85 GSL-SE transplant into 83
11-30-05, 02:45 PM
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85 GSL-SE transplant into 83
Hello everyone
This is my first (of many-to-come) posts to the forum. I owned a ’81 back in my university days but that had to go when I met my wife. Fast forward 10 years and now I’m the proud owner of two 1st gens – a ’83 (no engine) and a ’85 GSL-SE. I got them as a 2-for-1 deal.
My original plan was to part-out the ’83 and rebuild the ’85 but upon closer inspection, the underbody of the ’85 is, how shall I say, “in trouble” whereas the ’83 is remarkably well preserved!
Can you guess what the question is?
I’ve been searching around this forum for information about the differences between 1st gens. I found the article by Larry Schwarcz which was very informative and I’ve seen many threads about tranny swaps and engine swaps from 2nd gen into 1st. However, I’m wondering if anyone has any experience or comments about a complete (engine, wiring, interior, transmission) transplant from a ’85 to the ’83.
My guess is that the frame/body dimensions of the 83 and the 85 are identical therefore if I’m swapping everything, I shouldn’t have any issues with retrofitting. Comments?
Thanks!
G-man
This is my first (of many-to-come) posts to the forum. I owned a ’81 back in my university days but that had to go when I met my wife. Fast forward 10 years and now I’m the proud owner of two 1st gens – a ’83 (no engine) and a ’85 GSL-SE. I got them as a 2-for-1 deal.
My original plan was to part-out the ’83 and rebuild the ’85 but upon closer inspection, the underbody of the ’85 is, how shall I say, “in trouble” whereas the ’83 is remarkably well preserved!
Can you guess what the question is?
I’ve been searching around this forum for information about the differences between 1st gens. I found the article by Larry Schwarcz which was very informative and I’ve seen many threads about tranny swaps and engine swaps from 2nd gen into 1st. However, I’m wondering if anyone has any experience or comments about a complete (engine, wiring, interior, transmission) transplant from a ’85 to the ’83.
My guess is that the frame/body dimensions of the 83 and the 85 are identical therefore if I’m swapping everything, I shouldn’t have any issues with retrofitting. Comments?
Thanks!
G-man
But you could do a suspension swap and a rearend swap.
12-02-05, 05:40 PM
#5
Jack up both cars side by side. Remove engine, tranny and suspension from the 83 and set to one side. Repeat for the SE. You will spend as much or more time cleaning and detailing the SE parts, prior to reinstall, (if you get **** about those things like I do some days), than it takes to remove said parts from both cars. While the engine is out, this is the best time to refurbish/paint the engine bay. Take care of any rust at this time, in the bay and underneath.
Take detailed pics of everything on the SE, prior to removal. Clean and powerwash both both engine bays prior to start and picture taking. Buy a couple of cans of PB Blaster and spray every nut and bolt that you will touch after you have cleaned all the grease and grime off of both cars.
You will need to swap over the entire emissions harness and ecu, all hard fuel lines, fuel tank and pump from the SE. Replace all soft lines, fuel and vacuum, with new ones. If the 83 has drum brakes, you will need the e-brake cables too. Brake proportioning valve wouldn't hurt either. The SE has an extra block of fusible links and associated wiring that the 83 does not has, that gets switched too.
This is a very doable project, make sure you have a copy of the 84-85 FSM on hand, that will show you the differences between the carb and FI setups. Pay particular attention to fuel and wiring differences. There may be some wiring differences in the dash harness and at the inside fuse block, I am not sure.
The autocross guys prefer the 83 tranny due to slight differences in gearing, use whichever tranny is in the best shape, keep the SE flywheel and use either clutch assembly.
While you have things apart, I recommend sending the injectors out for cleaning and calibration, replace the soft brake and clutch lines with the stainless steel ones, check the brake rotors and have the brake calipers, brake master and clutch slave and master cylinders rebuilt. If you can afford it, while everything is apart, this would be a good time to replace all of the bushings, shocks, struts and springs.
The front and rear suspension assemblys can be dropped out as entire units. No need to atke each and every piece apart. With the engine out, the front suspension can removed as an entire unit, makes life much simpler.
Enjoy.
Take detailed pics of everything on the SE, prior to removal. Clean and powerwash both both engine bays prior to start and picture taking. Buy a couple of cans of PB Blaster and spray every nut and bolt that you will touch after you have cleaned all the grease and grime off of both cars.
You will need to swap over the entire emissions harness and ecu, all hard fuel lines, fuel tank and pump from the SE. Replace all soft lines, fuel and vacuum, with new ones. If the 83 has drum brakes, you will need the e-brake cables too. Brake proportioning valve wouldn't hurt either. The SE has an extra block of fusible links and associated wiring that the 83 does not has, that gets switched too.
This is a very doable project, make sure you have a copy of the 84-85 FSM on hand, that will show you the differences between the carb and FI setups. Pay particular attention to fuel and wiring differences. There may be some wiring differences in the dash harness and at the inside fuse block, I am not sure.
The autocross guys prefer the 83 tranny due to slight differences in gearing, use whichever tranny is in the best shape, keep the SE flywheel and use either clutch assembly.
