How easy is it to convert a 3.4L to a new LS1?

Electrical and electronic systems is the biggest part of this job. The 95 shares nothing in common with an LS1 installation. The best way to do this is to locate a donor car and get the engine, transmission, wire bundles, computer, etc.

You'll have to integrate the LS1 systems into the 95's electrical system this will require a complete set of Helms manuals for both the 95 and the donor vehicle. There will be issues with integrating the injection and computer, vehicle security systems will be incompatible, instruments, and sensors.

The structural aspects of this swap will be simple compared to the systems. It's very doable but it ain't no walk-in-the-park. If your a good planner and executer you'll get there, if electrical and electronic systems are hard for you, then this will tough to accomplish.

Bogie

Would this project be more simple using an LT1 from the same year?  

As far as the engine and its systems go it would be about the same as an LS1. In many ways the LT1's injection and other systems are more similar to the LS1 than they are to Gen 1 small blocks of the same year used in Camaros/Firebirds and pickups. fficeffice" />>>

For compatibility with the instrument package and its sensors, and the cars VATS system a same year LT1 package (ie everything it takes to duplicate the factory installtion) would be simpler.>>

I'd recommend that you get copies of “Chevrolet TPI & TBI Engine Swapping” and “Chevrolet S-10 Truck V-8 Conversion Manual” by Mike Knell at: http://www.jagsthatrun.com/

These books are a wealth of information at getting late model engines and drivelines swapped into other vehicles while retaining "legal" status of emissions and saftey/security equipment. Their aim is toward installation into S-10/15 trucks; but probably 80 to 90 percent of the information is sufficiently generic to fit these conversions into other vehicles, domestic and foreign.

Frankly, you could probably locate a 95 Z-28 for less money than this conversion will cost, and you get all the suspension and braking upgrades that come with the LT-1 engine package. It's a better engineering solution than an LT1 or LS1 running in car whose handling and braking aren't up to the engine power.

My own ride is a S-15 with a 95 Z-28 LT1 under the hood and floor. Getting the engine/transmission/systems into it especially the electrical installation was a big job. But this was only the beginning, the handling and braking was frightning lacking for the acceleration and speeds you could attain. I spent the better part of a year sorting out the handling and braking. In the end the truck basically became a 95 Z-28 surrounded by S-15 sheetmetal.

Bogie  

You know what's funny about that is that I wanted to do the same swap on an '01 S-10 before it was stolen and totalled.

Yeah I hear ya', keeping my 89 from being stolen has become a hobby of mine.

Bogie