LS + LT swap planner · 20 chassis · 20 engines · KMC Auto

Plan the swap.Skip the forum rabbit hole.

Gen III and IV LS or Gen V LT, one planner. Pick your chassis, engine, trans, harness and throttle. You get the mounts, pan, headers, harness, fuel, cooling and driveline parts free. The $24 Build Sheet adds the stuff that actually stops a swap: wiring steps, VATS and tune, fuel pressure, and a first-start checklist.

Every line links to the vendor or tech page it came from. No account needed for the free list.

WORK ORDER · SAMPLE#0350

Gen IV LS2 (cable throttle) + GTO T56 → Nissan 350Z
Mounts, pan, headers, driveshaft
Sikky Stage 2 package
$3,863
Gen IV DBC CANbus Pro harness
Wiring Specialties, keeps tach + gauges
$1,395
T56 5.5″ relocation shifter
Sikky, GTO cup
$560
T56 clutch master cylinder kit
Sikky, for the GTO T56
$314
Fuel: 58 psi returnless$400–900
Cooling + steam vent$340–1,020
Key parts only$6.9k–8.1k

Sample shows key parts only. The full plan also covers clutch/flywheel, tune, hoses, fittings and more, so the real total is higher.

6 warnings
How it works

Five picks. One sheet.

Built for first-timers who don't know what they don't know, and for guys who've done it and just want the list.

Pick the combo

Chassis, engine (LS 4.8 through LT4 and L8T), transmission, factory-modified or standalone harness, and drive-by-wire or cable.

Get the parts list

Free: mounts, oil pan, headers, harness/ECU, fuel, cooling, accessory drive and driveline, with rough price ranges and a source on every line.

Unlock the Build Sheet

$24: the compatibility flags for your combo, step-by-step harness work, VATS and tune, fuel setup, and a first-start checklist you can print.

Pricing

The list is free. The know-how is $24.

Free parts list
$0
  • Mounts, oil pan and headers for your chassis
  • Harness/ECU, fuel, cooling, accessory drive, driveshaft
  • Rough price range per line, plus a total
  • Part numbers only where the vendor shows them
  • Source link on every line
Build my free list
No made-up part numbers

Every line shows its receipts.

Each fact links to where it came from: Holley, Summit, Speedway, Dirty Dingo, Sikky, Novak, PSI, LS1Tech and others. Each also carries a confidence tag. Anything we're not sure of is stamped for a hands-on review before it's treated as gospel.

Dirty Dingo adjustable LS conversion mounts, 2WD S10
$130–145listed
Clamshell frame mounts + Grade 8 hardware, 1.5 in of adjustment. Low-mount alternators won't clear the S10 steering box.
DD-LS-S2highdirtydingo.com ↗
Which 5.3s have AFM
—
lowNeeds Kolby checkhpacademy.com ↗
Chassis covered

20 platforms to start

The Builder

Every sheet is built by someone who's turned the wrenches.

350Z on the lift: stock drivetrain out, LS and transmission going in
Out with the stock drivetrain, in with the LS. The 350Z on the lift.

Kolby, KMC Auto

Kolby is the builder behind KMC Auto. He started out working for free at a friend's shop for years, then spent a few more years learning for little pay. He's now been a jet-engine mechanic for 11 years, the last 3 as a lead.

His builds so far:

