Chevelle / El Camino (A-body) LS swap

Decide: which engine fits your power goal and budget, and confirm the exact engine by its RPO or the 8th VIN digit before you pay.

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• Junkyard engines commonly show piston skirt scuffing; inspect before reuse.

More: Engine & donor finder · Making power

Decide: where the engine sits (kit mounts or custom), then measure from the pan rail to the crossmember and to the ground before you choose an oil pan.

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• Hooker states the 1.875 in. x 3 in. 1968-72 Chevelle LS swap long-tube headers provide excellent ground clearance and component clearance.
• The 2460-2HKR headers use a tight-tucked design for maximum ground clearance.
• The 2460-2HKR headers are designed to work with Hooker transmission crossmembers.
• 1968-72 Chevelle factory V8 frame perches used short-and-wide early-style small-block Chevy motor mounts.
• Dirty Dingo lists GM rubber mount part numbers 3990914, 3960768 and 6258154 for the 1968-72 Chevelle V8 frame perches.
• Dirty Dingo's LS Gen III/IV conversion mount options for the 1968-72 A-body are the DD-LS-DOUBLE-D-S steel, DD-LS-DOUBLE-D-A aluminum and DD-Slider mounts.
• The Dirty Dingo DD-Slider mount is not compatible with low-mount A/C.
• Per Dirty Dingo, the Holley 302-2 is a modified F-body pan designed for the 1964-67 A-body to clear the inner tie rods at full lock-to-lock steering.
• The Holley 302-2 and 302-3 pans require a Corvette LS3 dipstick and tube, a gasket, and modifications to the windage tray.
• Holley part 302-2 is the LS swap retro-fit oil pan kit listed for the 1964-1972 Chevrolet Chevelle.
• The Holley 302-2 pan has a total oil capacity of 6.2 quarts with the stock oil filter.
• The 302-2 provides maximum clearance for vehicles where the steering linkage is behind the engine crossmember.
• The 302-2 kit includes a sump baffle, OE-style pickup tube, sump plug, oil filter stud and oil passage cover.
• Holley states the 302-2 oil pan is legal for emissions-controlled, uncontrolled and racing-use vehicles because it does not affect emissions.

Check on your vehicle:

• Long-tube headers may need extra exhaust bends to clear the stock trans crossmember.

More: Oil pan guide

Decide: which transmission handles your torque and how it will be controlled, then plan the crossmember, driveshaft length and flexplate or bellhousing to match.

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• LS bellhousing pattern shares 5 of 6 bolts and dowels with SBC/BBC, but the crank flange sits ~0.5 in farther forward, so manual swaps need an LS-specific bellhousing/clutch setup.
• BH13240 headers clear TH350, TH400, 700R4, 2004R, 4L60-4L70, 4L80E/4L85E and 6L80/6L90 automatics, plus 4th-gen F-body/GTO T56 and aftermarket T56 Magnum manuals.
• A TREMEC LS F-body/GTO T56 installs in a 1967-69 F-body with no cutting except the shifter hole; an aftermarket TREMEC T56 Magnum requires tunnel modifications in a 1967-69 F-body.
• Because of their considerably lower transmission tunnel height, 1968-74 X-body cars require tunnel modifications to install either a TREMEC LS F-body/GTO T56 or a T56 Magnum with the Hooker system.
• The Hooker 71222007HKR 1968-72 GM A-body LS swap transmission crossmember does not fit convertibles or El Caminos and is not compatible with Tremec TR6060 transmissions.
• The 2460-2HKR headers are compatible with all GM automatic and Tremec T56/T56 Magnum transmissions.
• The Hooker 12616HKR crossmember is designed for T56 (GM 4th-gen F-body/GTO versions only), T56 Magnum, 4L80E/4L85E, TH400 and 2004R installations in a 1970-81 2nd-gen F-body.
• Dirty Dingo Billet Aluminum Double-D LS adapter plates, model DD-LS-DOUBLE-D-A, fit 1958-1972 GM cars and offer four engine positions: factory bellhousing position, 11/16 inch forward, 1 11/16 inches forward, and 2 1/4 inches forward.
• The Hooker 71222007HKR A-body transmission crossmember does not fit convertible or El Camino models and is not compatible with Tremec TR6060 transmissions.

More: Transmission guide

Decide: one accessory drive spacing, and match the balancer, water pump and brackets to it. Then check fan, hose and hood clearance.

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• LS radiators have the upper inlet on the passenger side (thermostat on the water pump) and a steam line.
• Factory GM accessory drives were built for trucks/Escalades, not muscle-car chassis.
• The 2460-2HKR header tube geometry clears all factory stock vehicle components including the A/C evaporator case and allows easy starter and spark plug service.

More: Accessory drive guide

Decide: headers or manifolds that clear the steering, frame and starter where your mounts put the engine.

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• Hooker part 2460-2HKR is a 1-7/8 in. primary, 3 in. collector silver-ceramic long-tube LS swap header set for the 1968-1972 Chevelle.

Decide: return or returnless, and a pump and injectors sized for your power and fuel (gas or E85).

What the sources say for this vehicle:

• Tanks Inc item TM34U-T (H&H SKU 24616) is an EFI-ready gas tank for 1971-72 Chevelle and Malibu models.
• H&H Classic lists the Tanks Inc TM34U-T EFI tank at $305.95. (as listed 2026-09-29)
• The Tanks Inc EFI tank uses GPA-series fuel pumps available from 109 to 450 liters per hour.
• The Tanks Inc Chevelle EFI tank has the fuel pump and sender recessed so it installs with no modification to the car.
• The Tanks Inc TM34U-T tank has a 15.5-gallon fuel capacity.
• Holley 255 LPH OEM Style EFI Fuel Tank Module part 12-303 is a direct bolt-in for 1968-72 A-Body/GTO/LeMans, flowing 255 liters per hour and supporting EFI engines up to 550 horsepower.
• The Holley 12-303 EFI module for 1968-72 A-bodies is internally regulated to 58 psi so no external regulator or separate return line is needed, and it includes a Holley HydraMat fuel reservoir.

More: Fuel & E85 guide

Decide: a full budget, not just the engine: mounts, pan, accessories, fuel, wiring, tune and labor add up.

We don't have sourced facts for this step on this vehicle yet, so measure and confirm with the part maker before you buy.

Answered for this vehicle:

• How much does it cost to LS swap a Chevelle?
• A '71 Chevelle owner with a ticking 350 and a tight budget asks whether a junkyard LS swap is the right move for a reliable cruiser, or whether to stick with the small block.

More: Swap cost estimator