Jolene - '86 SWB budget 5.3l 4l60e driver build

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Guess it's time I started a build thread. I've had this truck for about 4 months now. It was just too straight and relatively rust free to pass up. It started life as a 305/th350 truck (super rare, I know ). The dash doesn't even have a single crack!

When I got it home I knew it couldn't stay as it was....I can just never leave well enough alone. (it actually ran and drove nicely) I almost immediately pulled the engine and trans. I kind of had my mind on a LS swap, but I let a buddy of mine talk me into another big block build. I had the motor and trans built and in the truck as of this past weekend. All it lacked was some wiring and fuel lines. The more I looked at it, and thought about what I really wanted.... plans changed. I put an ad on CL and the big block was sold in a matter of hours. Pulled it out and picked up on the same day. As soon as the purchaser left, a wrecked 2002 tahoe popped up on CL about 10 minutes down the road from me. Went over, haggled, and drove it home.

And so it starts!

As I bought it:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

I noticed right away that the rear springs had been heated and bent to achieve some drop. I also noticed the left lower control arm was bent, and the bushings and ball joints were in sad shape. So I did a complete rebuild (with straight arms), new bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, idler arm, and pitman arm. Found a good set of rear springs, rear flip, front spindles, and cut a round off the factory springs.

Here's how she looks with the static drop:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Then came a new set of shoes. The '80s saw blades had to go! She's rolling on 15x8 and 15x10 rally wheels with 245 and 295 tires respectively.

Booty pic:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Now for the new motivation. I found this peach on CL. It is a 2002 Tahoe that was t-boned. It still runs and drives great (aside from the wandering from the bent control arm). I bought it for a song. I'm hoping that I can sell enough parts off of it to recoup most of my purchase price. That would make my 5.3 and 4l60e really cheap! I'm going to try to keep the budget for this build in a reasonable realm. I have a tendency to go overboard with my projects. I'm going to make a real effort at reeling in my compulsive project creep.

Any way, here's the donor:

[Low Elco]

In the midst of doing something similar. This is gonna be neat!

[juanandcara]

Is this project complete?

[68Timber]

I'm guessing your wife named this truck. Sub'd.

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Originally Posted by 68Timber

I'm guessing your wife named this truck. Sub'd.

Yes John, she named her!


Mike

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Originally Posted by juanandcara

Is this project complete?

No, not even close. Gonna take my time and make it as clean as possible. Thinking about putting the ECM in the cab to clean up the engine compartment. May not though..... can't decide.

Mike

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Finally finished working on other people's junk, and got around to working on mine. Almost ready to drop the engine in the truck. Here are some pictures of my progress. Rebuilt the heads. Put them back on with MLS head gaskets. New Melling oil pump and GM timing chain to spin the LS1 cam. Installed the Comp Cams trunion kit and buttoned the top end back up. Painted and loosely bolted the dirty dingo mounts on to the block. May try to drop it in tomorrow.

Stay tuned. Mike

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

More pics:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Well, I decided to mock up my A/C bracket and fabricate the supports for it rather than dropping it in the truck today. I used an A/C bracket from a 4.3 S10 and made some modifications to it. Got the idea from another thread somewhere, but can't remember where. Anyway, here are some pictures. I'll be able to run an R4 compressor now and use a K5/Suburban hoses. The manifold in the pic is a 2011 camaro take-off that I think I'm going to run.

Mike

[NewType72]

Some great starting points. I'm in for the long haul.

[jrblanke]

Looks awesome so far. I'm jealous of your donor vehicle! Should go smoothly!

Do the 15x10s with 295s fit without an issue? I have some 15x10s waiting for mine as well.

Keep up with the pics!

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Originally Posted by jrblanke

Looks awesome so far. I'm jealous of your donor vehicle! Should go smoothly!

Do the 15x10s with 295s fit without an issue? I have some 15x10s waiting for mine as well.

Keep up with the pics!

Thanks! Yes, they fit like a glove. Zero clearance issues.


Mike

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Updates coming soon.

I've been head long into a LS swap in my buddies 1996 Z71. It's a 5.3 with trick flow heads, BTR stage 4 truck cam, and long tubes. Almost done minus some minor detail work. Sounds really nasty with the open long tubes. Putting electric cut outs on it.

Here's a couple of pics:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Thanks.

Well, I finally got around to setting the engine and trans over into the truck. I have had a little change of heart in the past few days, and along with that the "LOW" budget term kind of goes out the window. I always manage to do something like this with my projects. I'm sill going to try to keep it reasonable though. Here's a couple of pictures. The second one should give you a hint as to where this is headed.

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

I made quite a bit of progress today on my custom turbo manifolds. I was determined to keep my air conditioning, and I didn't want to mount the turbo under the truck. The best option in my opinion was to modify some truck manifolds to fit the bill. I still need to finish welding them up and clean up the heat shield and EGR bumps. I'm going to put V band flanges on the new pipe extensions and fabricate the hot side from there. Had to kick the drivers side out and up to clear the power steering pump. It will be a single turbo setup probably 76mm or so. Still deciding on which unit. Can't wait to smoke some tires!

Mike

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Made some progress today. Finished welding up the new piping to the manifolds. Cut off and ground smooth all of the heat shield and EGR "bumps". Filled in the holes created by cutting off the EGR stuff. Still a little bit of clean up to do. When the V band flanges come in I'll get them burned on and start the process of laying out the rest of the hot side. Once it's all complete and the down pipe is fabricated I'm going to send it all out to be coated. Also have to get the wastegate piped into the down pipe. Here's how they look now:

[COS399]

Very nice work. I will be following along since I have a similar project going on except mine is a 4x4.

[king-918]

Noce work!

[izzy_Britton]

Looks good! keep the pics coming.

I too am building an 86. I am probably not going to go the turbo route on the 86, but i am seriously considering it for the 06 (as in i have already started buying parts, considering it). I will be watching your build to see what kind of ideas i can gleam.

My build is on the back burner at the moment while i work on some other projects that are for the most part not mine, this of coarse causes a delay in build time but also allows me more time to come up with ideas of things i can do to it. some good ideas some probably not so good. lol

how much of that tahoe do you have left? i am looking for one of those in similar condition to build for my wife. you said you got it for a song, what did you have to pay for it if you dont mind my asking?

-Izzy

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

I already scrapped what was left of the Tahoe after pulling and selling some parts. I ended up with very little in my actual engine before I started buying parts for it.

Made a little progress on the fabrication front. Got the v-band flanges welded on the manifolds and the reducers attached to the flanges for the output.

After beating my head against the wall (not literally) all day Saturday trying to figure out how to make the turbo, all of it's piping (hot and cold side), the A/C compressor, and it's associated hoses all fit in a sanitary manner...I threw in the towel. Late Saturday evening while sipping a burbon and cola, it came to me that the A/C was no longer going to be a requirement of this project. And in that moment, Jolene became a weekend warrior/occasional track queen. I will save the A/C components and cruise control for another build. But on the bright side, that decision came with some changes to the power plans. I.E.: Bigger cam, head studs, more fuel, and more squeeze. Shooting for 600 to the wheels right out of the gate!

I did get the initial turbo mount setup almost done before running out of welding wire. Might end up changing it a little though. Oh well. Now what you really came for....pics:

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Got the hot side pipes routed today. All mandrel bends. Still need to pipe in the wastegate and weld everything up.

[SCOTI]

What material did you use on the hot side?