As of this moment the T-Bat has 126k on his clock. Even though I just got my ragtop I am thinking along the lines that I may soon have to do major work to the GP. I think a tranny overhaul may be the first to arise.

I also put up a couple posts over at motorswap.org where I asked about details concerning an LS4 or Northstar swap. The replies I got basically told me to heave those two ideas and consider a top swap or an L67 altogether.

Any of this would be next year at the earliest, which by then the car may well have more like 140k miles...I wonder if a top swap at that kind of miles would just put too much oomph on those aged rings and bearings.

I suppose I could try and get a dropout from Ed and try to have it over hauled and install as a unit but that is a good bit of extra cost.
I've pretty well ruled out the turbo since I could almost do both engine and trans for the cost of the kit.

I welcome your opinions now just as I did before I purchased my car...since I kind of see this as my one chance to build a show worthy engine bay...I plan on doing this job once...so much planning and prep is needed.

The LS motor might be easier but you'll need the cradle and everything from the GTX if it will bolt in. As for the Northstar it won't fit. It's too bulky iirc the N* uses a different tranny that is larger the the 4T65 and the 65 won't mate to it. Plus it doesn't make much more power then a modded L67 and has very little in the ways of performance upgrades but I do like the idea of the DOHC. If I were you I'd do a rebuild with a top swap. Upgrading to the new hardened rods and dimond pistons.

i would say rebuild what you have and do a topw swap, or find a junkyard L67 and build it up and pretty it up for the show+the go and then get the 4T65E-HD and also swap it in, also with doing this you kan also pretty up the interior with the correct gauges to monitor the essentials of the Forced Induction engine, put this is my >02, i hope you figure out what you wanna do

id say do a top swap and tranny from zzp, or get the tranny from a gtp, because the gtp came with the HD stock. but i would do the zzp tranny and a nice new motor. but tranny alone is some cash.

IMHO, swap a low mileage L32 in with a beefed up trans. This way you get all the improvements that were made to make the L67 into the L32, the fifth gen blower, and all the potential that comes with a motor that was built for a power adder.

Just my opinion though...

sounds like t bat is doing the same build im looking at doing .. im getting the l 32 rods, dimiond pistions 8.0:1, bored over 0.020, hopefully have the block balanced and the bs removed, not sure the heads im going with ... and if i have enough money im gonna get a whipple...

I say rebuild your engine now, do the top swap, and swap out with the ZZP tranny

The N* fits. There was a pic of a guy on CGP with a custom N* build, then they added a turbo. It was making somewhere around 500whp on the dyno.

Personally, I'd turbo it, run it until it pukes, then swap in a low-mileage 3800 and do it again.

How good are you with fabrication?... you could probably buid your own turbo setup (or most of it) for a whole bunch cheaper.

But i love my top-swap.

just gut it and make it rwd

'just' lol

i have 2 l67's that are for sale both almost already built

or i have a bareblock thats .030 over $25 and its yours if you pay shipping
its not cracked its the one i was running that had the rocker come apart

a bareblock for 25??? ooh i really want that build it up my self little by little and waalah serious power

how much are your L67s? what have you done to them?

o ya back on topic... i say build up your own engine...

Thanks guys, and 2fast I will keep that in mind but I dont have the cash just yet.

Brian Teel over at motorswap.org said that swapping to a "drive by wire" engine (LS4, L32) is a real PITA...he also said the N* was doable but electronics were a monster headache for very little power gain...In all honesty I was only considering those two engines for the V8 sound

Gotta love Rook, run er til she pukes and do it again

I'll have to keep an eye on the local salvage yard for a GTP donor car...although grabbing a built L67 from 2fast and a ZZp tranny would be a sweet option...I dolike the concept of being able to pretty it up as I go since making the engine bay measure up to the rest of the car would be nice.

I'll keep you posted as I go on "Operation Boost the ThunderBat"

I think yer best bet WOULD be to grab one of Brad's mills. Or grab the short block he's got and go about the cosmetics, which accomplishes that which you wish to do, any-freakin-way.

It is a sad day, indeed, when the Dark Knight has to rely on under-handed methods. Natural Aspiration...is doomed.

lol, jk, Tim.