I get upwards of 30 mpg, and I'm told by quite a few guys, including Dave Norris and PRJ, that a cam will drop my gas mileage. That may actually be in response specifically to my expressed desire to go with 280 degrees of duration and other insane ideas. I guess anything, within reason, can be reasonable.

What an awesome setup you'd have with pretty much anything, though! You could call your 5.3 bud a bolt-on turkey and such awesome things. That is especially useful if he still beats you.

Here'* what Billboost and I discussed:

Standard:
Drive gear tooth count: 35
Driven gear tooth count: 35

HD:
Drive gear tooth count: 33
Driven gear tooth count: 37

This is why the NA'* are a 3.29 gear set when you swap in the 3.29 HD diff. In otherwords, 33/37 * 3.29 = 2.93 gears you get on the stock HD trans. You take the 3.29 differential and you put that in a trans with 35:35 sprocket ratio and you get 3.29 gearing.

Technically the output shaft is different as well, the HD trans output shaft that runs the length of the trans from diff to driverside axle is 1/4" longer on the HD trans. Some say it doesn't make a difference, some say it does. I haven't put it to the test personally.

Diff cover is longer to accomodate the beefier HD diff and the axle on the passenger side is shorter because the diff is longer.

So you'll need an HD trans output shaft, housing, diff, and passenger axle.

Also different were the torque converters in size, bolt pattern to the two possible flexplates, and the demographics of the owners.

Personally I say get a L67, wire hanress, PCM, and if possible, transmission, then drop it in, done.

X2, I'm with Dan

more power and still retain reasonable DD dependibility. Then as funds allow mod away.

I like the drop in idea more than the add and exchange idea. I looked it up and even with a stock l67 it would still be about 70 hp away from the impala. Dan, with the colder plugs, pcm upgrade, smaller pulley what else would be needed to gain that kind of power? Or is thattoo big a gain without another induction source?

I can't back putting in a harness if it costs more than $20 which is what the swap wiring kit costs. It'* one BCS connector and moving the map sensor wiring.

The pcm would have to be programmed for the vehicle no matter which way you go, therefore you don't swap that either. If you drop an SC'd pcm into an NA car with SC wiring harness you are going to get a few DTC'*. Some of the systems on board are different and need to be accomodated by removing codes.

Ok so just to be sure I know what i'm getting into here,
~Engine/trans
~Reprogrammed pcm
~Suspension
~Wiring harness
~ what am I missing?

Actually, I think you're missing that your 95 is going to be slightly tougher to tune with its OBD 1.5 rather than an OBD 2 setup. We have some very capable people on this forum, all the way from 95naSTA who can flash your PCM to a few other gearheads who can help you swap in a full OBD 2 setup.

The 95 L36 came with OBD1.5????? I thought all L36'* had OBD2...