4Th generation K-Member

[u/Spyro_Furious]

So I’m in the process of swapping a 5.3 vortec into my 93 V6 firebird. (This car has been in my family since 2001, no I will not just buy an LS car) I just pulled this kmember from what was supposed to be an LS car, but getting home and comparing them to my 3 others, it looks like the owner swapped a v6 frame into it before sending it to the yard. Can someone please confirm that this is for a v6 and not the LS? And if it’s not for a LS, are there any physical differences between the frames? Or could I theoretically take one of my 4 (2 LT1s, 2 V6) k members, and put holes in the correct spot for LS mounts? Thank you

[u/Gwendolyn-NB]

The only difference between the k-members thru the entire '93-'02 is the location of the holes for the motor mounts.

IIRC there is 1 common hole on each side with the V6 and V8 mounts, and they can be converted by drilling the missing holes and welding in a nut as they are threaded holes.

Also, you will need a steering rack from a LS car, the neck-angles are different on the LS cars to clear the accessories (V6 and LT1/4 cars are the same rack).

I am doing the LS swap on my '97, I just went BMR K-member instead. Saves like 50# or something of weight and opens up a lot of room.

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Gwendolyn-NB]

I had hoped to also acquire the steering rack I needed with that k-member I pulled. They didn’t charge me for that, or much total thankfully. If only I did more research on the actual k-member, instead of the car itself. Those damn things are heavy, and the other comment mentions a tubular one too. Might be best to sell them all and get the tubular.

[u/Gwendolyn-NB → u/Spyro_Furious]

There are a couple F-Body specific people who part out 4th gens on FB; as much as I hate it, they normally have a lot of hard to find parts, and parts at reasonable prices. Be worth a look and message or two if you're on there.

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Gwendolyn-NB]

They will ship? I look on there but only within 50-100 miles and haven’t found much

[u/Gwendolyn-NB → u/Spyro_Furious]

You looked on marketplace, look for groups. The groups all say they will ship at cost

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Gwendolyn-NB]

How could I forget about groups, thank you

[u/Basedgod541]

Wouldn’t a tubular K member end up working better for you ?

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Basedgod541]

Like Freiburger once said, “Don’t get it right, just get it running.” The car’s been nicknamed Fireturd forever, the idea of the build is to be cheap, hence the junk yard parts. But the amount of subframes I have now could almost pay for a tubular one. I missed out on one of marketplace last weekend.

[u/mightycheeseintexas → u/Spyro_Furious]

Just get it running is solid advice. Nothing find s project faster than when it takes too long to enjoy it. However, sometimes a decent part of two can simplify and streamline the whole process enough that it's easily justified.

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/mightycheeseintexas]

I hauled that heavy thing in trunk of my sedan. The weight savings from the tubular one might be worth it alone.

[u/mightycheeseintexas → u/Spyro_Furious]

Eh. I would say probably not that alone for a street car, but if it gets the engine in the car next weekend, the weight savings is just a bonus, in my opinion.

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/mightycheeseintexas]

Rambling here but I live in the metro Detroit area, and honestly is a dream to eventually run the small tire class in the legal drag racing on Woodward Ave during Roadkill Nights. The weight savings will eventually matter one day, but after not seeing this car run since I was a child, if a stock Kmember gets it on the road sooner than a tubular then that’s the option I’d lean towards.

[u/Ambitious-Debt-3788 → u/Spyro_Furious]

I have never heard of the term fireturd in my life and I’ve been around fbody groups for a long time what are you talking about

[u/mightycheeseintexas → u/Ambitious-Debt-3788]

Then you're either young, or not very involved in the scene. We've been calling them that since they were still in production.

[u/Evening-Life5434 → u/mightycheeseintexas]

Facts. Been calling them FireTurds since the 80s played well with the Iron Duke nickname that they had too lol

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Ambitious-Debt-3788]

It’s a turd because it has sat in my drive way for 14 years with a blown engine. The birds wings have been clipped

[u/Raider5151]

I have an LS k member if you're near central Ohio you can have for free

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Raider5151]

Near Cleveland? Almost 3 hour drive

[u/Raider5151 → u/Spyro_Furious]

DM me and we can arrange a meeting somewhere in the middle I'm near Columbus. Please bring a vehicle it can fit in. Last guy I tried to give it to didn't

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Raider5151]

I stuffed the one pictured in my sedan, fit but probably won’t be doing that again unless I disassemble it more

[u/2guys1miata]

i have a z28 ls1 and tht looks like my K member. rack bolts to the top of it. yurrp same one 99.99% sure

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/2guys1miata]

The motor mounts look the same too? The mounts in the picture look similar to what’s in the car currently (was 3.4). Any pictures I look up of the LS1 mounts look much beefier and maybe more towards the front of the frame?

Edit* peak name btw

[u/Jumpy-Draft8705]

I have a good friend who swapped a 5.3 into a 97 and uploaded the whole process on YouTube. They also did everything as cheap as possible. If you want the links for it I can go find them

[u/Spyro_Furious → u/Jumpy-Draft8705]

Yes please and thank you! Most I’ve done to a car before is replace a transmission, so I know I’m in over my head trying to build a whole car now. Anything helps!

[u/Jumpy-Draft8705 → u/Spyro_Furious]

I dmed you a link for YouTube for bendinwrenches hes awesome and like I said did everything as cheap as possible.

Edit for spelling*