Hooker Blackheart 1967-72 C10 Truck LS/LT Swap System Info Thread

[72MARIO]

How the progress on the swap mounts and transmission crossmember? Anxious to order the mounts and exhaust system

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

How the progress on the swap mounts and transmission crossmember? Anxious to order the mounts and exhaust system

I've seen the release documentation for them snaking its way through the system, so my guess would be that it won't be much longer until they get up on the shelf.

[rowdy11]

I've read a lot about the Blackheart system and it looks impressive. I understand it was designed to work through cross member. I'm in the process of swapping a 4X4 and won't have the same clearance challenges. Will Blackheart still be a good choice for my swap?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by rowdy11

I've read a lot about the Blackheart system and it looks impressive. I understand it was designed to work through cross member. I'm in the process of swapping a 4X4 and won't have the same clearance challenges. Will Blackheart still be a good choice for my swap?

I unfortunately have no way of knowing how compatible the system would be with a 4WD C10 as their build geometry was not taken into account in the development process.
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[toddoky]

The engine mounting brackets from the Hooker Blackheart 1967-72 C10 LS/LT engine swap system have been released and are now available (the part number is BHS511). These mounting brackets and the related Hooker Blackheart poly engine mount inserts can be used to install an LS or LT engine, provided the correct Hooker Blackheart engine mount clam-shells (LS or LT) are ordered/used by the installer. I'll post up more installed images of these parts in the coming weeks as a project truck is getting assembled that will be using them. The release of the transmission crossmember and headers should not be far behind.

[KMC3420]

Thanks Todd for the update. These mounts look like an ideal solution and well planned for optimal fitment.

[toddoky]

I believe they will serve many users well. I think one of the best features of this mounting system is that it can be used to mount either an LS, or an LT engine and put the crankshaft center line in the same location in either case, which means you could swap an LS into your truck now and then switch to an LT a few years down the road if you wish merely by replacing the clamshells on the engine and the headers. You wouldn't need to replace the transmission crossmember or the exhaust system.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Those engine mounts look like a great product. Do you know how far forward (or rearward) the engine mounts place the LS engine relative to the stock Gen 1 small block position? Also, has all of the development been with a "low hump" cab or will a "high hump" be required particularly with the T56 magnum?

[KMC3420]

Just to clarify pricing. The clamshells are $31.74 x 2, and the poly mounts are $23.27 x 2? I applaud you for marketing the new products as there are many companies who are making LS and C10 items, but they suck at marketing so my hats off to you for making the effort to reach your target audience.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Old_Truck_Fan

Those engine mounts look like a great product. Do you know how far forward (or rearward) the engine mounts place the LS engine relative to the stock Gen 1 small block position? Also, has all of the development been with a "low hump" cab or will a "high hump" be required particularly with the T56 magnum?

I can’t give you a reference compared to a SB Chevy as the development vehicle was originally equipped with a straight 6 engine. I can however provide you with a reference dimension from the LS engine to the firewall, which I’ll do in the morning. A high hump floor will definitely be required for a T56 Magnum installation.
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[toddoky]

Originally Posted by KMC3420

Just to clarify pricing. The clamshells are $31.74 x 2, and the poly mounts are $23.27 x 2? I applaud you for marketing the new products as there are many companies who are making LS and C10 items, but they suck at marketing so my hats off to you for making the effort to reach your target audience.

Yes, your quantities are correct for those components and the pricing would depend on who you buy them from. I’ve been creating forum threads to support the Hooker Blackheart swap systems for about eight years now and many guys seem to still appreciate the effort to provide the info. I continue to do it because I know from personal experience how helpful this type of information can be in determining how useful something might be to a user. We have other guys that post on the social media sites, so that frees me up to concentrate on forum threads.
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[toddoky]

Here's some photos of the engine mounting brackets being used to install an LT engine in a project truck and also an image that depicts the location of the engine in reference to the firewall.