  • First LS swap: white Nissan 350Z: LS2 and T56, both pulled from an '06 Pontiac GTO
  • Second LS swap: black Nissan 350Z: after the white Z was totaled, its LS was rebuilt fully forged and went into this car
    Walk-around of the black Z, idling.
    • Lower-pressure, lower-temp fluid lines: Aeroquip AQP socketless hose and AN hose ends (e.g. FBL1512 straight, FBL1532 90°, FCN0620 -6 AN hose). Good for up to 300°F and 250 psi, per the builder. Builder tip: simple and works great; use Aeroquip's matching AQP hose with AQP ends.
    • Fully adjustable suspension from Z1 Motorsports
      Z1 Motorsports adjustable suspension
    • Stance coilovers on all 4 corners
    • Akebono brakes from a newer 370Z, fitted with the Z1 Motorsports Akebono Front Brake Bracket Kit (350Z/G35)
      Builder's tip: "Be careful with your wheel setup on these brakes. Some wheels won't clear the Akebono calipers. I ordered longer wheel studs so I could run about a 10mm spacer and push the wheels out a little for better wheel-to-caliper clearance."
      Akebono brake setup
    • FAST 102 intake and Sikky intake tube
    • Setrab coolers
    • Granatelli Motor Sports spark plug wires.
    • MOMO steering wheel (suede, with red markers).
    • Griffin aluminum radiator (aftermarket)
      Builder's note: "Clearance between the pulleys and the Griffin radiator is tight on my setup. The new Sikky kit pushes the engine back 2 inches, which helps."
    • LOJ Conversions 350Z/G35 LS Swap Fuel System
    • Z1 Motorsports aluminum splash shield (Z Speed 350Z Performance Aluminum Undershroud)
    • Carbon fiber hood and fenders from Fly1 Motorsports.
      Builder's note: fitment was poor out of the box and took extra work to get right.
      Carbon hood and fenders
    • 3M black vinyl wrap.
    • 3M clear protective wrap over the carbon fiber hood and fenders.
    • Front bash bar (brand unknown), bought online from a builder in Texas.
    • Ultra Racing (UR) aftermarket front subframe brace (the white bar), modified to clear the Sikky headers.
    • Soul Function fender braces, moved over from the white Z.
    • GM ECU and harness wired by Wiring Specialties, with their CAN bus box
    • ECU mount
      Not recommended: "Not something I suggest, but here's what I did: I took out the stock 350Z ECU to fit the GM ECU that runs the car. I pulled the cover off the GM ECU, welded the stock 350Z ECU bracket to it, and installed it in the stock 350Z ECU location."
  • 2008 Chevy Silverado: stock 4.8 out, a 6.0 he built himself in
  • Next up, 2015 GMC Sierra: L8T swap, replacing the 4.3 V6

First LS swap: white Nissan 350Z

The first 350Z Kolby LS-swapped, using the LS2 and T56 from an '06 GTO. After the white Z was totaled, he pulled the LS and rebuilt it with:

  • Eagle forged crank and Eagle forged rods
  • Mahle pistons
  • PRC (Precision Race Components) CNC cylinder heads and a Texas Speed MS2 cam (238/242, .600/.600 lift, 112 LSA as stamped)
  • FAST 102 intake and FAST throttle body

That rebuilt LS now runs in his black 350Z.

2008 Chevy Silverado: 4.8 out, a 6.0 I built in

The stock 4.8 came out, and a 6.0 Kolby built himself went in.

How it started

What killed the old 4.8: spun bearings and two broken rods.

