Project "What was I Thinking" 68 SWB

[texasld]

Oh, I almost forgot. Before you get those VC bolted down for good. Make sure you check the inside for any casting flashing. Mine had a couple of small pieces in the top of them that if knocked into the motor could have been Bad News Bears.

[GAc10boy]

Motor looks great!

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Coming along nicely!

[mcbassin]

Your new engine looks incredible!

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by sduckworth13

Your engine looks great Keith. I really like the valve covers those look cool.

Thanks Scott, they are similar to the valve covers I had on the BBC. I really like them a lot.

Originally Posted by mooseknuckles

motor looks awesome!

Thanks, still have alot left to do.

Originally Posted by Sac

Looking good.

Thanks, yours is looking good too. I was envious to see you cleaning yours in shorts outside when it's cold and snowy here. I had to spray mine down with a water bottle inside the garage instead of using a hose

Originally Posted by texasld

Motor looks Stellar, Bud! Going to look even cooler with some liquid color...

I'm glad I'm not the only one with those valve covers. If I'm seeing correctly, I think we have the same coil pack mounts. They are sitting on the HF hose reel box in the back ground. Have you figured out where you are going to mount them?

Good eyes you have there yeah they are the same coil relocators. I'm not sure where to mount them yet, I'm going to wait until I have the engine in the frame and the cab on to see where I can mount them.

Originally Posted by slowcpe

I like the valve covers. Where are planning on mounting the coil packs?

I'm currently leaning towards the Holley coil covers.

Thanks, I'm going to wait until I have the cab back on the frame and the motor mounted before I figure it out. I really like the Holley Coil Covers too but I don't like them with the car intakes, looks out of place to me. They look good with a tall intake or the truck intake.

Originally Posted by texasld

Oh, I almost forgot. Before you get those VC bolted down for good. Make sure you check the inside for any casting flashing. Mine had a couple of small pieces in the top of them that if knocked into the motor could have been Bad News Bears.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll check.

Originally Posted by GAc10boy

Motor looks great!

Thanks, still have a lot to do before it's where I want it.

Originally Posted by Justin@EntropyRad

Coming along nicely!

Thanks

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Your new engine looks incredible!

Thanks Mike, can't wait to get some paint on it and make it really look nice.

[C10_ustacould]

I think it looks like it's having an identity crisis and can't figure our what color it wants to be and is screaming to be painted. Are you going to paint the whole engine or just the block?

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Bucks68

I think it looks like it's having an identity crisis and can't figure our what color it wants to be and is screaming to be painted. Are you going to paint the whole engine or just the block?

the plan is to paint the whole engine including the heads and valve covers body color, but I'm not going to paint it until after I do the cam swap.

[C10_ustacould]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

the plan is to paint the whole engine including the heads and valve covers body color, but I'm not going to paint it until after I do the cam swap.

Good plan, mines going to be hugger orange.

[texasld]

I'm going to try to put mine between the cab main supports and the opening of the trans tonel. On the backward angle... If that makes sense.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Bucks68

Good plan, mines going to be hugger orange.

Can't beat Chevy Orange on a motor

Originally Posted by texasld

I'm going to try to put mine between the cab main supports and the opening of the trans tonel. On the backward angle... If that makes sense.

Yeah I have thought about the same location for the coil mounts.

[Bennett68C10]

I got some parts in on Friday for the LS. My cam, spring kit and pushrods came in. I'm still waiting on my ported oil pump, timing chain, rocker trunion kit and some misc. gaskets and bolts to show up.



Today I got the crankbolt removed and pulled the balancer in preparation for the cam swap. I bought a LS balancer removal tool from summit racing and it pulled it off like butter. The right tools really make the job easy and for a newb like me that is huge.



I got the timing cover off and pulled the old cam out. I found a cheap and easy way to make sure the lifters don't fall out of the trays once you spin the cam and push them back up. I got 2 pieces of 5/16" wooden dowels from Lowes and pushed them through the oil galley holes that are located behind the cam thrust plate. These put tension on the lifters and prevent them from dropping. It was $2 insurance that worked great.