It has been discovered that the mounting brackets will only fit the narrow frame rails of the later year model trucks in their current geometry. If you want to use these brackets on an earlier truck with the wider top frame rails, you'll want to wait for the revised version of the brackets to become available, or be prepared to clearance the top rails of your frame.

[Daaaanz67]

You guys make great stuff. I’ve been watch for the last 8 years. How about now making 4x4 swap components for these same era trucks. I think there’s a couple companies making some but they want an arm and a leg. I think you guys can do a lot better.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Daaaanz67

You guys make great stuff. I’ve been watch for the last 8 years. How about now making 4x4 swap components for these same era trucks. I think there’s a couple companies making some but they want an arm and a leg. I think you guys can do a lot better.

Thanks for noticing our efforts Daaaanz67. I'd be up for developing some more 4x4 specific swap systems (I just finished up the development of an LS/LT swap system for Jeep TJ's), but it would take a command from management at Holley to make it happen as they tell those of us in the engineering department what applications to develop. I see it happening sooner or later and so we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out.

[Captainfab]

Just a FYI. The truck frames with the wider top frame flange are the '63-'67 trucks. The narrower top flange was the result of the big block (396)being available in trucks starting in 1968 model year.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Just a FYI. The truck frames with the wider top frame flange are the '63-'67 trucks. The narrower top flange was the result of the big block (396)being available in trucks starting in 1968 model year.

Yes Captainfab, we are aware of that, but still appreciate your confirmation of it as well.
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[toddoky]

I'm pleased to announce that the Hooker Blackheart transmission crossmember from this swap system has also now been released and posted on the Holley website. For those seeking more information, it can be found here...https://www.holley.com/products/engi...ts/71222024HKR. For those wanting to see some images, here's a few showing the crossmember, the crossmember being used to install a 4L80 transmission in the development truck and an image showing the ground clearance of the exhaust system under the cab area.

[72MARIO]

Curious if a high hump tunel is absolutely necessary for.a 4l80 to fit ? I really dont want to cut my floor and buy new carpet for a high hump.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

curious if a high hump tunel is absolutely necessary for.a 4l80 tofit ? I really dont want to cut my floor and buy new carpet for a high hump.

I believe it is the case, but I will go back through the development notes tomorrow to confirm it for you. We go through the mock-up process, including a driveshaft, to ensure desirable U-joint working angles can be achieved with all the covered transmissions on trucks lowered up to 6” in the rear and if that results in a high hump floor being needed for certain transmissions we accept it as a requirement for the total recipe of our system. You could of course use the Hooker Blackheart engine mounting brackets with another brand/ type of transmission crossmember to drop the trans tail down enough to clear your floor, but I couldn’t tell you how that will impact your U-joint working angles. I will check the notes and report back.
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[72MARIO]

Ok. Thanks.

Any way to get a measurement as to where the back of the engine block sits in the frame ?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Ok. Thanks.

Any way to get a measurement as to where the back of the engine block sits in the frame ?

I should be able to get that for you rather easily as a project truck is on a lift and in the process of getting assembled now.
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[toddoky]

You're in luck with the fitment of the 4L80 transmission in your truck mario72; it fit in our development truck without requiring the use of the high-hump floor...I recalled that information incorrectly in my post last night. Keep in mind that we installed new body bushings in the development truck before performing the drivetrain mock-up, so the fitment was achieved with that as a reference. Here's a few images I took for you that give you a reference as to the fore/aft position of the engine when it is installed using the Hooker Blackheart engine mounting brackets.

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Just a FYI. The truck frames with the wider top frame flange are the '63-'67 trucks. The narrower top flange was the result of the big block (396)being available in trucks starting in 1968 model year.

Mine must be an early 68 frame, because it still had the wider top section.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

Mine must be an early 68 frame, because it still had the wider top section.

That's good to know and indicates the frame revision was a running production change and not a model year specific change...unless the frame of your truck was possibly swapped out for another one in its lifetime.

[Daaaanz67]

Will this also work for long beds with two piece shafts?