While you have things apart, I recommend sending the injectors out for cleaning and calibration, replace the soft brake and clutch lines with the stainless steel ones, check the brake rotors and have the brake calipers, brake master and clutch slave and master cylinders rebuilt. If you can afford it, while everything is apart, this would be a good time to replace all of the bushings, shocks, struts and springs.
The front and rear suspension assemblys can be dropped out as entire units. No need to atke each and every piece apart. With the engine out, the front suspension can removed as an entire unit, makes life much simpler.
Enjoy.
12-02-05, 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by trochoid
Jack up both cars side by side. Remove engine, tranny and suspension from the 83 and set to one side. Repeat for the SE. You will spend as much or more time cleaning and detailing the SE parts, prior to reinstall, (if you get **** about those things like I do some days), than it takes to remove said parts from both cars. While the engine is out, this is the best time to refurbish/paint the engine bay. Take care of any rust at this time, in the bay and underneath.
Take detailed pics of everything on the SE, prior to removal. Clean and powerwash both both engine bays prior to start and picture taking. Buy a couple of cans of PB Blaster and spray every nut and bolt that you will touch after you have cleaned all the grease and grime off of both cars.
You will need to swap over the entire emissions harness and ecu, all hard fuel lines, fuel tank and pump from the SE. Replace all soft lines, fuel and vacuum, with new ones. If the 83 has drum brakes, you will need the e-brake cables too. Brake proportioning valve wouldn't hurt either. The SE has an extra block of fusible links and associated wiring that the 83 does not has, that gets switched too.
This is a very doable project, make sure you have a copy of the 84-85 FSM on hand, that will show you the differences between the carb and FI setups. Pay particular attention to fuel and wiring differences. There may be some wiring differences in the dash harness and at the inside fuse block, I am not sure.
The autocross guys prefer the 83 tranny due to slight differences in gearing, use whichever tranny is in the best shape, keep the SE flywheel and use either clutch assembly.
While you have things apart, I recommend sending the injectors out for cleaning and calibration, replace the soft brake and clutch lines with the stainless steel ones, check the brake rotors and have the brake calipers, brake master and clutch slave and master cylinders rebuilt. If you can afford it, while everything is apart, this would be a good time to replace all of the bushings, shocks, struts and springs.
The front and rear suspension assemblys can be dropped out as entire units. No need to atke each and every piece apart. With the engine out, the front suspension can removed as an entire unit, makes life much simpler.
Enjoy.
Take detailed pics of everything on the SE, prior to removal. Clean and powerwash both both engine bays prior to start and picture taking. Buy a couple of cans of PB Blaster and spray every nut and bolt that you will touch after you have cleaned all the grease and grime off of both cars.
You will need to swap over the entire emissions harness and ecu, all hard fuel lines, fuel tank and pump from the SE. Replace all soft lines, fuel and vacuum, with new ones. If the 83 has drum brakes, you will need the e-brake cables too. Brake proportioning valve wouldn't hurt either. The SE has an extra block of fusible links and associated wiring that the 83 does not has, that gets switched too.
This is a very doable project, make sure you have a copy of the 84-85 FSM on hand, that will show you the differences between the carb and FI setups. Pay particular attention to fuel and wiring differences. There may be some wiring differences in the dash harness and at the inside fuse block, I am not sure.
The autocross guys prefer the 83 tranny due to slight differences in gearing, use whichever tranny is in the best shape, keep the SE flywheel and use either clutch assembly.
While you have things apart, I recommend sending the injectors out for cleaning and calibration, replace the soft brake and clutch lines with the stainless steel ones, check the brake rotors and have the brake calipers, brake master and clutch slave and master cylinders rebuilt. If you can afford it, while everything is apart, this would be a good time to replace all of the bushings, shocks, struts and springs.
The front and rear suspension assemblys can be dropped out as entire units. No need to atke each and every piece apart. With the engine out, the front suspension can removed as an entire unit, makes life much simpler.
Enjoy.
the only gotcha is that the gsl-se ecu/engine harness needs a little adaptation to the 83 dash harness, if you keep the 83 interior. if not just swap the -se stuff, even the dash and heater/ac stuff goes right in
12-03-05, 11:30 AM
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Thanks everyone - this is fantastic info. I'll sleep easier tonight.
I like the interior of the '83 better however with the anticipated problems with adapting the wiring harness I think I feel more inclined to swap everything inside the car.
After the swap, do you still think I can brag that it's a GSL-SE??
Here are a couple of pics of the '83
Thanks again.
G
I like the interior of the '83 better however with the anticipated problems with adapting the wiring harness I think I feel more inclined to swap everything inside the car.
After the swap, do you still think I can brag that it's a GSL-SE??
Here are a couple of pics of the '83
Thanks again.
G
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12-03-05, 01:49 PM
#8
Terrified.
I say just brag that it has an -SE engine, and that you did the transplant. No matter what, it will never be a true GSL-SE no matter how much swapping you do simply because of the year, and some of us neurotics out here pick things apart.
