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Which is easier? Help answer a few ?'s for me?

1K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  Flyer123 
#1 ·
Please Note:

(I searched under my profile already if I asked the same question before when I first joined, but couldn't find anything.)

Heyas all.... :wave:
I've been a lurker here for ages, and awaiting some plans to come thru in my life so I can finally decide on getting a Colorado / Canyon I like. Sadly tho the higher-ups atta GM decided not to option a Colorado stock the way I had hoped.

I've done a lot of reading, and a lot of searches and decided i'd ask the experts here at 355 Nation, and maybe pick everyone's brains for the needed know-how to help me here.

Firstly, Id like to have a 4x2 Club Cab Colorado/Canyon with a manual transmission (Preferrably with the ZQ8 or Z85 <?>) options as I like a street truck for me, wife and 12 year old daughter that loves cars as much as I do.

Now these trucks are found used in good numbers for sale, but for a very small detail missing.... they don't have a V-8 installed with the manual transmission. :cry:

I seen a lot of the projects on here that built the trucks, either a manual trans into the truck, or swapping out the I-4 or the I-5 for a LS, Lx, LH V8 from another Chevy Van, Truck, car, etcetera...

My question is, what years of Colorado are easier for swapping? What are the inherent problems for years, V-8 swaps compared to manual trans swaps for the Crew Cab?

Is it more feasable getting a 2008-2012 Colorado/Canyon with the V-8 option first, or a 2004-2008 Crew Cab with a manual trans option, and swap in the V-8 ? Or maybe when my finances clear up in the future maybe buy an already swapped truck from a member here with all the work done already. The only caveot here is im waiting on Pennsylvania to approve my disability case, which has gone on for 4 1/2 years as of Oct. 2016.

(A side note: I won't be doing any of the work on the truck at home as I live in a house-apartment with no garage or access to tools or a lift. So I will be probably be farming out the work to a hot-rod shop I have known since I was in my teens, or go to Allentown - Bethlehem Pa. area to visit 'Sloppy Mechanics' as he home built a turbo Colorado with junk yard parts. )

The only rules are having a manual transmission in my truck is an Absolute Must, a Crew Cab for my family to enjoy as well. and also a V-8. I'm a retired truck driver on disability. (That's another huge post I may show sometime.) and I was always around hot-rods and muscle-cars since I was a kid. And the one thing I liked most about driving is shifting gears in a manual. :true:

Yeah, I know some prefer automatics and I am not discounting their reasons at all, I'm just happiest with a manual trans in my cars. I have to drive some cars with autos, but again, my preference is a manual above everything else.

So again everyone here, let me know what ya all think, and I'll read and soak in everything I can.

Thank you all, and God Bless...
Kimonoskunk <><
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
 
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#2 ·
I would go for the newer Colorado with the V8 already in it. Then you would only have to swap the trans and probably the drive shaft. On a 2004 - 2008 you would have to swap almost the entire drive train with the exception of the diff. 2010 to 2012 with a v8 would make the most sense to me.
 
#7 ·
Swapping my 06 colorado was not too bad. The engine and trans are bolted in and everything lined up. Mine you, its a 5.3 with a v8 60e behind it. The only thing that is the same is the driveshaft and the rear end (will change eventually) I did have to modify the trans crossmember a little, no big deal.

It is a lot of work though. get it in, everything settled where it needs to be, and aligned properly did take some time. So far i have spent about 3 solid weeks getting the engine and trans in. now its time for exhaust and wiring! Hopefully in 2 weeks time it will be running!
 
#3 ·
:yeahthat: I would think it would be easier to start with a truck that has the factory V8 and swap the transmission. That would limit you to the 2009-2012 model years since those were the only years the V8 was an option. Getting a crew cab should be no problem, the majority of the V8 trucks seem to be crew cabs. Unless I am mistaken, the V8 trucks have a larger rear diff than the 4 cyl and I-5 trucks. I think I remember a thread on here not too long ago where somebody was swapping in a T-56 trans with a V8.....
 
#4 ·
Couldn't get the factory V8 in the standard cab trucks.

As the others stated, less work with a factory V8 truck than the others. 2009 to 2012 were the only years for the V8.

And welcome to the site.
 
#5 ·
Deff start with a V8, way less work and money.
also a stronger rear, 8.6 same as a full size trk.
 
#6 · (Edited)
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