Geoff55

Hello,

I need a bit of direction with my project. I’m new to the LS world, but pretty excited to do my first swap.
I’m putting this into a 1955 Chevy and need to know the best way to get all the parts together and working right.

Engine: 2008 5.3 with under 18k miles. It was in a show truck, so is nicely painted and detailed.



It has this fairly mild cam:



The pan is a new Corvette LS2, so I will need to sell this and get a Holley or other pan that will fit.




The trans is a 2000-2001 L460e and I have a set of 2010 SS Camaro exhaust manifolds
(I think they will fit)

This is everything I have. I'm gonna get the motor mounts from S&P.

How do I go about getting the following?:

1. A wiring harness? I know nothing about this.
   Wish I could have gotten the original harness with the engine, but it wasn't available.
   Where's a good place to get a wiring harness?
   
2. LS1-style intake? Ebay, craigslist, etc?

Anything else I need to know? Just found out that I have to use a drive-by-wire throttle.

I know I have a long way to go but I want to do this on a budget and have it to look fairly simple and clean, like a factory installation. Don’t want to spend lots of money on bling, because I want to drive instead of polish.

Any suggestions/tips where to get parts or reduce headaches will be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

.

S10xGN

iTrader: (11)

You need to PM Chuck Leeper (goes by Old Geezer), he's got his LS/55 up and running...

Marcello7x

iTrader: (10)

Painless would make the easiest to use harness i believe. I modified my own so i can't give any review on a harness company.

The next big question is, gasser or not???

Bo185

Looks like you need a lot of stuff.

I would get an LS2 intake and TB as it will have the correct 90mm TB need for the Gen IV stuff and you will not have to by a$200 converter box for the smaller DBW Gen III TB if you went LS1/6 intake. Even though the LS2 doesn't flow as well as the LS6. Or get a FAST 90mm intake as well.


Painless, Speartech, and others have Gen IV harness's. You'll need a ECM/TCM as well. But note that you have might have to get the right tune to run the earlier 4l60 with the Gen IV TCM as most the later 4l60/70 have a ISS sensor in them.

The 2010 Camaro manifolds should work well.

Also most the accessory drives and water pump will clear the frame just make sure they are all together just find a car set and run them complete.

For the A/C compressor you can bottom mount it but you have to notch the frame or you can get a high mount kit. To mount it up top.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Speartec would be the most recommened vendor for wiring on this forum section, but there are others, check the vendor list.

The Gen V or IV exhaust should work ok.

If your going with OEM intakes, LS1 or the LS6 can be used, Use a F-Body or Vette front Accessories (my recommendation). LS1 intakes can be picked up cheap.. LS6 are about $300 - $350.. check the forums, ebay or craigslist. they don't vary in price too much on the LS6 intakes.

But like you found out. getting everything with the motor is a big plus.. now you have to peice together everything. just keep looking, you'll find everything you need online or at a local Junkyard..pick and pull, etc.

Here are a few pic of my old 57 back in the late 60's early 70's that was my daily driver in the San Francisco..



Good luck on the hunting of parts.

BC

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Are you running VVT or AFM?

Jon
PSI

Bo185

The motor appears to be non VVT by looking at the valve cover. And 5.3L weren't VVT til 2010 stock.

Geoff55

According to the Painless website, I need a 4L65e to work with this engine because it needs an Input Speed Sensor. Is this correct?

From Painless site:

"This harness will operate any GEN IV LS2, LS3 or L99 engine coupled to a 4L65E, 4L70E, 4L80E or 4L85E transmission. You cannot use a 4L60E transmission with this harness as it is missing the Input Speed Sensor required by the Transmission Control Module.

This harness supports engines with or with out Displacement on Demand and/or Variable Valve Timing.

This harness does not support Flex Fuel operation."

Geoff55

Anybody know if I have to use a 4L65e with my Gen IV motor?

The Painless guy said that I did. Can somebody program an ECM/TCM to use my 5.3 with my 4L60e?

Sorry if this is a really basic question, I'm new to the LS world and can't find a definitive answer.

Thanks

Bo185

Pretty sure you can tune the ISS out of the TCM. I'll PM you the link

6.0 1955

iTrader: (20)

For wiring harness a friend of mine modified mine so look around your local area for a tuner that knows his stuff. I used the truck acc. on mine for the power steering and alt. mount. It clears the crossmember without modification. If you use the A/C you will have to notch the crossmember. I used S&P motor mounts and they work great. I used shorty headers that fit an s10 swap. They work great around the 605A steering box I have and clear the stock style column shift linkage. Do you still have the battery under the hood or relocated? I left the battery in place under the hood and mounted the computer under it and ran all my wires thru the firewall under the battery. It made a clean install. Mine is carb but a truck intake will clear in these old tri-5's. If you really want to cut down the budget. Lokar makes a pedal for the cable driven throttle body. Your stock radiator will work with the LS motors I have the part numbers for radiator hoses if interested (if using truck water pump). You will need to modify the fuel system. You can look at rock valley gas tanks which are great but big bucks. You can always run the corvette filter/regulator with a walboro pump. This way you can run your factory sending unit and fuel gauge. If you use mechanical gauges S&P make adapters to mount the oil pressure and water temp units. Here's a pic for you. Good Luck!!!

6.0 1955

iTrader: (20)

Forgot something. If your car is lowered do not get the H3 pan that GM sells. My car has air ride and the oil pan rests on the ground when the air is out. S&P have made pans for years and I would say they fit well. But all they do is take a stock f-body pan and cut and weld to clear the rear steer in our cars. So if you have a good fab shop local they may be cheaper than the $350 that S&P charges to do this. Sorry for such long postings but always excited to share what I have learned on these old shoeboxes.

Geoff55

6.0 1955/Bo185,

Thanks for the feedback, that's just the kind of info I am looking for.
I like the idea of putting the ECM under the battery.

Looks like I've made it a slight bit more difficult for myself by using the Gen IV, but it seems like it has some advantages,too.

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Bo185

Since you need everything here's another option.

You could buy the Linginfelter converter Box for the 58x/4x crank and cam signals. It would allow you to run the Gen III PCM and not need a TCM. Then just mount the Gen III knock sensors on the side of the block. It also converts the Gen IV cam signal as well.

Then you could run an LS6 intake and DBW or DBC.


But the box is not cheap. Like $250 bucks.

americanbadass

Starting up next month!

Feel free to PM me.

rockytopper

That is BADASS BADASS!

psiconversion

iTrader: (5)

Yes, the TCM can be tuned for a 5.3 engine with a 4l60e transmission.

Per BO185, the Lingenfelter box works well, we have used quite a few of those for people wanting to run DBC on a 58x motor. However, if you are going to run DBW, I would stick with the stock ECM/TCM setup no need to change it.

Jones'n

Another company I would recommend talking to is Current Performance Wiring.
They can put together a complete harness for the car (headlight to taillight) along with the wiring for the new engine and trans.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

coming from an old 57 guy.. Nice work on that Badass ! I'm waiting for the finish !!!

Geoff55

Wow, lots of great advice. Glad I've got more options than I thought. (Badass, that car looks really nice)

At first thought I would rather have drive by cable, but what works
best in 55-57 Chevys? Advantages/disadvantages to DBC/DBW?

If it matters, I want the car to look basically stock until you raise the hood.
Using a stock looking gas pedal would be preferred.


Thanks