First LSx swap in progress

[LockDoc]

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Thanks Guys.

AD: My wife says I have too many trucks. I told her I didn't know you could have too many trucks....

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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OK, a little progress. I was limited on what I could do for a while because of some minor surgery but I'm back at it. I decided on the Hooker headers and got them ordered. They look good.

Painted the firewall and frame and will undercoat the lower part of the firewall today. As soon as it warms up and more of the snow melts I move it outside and pressure wash the front cross member so I can repaint it. I know, I know, why didn't I do it before I put it in????..

Getting closer to setting the engine in...

LockDoc

[Indian113]

Leon, your going to like those Cast Headers. Hoping that surgery wasn't for any thing too serious.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Leon, your going to like those Cast Headers. Hoping that surgery wasn't for any thing too serious.

Thanks Ray. I will get your Camaro manifolds back to you. Surgery was just for sinus and nasal passage problems.

LockDoc

[Indian113]

No hurry on the manifolds, I don't have a big use for them. Whenever it works for you.

[LockDoc]

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Well, I set the engine in today but I'm not real happy with The POL engine mount frame brackets. The drivers side fits like a glove and all of the bolts dropped right in, but the passengers side is another story. The top bolt holes line up with the holes in the frame but the bracket is a good 1/2" above the frame rail, and the cross member holes don't even start to line up. I'm wondering if I could just cut the piece of tubing off that the long bolt for the rubber mount goes through, bolt the frame bracket to the frame & cross member, lower the engine down with the rubber mount all assembled and then weld the piece of tubing back to the frame mount. That might be the easiest way to correct it. I have the engine in the I-6 position but I may have to move it forward because the large hole in the valve cover for the crankcase vent hose is against the firewall.

First two pictures are where I trimmed the frame for the frame mount brackets. Third one is with the engine installed, fourth is the non-fitting frame bracket.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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The Hooker Cast headers fit really good with lots of clearance. In the second picture you can see the outlet in the valve cover close to the firewall.

LockDoc

[Marty68]

wondering why i cant see your "attached images"

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Marty68

wondering why i cant see your "attached images"

I've been having the same issue today too.

Engine looks good sitting in place Lockdoc...too bad about the right side mount...one more issue to overcome.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Marty68

wondering why i cant see your "attached images"

Try logging off the site and logging back on. I have had the same problem tonight but when I leave and come back they show up. I'm sure it has something to do with the server upgrade that is taking place....

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

I've been having the same issue today too.

Engine looks good sitting in place Lockdoc...too bad about the right side mount...one more issue to overcome.

Thanks, I will overcome that problem in short order....

LockDoc

[68shortwide]

Dang Leon, how many trucks are in your fleet? and subbed.

[Low Elco]

I wonder if one side is 67-72 and the other is for a square? Im led to believe a square's frame if 1/2" taller at that point. Me being me, I'd pull 'em both and hacky choppy till I had a matched set.

Also, POR makes a manifold gray that works great. Almost a year on ours, looks like the day they got painted.

[derotoreut]

Leon, thanks for the link to your LS swap. I'm going to be doing one as well. I have a lot to learn about the electrical components of these swaps. I'm old school… and this part of it is new to me. I'll be following this one. Nice looking build.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 68shortwide

Dang Leon, how many trucks are in your fleet? and subbed.

I have nine trucks at this time, of those 5 are running driving trucks and I am currently working on two of the others.

Only because you asked....

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I wonder if one side is 67-72 and the other is for a square? Im led to believe a square's frame if 1/2" taller at that point. Me being me, I'd pull 'em both and hacky choppy till I had a matched set.

Also, POR makes a manifold gray that works great. Almost a year on ours, looks like the day they got painted.

That's exactly what I did Chip. I will try the POR. I have used the chassis paint and liked it.

Originally Posted by derotoreut

Leon, thanks for the link to your LS swap. I'm going to be doing one as well. I have a lot to learn about the electrical components of these swaps. I'm old school… and this part of it is new to me. I'll be following this one. Nice looking build.

No problem on the link. I'm old school too and this is my first LS swap. Just read the threads here and you will do fine. I stripped my wire loom and didn't have a lot of trouble.

LockDoc

[chuckmc8]

Leon, Can you move your engine mounts to that forward hole on the frame?

With the engine position slid back that far, the top of the bell housing may be hitting the pinch weld on the cab floor. Just a thought.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by chuckmc8

Leon, Can you move your engine mounts to that forward hole on the frame?

With the engine position slid back that far, the top of the bell housing may be hitting the pinch weld on the cab floor. Just a thought.

