

[bszopi]

It also applies to the 4L60E, but you can use a 98+ with the removable bellhousing, and just use a V6 bellhousing. That's what I am doing.

As far as the 200-4R, I think it has the correct bolt pattern... I know I was researching awhile back for my project, and I seem to remember the 200 being an option.

[Superdave]

I don't know about the 200 R-4 but the old TH200 3 speed might be an option but it's a very weak trans.

[dskopek]

The 200 R4 will bolt up, not sure if all years do. The later versions of the 700 R4 with the larger front pump work real good behind these engines. You can also get a adapter plate from Speedway that will allow you to bolt up a turbo 350 behind a 60 deg v-6.

[geoffinbc]

There was no TH2004R behind an engine with a metric pattern. So I am not so sure you can find a bell housing to work. As far as I know they only one dual pattern case which could be used on BOP or Standard Chevy patterns.

[bob442]

here ya go, 20lbs, 2 speed w/reverse

http://circletrack.automotive.com/10771/ctrp-0609-bert-racing-transmission-rebuild/index.html

[dskopek]

There was no TH2004R behind an engine with a metric pattern. So I am not so sure you can find a bell housing to work. As far as I know they only one dual pattern case which could be used on BOP or Standard Chevy patterns.

You are right!! I went out and looked at the 200R4 I had behind a 3.1 and it has a 1/2" thick adapter plate on it, don't remember it being there but it is. It would be too wide without this plate.

[Fastmax32168]

Thanks for lots of great info. All this is helping me get a much clearer picture of exactly how I need to do this.

Superdave, I also looked at your thread over on Thirdgen where you are chronicling installing the 3500 into your camaro. Lots of good info there for doing this RWD job!

It looks like the 700R4 is going to be the cheapest and best route for the trans. I can have my pick of a dozen or so at the local U-pull-it for $100.
I was wondering if there is a more common source for the OBD1 computer and wiring harness that I could wire up than the early Z-24? If not what was the last year for the OBD1 on the Z-24?
Thanks
Roy