With a black smoke-induced decision that the Formula's stock LT1 had seen its last trip down E-town after well over 100,000 miles of service, the monument in green at long last would receive a well-deserved rebuilt bottom end, and even a good set of Dart heads, and a custom Comp cam--a combo that proved to be worth 459 horsepower on Race Krafters' engine dyno (see the "Top End" series). The stock compression motor would no doubt serve as an excellent powerplant for the pump-gas build that we had planned to push into the 11s with a streetable combo. By this point our appetites had no doubt grown, but we needed to first meet our initial goal, and with this powerplant we wouldn't be far off.
With so few shops willing to take a crack at installing and tuning our Race Krafters 355, I decided to take matters into my own hands--with the help of Contributing Editor Chris Werner and longtime tuner Ed Wright. After limping the Formula up to Werner's garage, we got started on pulling the stock motor and front subframe just as you would on an LS1 F-body. Eventually, after cursing profusely and pounding our fists on the aging chassis like a couple gorillas, the motor transplant was complete and Ed's tune was uploaded. Follow along to share our pain; unfortunately, you'll have to wait until next time for the ultimate reward--chassis dyno numbers and the final tweaks before she's track-ready again.
 The engine wiring harness...  The engine wiring harness is best left in place when removing the LT1. First step was freeing the PCM from its slot under the cowl, and disconnecting the wiring harness from that of the car's interior. There is a group of wires and a grommet on the passenger-side firewall that leads into the cabin; once you remove the kicker panel in the interior it's easy to unplug and push the wires through the hole. |  In addition to the wiring...  In addition to the wiring harness, the power steering lines and the front brake lines must also be disconnected in order to drop the motor and front subframe. All other hoses, such as those that run from the water pump to the radiator, fuel lines, and transmission fluid lines must also be unhooked. Don't forget the steering shaft bolt! |  With two furniture dollies...  With two furniture dollies (bought from Home Depot) under the front subframe and transmission for support, Chris removes the bolts on the trans crossmember, then the strut tower bolts, and finally those that connect the K-member to the frame. |
 It's important to tie up the...  It's important to tie up the front control arms as seen here, otherwise your front rotors will scrape on the ground as you maneuver the engine and cradle (not to mention that the brake lines will have undue tension on them). |  Slowly, the body is raised...  Slowly, the body is raised off of the front subframe and motor, as we check periodically to make sure nothing is being hung-up. Though we had initially hoped to remove the motor with the alternator/power steering pump/A/C bracket intact, that appears impossible on the LT1. Werner referred to it as the "automotive equivalent to a chastity belt"--and deservingly so. The alternator needs to come off, but the bracket, power steering, and A/C stay with the car. And let me tell you, messing with this non-sensical contraption is no fun. Make sure you label your bolts as you remove them, as it will prove crucial later on. |  After hours of cursing, here...  After hours of cursing, here she be! We were careful to clean up the mess afterwards as we didn't want an ecological disaster on our hands, nor did we want Werner's pack of dogs lapping up these harmful fluids. |