Tom K of Texas is the proud owner of this Fast Prix by FastFieros.....

Wow, an LS6 in a 2001 Grand Prix. Its finally done. The real power of the Generation III series engines in a 3500 pound FWD car. The FWD is the trick of this treat...

This project started before the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP was even much more than a good rumor. In 2003 I came across the article Home Run Hero by GM HighTech Mag.. > CLICK HERE http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/features/0303gmh_2000_ls1_powered_impala_ss_feature/index.html

I wanted a LSx engine at that point in a Fiero. I was so involved with the 3800 SuperCharged stuff however, I really didnt have time to pursue the LSx engines mated to the M6 bolt pattern and mounted in transverse fashion. The 3800SC was making great power, reasonable to buy, and just made a really nice fast Fiero from FastFieros...

Then in 2004, I was lucky enough to purchase the transverse parts that GM and Jon Moss engineering had custom casted for the 1999 Impala SS project. I acquired only 7 kits of this very special hardware that allowed the LS1/6 engine to set transverse with a single serpentine belt solution. If that was not luck enough for one person, I then was able to purchase the official FIRST engine that GM and Jon Moss design team put together for what was the first Impala SS built. It appears the car was dismantled and the powertrain in its completeness ended up in Springfield MO. A guy there that buys from that GM plant saw an LS1 Impala SS experimental project listing on the auction lot sheet. He had posted the engine for sale on LS1.com and someone saw it there knowing I was extremely interested in transverse mounting of the LS1 emailed me the link. I immediately was able to post SOLD, I found the guys number on the internet and left 3 voice mails I would buy the powertrain at whatever cost. He called back the next morning and indicated that 25 people emailed/called, and I was the first, so I get first shot at it. It was no difficult decision after I saw the pics. Wow, the official LS1 mated to a 4T65eHD on an aluminum cradle with so many pretty billet parts that GM SVO teams craved out. The time, talent, and tools needed to do this would exceed $150,000 in just this one engine and transmission.

Here is the pics of that powertrain as it set in the Springfield MO plant.

Then here are the pieces I purchased that were part of this project.

This one item here is the real bread and butter of the install. How do you mount a starter on a LSx engine in a transverse position? This oil pan is one of a kind design. I am not sure why GM changed from this design with the LS4, but the starter ended up on the side of the transmission bell housing on the GXP with the LS4.

Then we fast forward to the day that Tom K comes to me and asks me to install a LSx engine to his 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix. Two reasons for this. One Tom's son was in Japan and needed a good running car. So he acquired a 1998 Grand Prix with about 105k miles. I was to remove the 3800SC powertrain from the 2001 car, and install this to the 98 GTP . See I had already been the one to build the 3800sc in the 2001 Grand Prix of Tom's in 2003. See this build up here > http://www.fastfieros.com/projects/tom_killgo.htm at that time, Toms car had 30k miles. Nice low mileage, and very well maintained engine. Tom drove this 3800SC package about 12k miles. So the car has 42k miles now, and its going to get a LSx engine for a new powertrain.

This project was time consuming working out the hardware, and tools needed to do the job. In real working time, there is about 7 months time in the project with the engine build, the transmission build, and then my work. Today, it would take about 2 months time to install the LSx series engine to the Grand Prix.

Here are some of the project development pics, and what into this engine and transmission.

First we started with a LS6 block.
Low mileage, so no boring/honing needed - stock bore
Forged pistons
Stroked Eagle crank
6.125 rods
Comp Cam
Stage II heads
Roller Rockers
LS6 intake
Custom throttle body
several other supporting items that makes this a 383 cubic inch Gen III engine. Paper Horsepower is about 500 at the crank.

Transmission build was done at DynoTech. Lots of hard parts installed, and the newest item was the GM Racing performance drive chain. This chain is 1 inch in width. It is custom made in length to fit the 4T65eHD casing. An upgraded LSD is also installed.

Here is the rear of the concept GM engine. Notice the M6 bolt pattern is TIG welded to the block. GM with all its resources and money took a LS1 block, and chucked it up in a large mill, and channeled a M6 shaped pattern in the back of the block. They then machined an adapter plate to weld in that channel. Once welded in place, the rear was face surfaced for flatness. Wow, I wish I had a machine big enough to do this. I had to make an adapter plate, but mine is only .500 thick.

Then to the front side of the concept engine....

You will notice that the belt just barely catches the water pump pulley. This engine was ran long enough for me to tell that the belt was slipping real bad here. I thought about what needed to be done to fix this...

So I came up with this..

Along the way of my development, GM released the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP... Here is what GM came up with on the LS4 which is the transverse V8 of today.

So, then the cradle needed to be modified from the 3800SC package to the V8 package...

And along the way I decided that a transmission mount upgrade was needed.... So I installed a 3800SC front ENGINE mount as the rear transmission mount..

Hey look, RAM AIR effect !

This will be continued....