All that was left was to lube up the cam and install it. Hopefully I'll get the rest of my parts in this week so I can button everything up.

[cooperhw]

Sweet. Just put cam in my LS-2 in my Chevelle about 2 months ago. Wow, what a difference. Added right at 40 more HP on the dyno and sounds amazing. 9000 miles on the crate motor and that was my biggest regret, not putting it in when it was easy like you are doing. Hope you got a nasty one

[Bhelton]

Nice work Keith!!

[Bennett68C10]

W

Originally Posted by cooperhw

Sweet. Just put cam in my LS-2 in my Chevelle about 2 months ago. Wow, what a difference. Added right at 40 more HP on the dyno and sounds amazing. 9000 miles on the crate motor and that was my biggest regret, not putting it in when it was easy like you are doing. Hope you got a nasty one

Thanks man, my wallet didn't like it but I knew it would be easiest to do it now. Plus I don't like stock sounding motors. I definitely got a healthy one, I went with a Tick Performance SNS Torquemax Stage 2 V2 LS2 cam. Should be plenty rowdy specs in the link below.

http://www.tickperformance.com/tick-...r-ls2-engines/

Originally Posted by Bhelton

Nice work Keith!!

Thanks Ben, it went pretty smoothly for my first time doing this.

[boostedc10]

Keith just my 2 cents you can save some money and cancel that trunion upgrade. For what you are doing (or even plan on doing) there is no need for it.

I know many will argue its worth while but from experience I wouldn't waste the money. Use the cash you save to put in your future turbo fund

[slowcpe]

Very nice! Moving right along.

[72Blazing]

Good idea on the dowel rods. I have found that if you have the engine on a stand that if you just turn the motor upside down the lifters stay in place.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by boostedc10

Keith just my 2 cents you can save some money and cancel that trunion upgrade. For what you are doing (or even plan on doing) there is no need for it.

I know many will argue its worth while but from experience I wouldn't waste the money. Use the cash you save to put in your future turbo fund

They are scheduled to be delivered today so it's too late now I'll just run them anyway, just added insurance for me. I got the BTR trunion upgrade kit as it is supposed to be better the the Comp kit.

Originally Posted by slowcpe

Very nice! Moving right along.

Thanks, just waiting on some parts to finish it up. The only thing I still need is a new oil pan.

Originally Posted by 72Blazing

Good idea on the dowel rods. I have found that if you have the engine on a stand that if you just turn the motor upside down the lifters stay in place.

That was plan A until the POS harbor freight motor stand wouldn't rotate all the way around. It would bind up half way around so I had to go with plan B and use the dowels. Lesson learned here is don't ever buy a motor stand from Harbor Freight. I should have taken it back but didn't realize it was twisted like a pretzel until after I had it together.

[69short]

Sounds like you're making good progress. Good choice on the ls route.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by 69short

Sounds like you're making good progress. Good choice on the ls route.

Thanks, I know most people probably think I'm crazy for ditching the big block but I wanted fuel injected efficient reliable power. I know I could have added fuel injection and a roller cam to the big block but that would have cost me well more then the LS.

[jlsanborn]

I don't think you're crazy. There's no question when it comes to these modern engines and electronics. My best pal busts my chops every time he's over about building a 60's SBC instead of an LS. There's a low miles 5.3 on the stand in my shop right now that belongs to my Boy's pal. He paid $450 complete with harness. I drive a 5.3 every day. It's going to be super cool man. It'll haul azz and get the mpg BUT I think the BBC would have been cooler. JMO

[mooseknuckles]

that's not crazy....that's being smart!

[mcbassin]

Looking forward to a new video with that cam installed......

[superflysteiny]

nice job just finished the cam in my engine

[~Whitey~]

Lots of catching up to do on your thread... but what I've seen and knew already.. nice work! Great score on the 6.0, love the paint booth setup.. and jealous jealous jealous of so many parts you have that I want!

Keep up the great work its inspiring!