Teardown
6.0 build parts
  • ARP Pro Series cylinder head bolt kit (134-3610)
  • Texas Speed Chopacabra cam (214/222, .550/.550 lift, 108 LSA as stamped)
  • Texas Speed forged connecting rods (TSP-6125SHB-8)
  • Wiseco pistons, K398X3 (per the box label: Chevy LS, -3.2cc flat top, 4.030 bore, 1.3045 compression height)
  • Mahle Clevite bearings
  • Johnson/Morel MRL-7717 lifters
  • Texas Speed 7.375" x .080" wall pushrods (TSP-7375-16), chosen after checking lash
  • Mr. Gasket lifter trays (61230G)
  • Tick Performance bronze trunnion bushing upgrade kit
  • GM head gasket (12589227)
  • GM timing chain dampener (12588670)
  • GM tapered camshaft retainer plate (12589016)
  • GM rear cover plate (12639250)
  • Mr. Gasket valve cover gaskets (61040G)
  • Tick Performance cam-swap gasket and bolt kit
  • ERA Paints black engine paint
  • ATI Super Damper balancer (ATI917286)
  • Speed Engineering 1 7/8 in. stainless long tube headers (2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra)
  • Driven Racing Oil BR30 conventional 5W-30 break-in oil
  • Alloyworks 3-row aluminum radiator (RAD-CHEV-DP-49)
  • K&N cold air intake
  • Metal heater core hose fittings (etched 800-409HP), replacing the factory plastic ones
  • CVF Racing billet accessory bracket (LSX-PSBRKT-R4)
  • Many of the small parts came from Tick Performance.
Building the 6.0
Painting the block
Heating the block with a torch before paint. Tip from an old timer: the heat sweats oil and chemicals out of the cast iron pores so the paint holds. You can see it sweating out.
Builder's note: "A full year and 12k miles later, the paint has held up nicely. The ERA Paints engine paint is expensive, but it looks good and holds up."
Going back in
  • Solid engine mounts (builder thinks from Summit Racing)
  • Tip: even with solid mounts, the heads touched a small spot on the frame. That contact made the knock sensors pull timing, so he sanded the spot down for clearance.
Headers and exhaust
  • Full 3" exhaust from the headers back
  • Flex pipes after the headers. Builder note: these caused a very odd whistle and he regrets using them.
  • X-pipe
  • Spintech mufflers
  • Vibrant Ultra Quiet resonators
  • Dual 4" black tips out the back
Transmission (4L60E)
  • JEGS cast aluminum deep transmission pan, 4 1/2 in. deep, adds 2 quarts (555-60173)
  • LubeLocker reusable transmission pan gasket (LLT-G4L60)
  • Custom transmission cooler lines with heat wrap
  • ICT Billet 6AN 3/8 in. transmission cooler disconnect fittings (F06ANTR37501)
  • Standard 40K transmission cooler
Builder's note: "The aftermarket LubeLocker gasket is like the newer reusable style and seals up nicely on this older 4L60E."
Builder's note: "The first cooler, from a diesel company, didn't cool the trans properly, so I installed a standard 40K trans cooler."
Exterior
  • Chevy 2500HD hood (bought used off Facebook Marketplace)
  • Tip: the 1500 and 2500HD hood insulation panels aren't the same. You can make the 1500 one fit, but for a clean stock look get a stock 2500HD insulation panel.
  • Factory-style fog lights added
  • All chrome trim painted black
  • 2014-2018 Silverado 1500 rear bumper from Amazon; fits nicely, per the builder
  • White LED black/gold bowtie grille emblem (2011-2013 HD style)
  • Sparksmith custom grille lighting
Grille lighting on the 2500HD grille
Interior
  • Seats and center console from a 2014+ Silverado
  • Custom seat brackets, built by the builder, so the 2014+ seats bolt in and the console works.
  • Prefer to buy them? OBS Outpost sells T1XX seat bracket sets and a T1XX console adapter for 1999-2013 GMT800/900 trucks.
  • Boost Auto 2020 Style GM Key Fob Retrofit (upgraded key fob)
Underbody
  • Cleaned up the whole underside of the truck
  • Coated with Rust-Oleum Undercoating Pro Grade, rubberized black
  • Suspension Engineering engine cross bar (33-1144-BK) and 4L60E transmission crossmember (33-1064-BK), 2007-2013 Silverado/Sierra
Brakes
  • Front 4-piston calipers from a 2019+ Silverado/Sierra 1500
  • Larger front rotors to match (drilled and slotted)
  • Washers used as spacers on the caliper mounts so the 4-piston caliper sits evenly over the rotor (the stock calipers are sliding 2-piston)
  • Extended brake hoses are sometimes recommended for this swap, but the stock hoses worked fine on this truck.
How it sounds
Idle with the Texas Speed Chopacabra cam
Engine bay finish
  • All engine wiring harness loom redone with Sonoreboom split braided self-wrap wire loom from Amazon (comes in several diameters). Works and looks great, per the builder.
  • Silicone radiator hoses throughout (builder believes from Glenn's Auto Performance)
  • Lower-pressure, lower-temp fluid lines: Aeroquip AQP socketless hose and AN hose ends (e.g. FBL1512 straight, FBL1532 90°, FCN0620 -6 AN hose). Good for up to 300°F and 250 psi, per the builder. Builder tip: simple and works great; use Aeroquip's matching AQP hose with AQP ends.
Wheels
  • 4Play 20x10 wheels, -18 offset
  • Builder note: regrets the -18 offset since he plans to lower the truck
Tuning
  • Tuned remotely with HP Tuners by Matt Sanford, a Nashville, TN-based LS/LT calibrator
FAQ

Straight answers

Is the parts list really free?

Yes. No account, no card. You can put in an email if you want updates for your chassis.

Why are some prices marked "est."?

"Listed" means we saw that price on the vendor's page when it was checked (Oct 2026). "Est." is a rough range. Prices move, so always check the link.

Does it do LT swaps too, or just LS?

Both, on one site. Gen V LT engines (L83, L84, L86, L87, LT1, LT4, L8T) are direct injection with a cam-driven high-pressure fuel pump and an E92-family ECM, so the controller, fuel, mounts and harness are a different swap than a Gen III/IV LS. The planner keeps them on their own path and the Build Sheet flags DFM, wet vs dry sump, and 8L90/10L80 TCM matching.

What about the new Gen 6 engines?

GM has announced the Gen 6 L76 5.7, L78 6.6 and LS6 6.7. They're listed as coming soon. We'll add them once real swap parts and controllers exist.

Will it guarantee fitment?

No. It's a planning sheet built from vendor and tech sources. Confirm fitment with the vendor, especially on pans, headers and steering.

What do I get for $24?

The full Build Sheet for one combo: compatibility flags, harness steps, VATS and tune notes, fuel setup, a first-start checklist, and video slots. It's printable and has a link you can come back to.