I probably could. I have about 3/4" between the pinch weld and the top of the trans, the TH350 cross member bolted into the front set of holes in the frame with no problem, and the short TH350 drive shaft I had fit perfectly. I checked all of that stuff out before I drilled the new holes for the mounts. I wanted to keep it as far back as I could hoping that the low mount A/C compressor would clear. I will find out pretty shortly here as I am headed out to try it.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

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Well, the A/C compressor fits but it doesn't. It's pretty tight. I am going to check out the aftermarket top mount ones although I would like to keep it low..

Power steering box is bolted in place and connected to the cross link. I need to get the dash painted before I can install the tilt and do the inside wiring loom for the LS.

I got the stock under dash wire loom modified, since it was a I6 3ott I had to add a neutral start circuit and rewire the cluster plug from idiot lights to gauges, so it's ready to go back in.

I'm going to remove the windshield tomorrow so I can check for rust around it and get the dash ready to paint.

LockDoc
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[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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Well, the A/C compressor fits but it doesn't. It's pretty tight. I am going to check out the aftermarket top mount ones although I would like to keep it low..

Power steering box is bolted in place and connected to the cross link. I need to get the dash painted before I can install the tilt and do the inside wiring loom for the LS.

I got the stock under dash wire loom modified, since it was a I6 3ott I had to add a neutral start circuit and rewire the cluster plug from idiot lights to gauges, so it's ready to go back in.

I'm going to remove the windshield tomorrow so I can check for rust around it and get the dash ready to paint.

LockDoc
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I would recommend the holley bracket for the a/c. It looks like the original brackets and works really well.

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

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Well, the A/C compressor fits but it doesn't. It's pretty tight. I am going to check out the aftermarket top mount ones although I would like to keep it low..

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You don't want to use the F body compressor anyway since it is a variable compressor. It will work, but not great by any means. I wish I had put a Sanden in my Nova when I did the swap years ago, but got cheap and tried the Camaro one. It never worked as well as I had hoped.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I would recommend the holley bracket for the a/c. It looks like the original brackets and works really well.

Thanks Rob. That looks pretty good. It sits lower than most of them.

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

You don't want to use the F body compressor anyway since it is a variable compressor. It will work, but not great by any means. I wish I had put a Sanden in my Nova when I did the swap years ago, but got cheap and tried the Camaro one. It never worked as well as I had hoped.

It just so happens that there was a Sanden compressor with the Panel when I bought it. I just looked at it a while ago and it is an SD-508. I would like to put a rear air unit in it besides the under dash, do you think the 508 will handle both? It also has the v-belt clutch but I presume I can swap it out for a serp clutch?

Thanks,
LockDoc

[chuckmc8]

Leon, just be aware from the start if you go with the Holley bracket that there is more to buy than just the bracket at $150 or so. The installation kit is another $100 (on my LQ4, there are two major components in the installation kit and one of them you can't use.... grrrrr) Then you have to have a new idler (forgot exactly what that cost but I think it was around $60, then you also have to have a new belt. So, what started off at $150 for the bracket ended up being around $350 when all was said and done. The bracket fits and operates well, but it is expensive. HTH

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

Thanks Rob. That looks pretty good. It sits lower than most of them.


Thanks,
LockDoc

I have a SD7 compressor in that pictures it's a little smaller than the 508. The 508 will balance you alternator setup a little better.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by chuckmc8

Leon, just be aware from the start if you go with the Holley bracket that there is more to buy than just the bracket at $150 or so. The installation kit is another $100 (on my LQ4, there are two major components in the installation kit and one of them you can't use.... grrrrr) Then you have to have a new idler (forgot exactly what that cost but I think it was around $60, then you also have to have a new belt. So, what started off at $150 for the bracket ended up being around $350 when all was said and done. The bracket fits and operates well, but it is expensive. HTH

Thanks for the heads up on the extras Chuck.

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I have a SD7 compressor in that pictures it's a little smaller than the 508. The 508 will balance you alternator setup a little better.

OK, thanks. I forgot to mention, I like your Indian art work on the top bracket in the bottom picture...

LockDoc

[Low Elco]

As it's a 67, are you converting it to later p/s? Wonder if going into an ls swap, and 81-up box/hose would work better? Assuming you know the trick about the big lug on the back of the pump.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

As it's a 67, are you converting it to later p/s? Wonder if going into an ls swap, and 81-up box/hose would work better? Assuming you know the trick about the big lug on the back of the pump.

I put a '76 PS box on it. I was just going to convert the later hoses to the earlier box. Not sure what you mean about the big lug.

LockDoc