1973 Pontiac Grand Am LS7 Swap Build Thread
10-11-2011, 12:06 AM
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1973 Pontiac Grand Am LS7 Swap Build Thread This is a new thread I am starting to document my LS7 swap. I joined the forum a few months ago in preparation of the LS swap. I have learned quite a bit so far, and really appreciate the information on this forum.
Part of the build includes re-doing the entire frame. When I originally restored the car, I had done a body off. Frame powder coated and all the rest that goes with it. Unfortunately after that I was always chasing a mild lean towards the driver side. Had a local frame shop check it, and found it to be lower on that side?? Hard to figure why considering the I am the second owner since 1989 and the original owner was 80 years old when he sold it to me. The car never had the lean before I restored it. As luck would have it, I located a 1973 LeMans at a local specialty wrecking yard a few months ago. I decided the best way to approach this was to get the other frame and swap everything over. Last week I pulled it all apart. It took 3.5 hours and none of the bolts stripped or were rusted solid. I know.....we California guys are spoiled. Dont hate me. I decided to take the frame to Rob MacGregor at No Limit Engineering in San Bernardino, Ca. The plan is to have Rob re-weld all the factory welds, box the entire frame, add cross bracing in critical areas, and true the frame. I will powder coat the frame medium/dark gunmetal grey metallic when it's finished. Rob told me they took preliminary measurement of the frame and it was only 1/8” out which he said was very good compared to others he has worked on. He pointed out all of the areas of the frame that need to be improved. He said all of the factory welds on this particular frame were better than most, but will all be re-welded. It would be nice to step up to the plate and buy a custom frame, but I just dont have that kind of money, so this is the best alternative. I did tell him I want to go to a rear coil over set up. I will be bringing him the rear diff next week in order for him to mount it to the frame to get everything squared up for the coil set up. Since I already have a complete Global West front and rear suspension on the car, I will be swapping those parts back to the new frame. ERL called me today. The short block is being machined now, and will be finished by the end of next week. As soon as I know what the piston to deck height is, I am ordering the heads in order to get the compression ratio between 11-11.5:1. I had initially intended on ordering WCCH Brodix castings, but I have recently went to Dr. J's Performance and spoke with Bryce regarding his Air Wolf CNC ported heads. They are very impressive. I have not decided yet which ones I will get. I received the cam from Geoff at EPS and the MAST oil pan. Shaun at SMC Performance has supplied me with a lot of parts as well. The intake is a factory LS7 ported by LS2 Portworks. The cam specs are .633/.640 lift, 226/242 @.050 on a 115+3 LSA. I inserted a picture of some of the parts I have so far. I will continue to post the entire build as it progresses. Thanks.
Part of the build includes re-doing the entire frame. When I originally restored the car, I had done a body off. Frame powder coated and all the rest that goes with it. Unfortunately after that I was always chasing a mild lean towards the driver side. Had a local frame shop check it, and found it to be lower on that side?? Hard to figure why considering the I am the second owner since 1989 and the original owner was 80 years old when he sold it to me. The car never had the lean before I restored it. As luck would have it, I located a 1973 LeMans at a local specialty wrecking yard a few months ago. I decided the best way to approach this was to get the other frame and swap everything over. Last week I pulled it all apart. It took 3.5 hours and none of the bolts stripped or were rusted solid. I know.....we California guys are spoiled. Dont hate me. I decided to take the frame to Rob MacGregor at No Limit Engineering in San Bernardino, Ca. The plan is to have Rob re-weld all the factory welds, box the entire frame, add cross bracing in critical areas, and true the frame. I will powder coat the frame medium/dark gunmetal grey metallic when it's finished. Rob told me they took preliminary measurement of the frame and it was only 1/8” out which he said was very good compared to others he has worked on. He pointed out all of the areas of the frame that need to be improved. He said all of the factory welds on this particular frame were better than most, but will all be re-welded. It would be nice to step up to the plate and buy a custom frame, but I just dont have that kind of money, so this is the best alternative. I did tell him I want to go to a rear coil over set up. I will be bringing him the rear diff next week in order for him to mount it to the frame to get everything squared up for the coil set up. Since I already have a complete Global West front and rear suspension on the car, I will be swapping those parts back to the new frame. ERL called me today. The short block is being machined now, and will be finished by the end of next week. As soon as I know what the piston to deck height is, I am ordering the heads in order to get the compression ratio between 11-11.5:1. I had initially intended on ordering WCCH Brodix castings, but I have recently went to Dr. J's Performance and spoke with Bryce regarding his Air Wolf CNC ported heads. They are very impressive. I have not decided yet which ones I will get. I received the cam from Geoff at EPS and the MAST oil pan. Shaun at SMC Performance has supplied me with a lot of parts as well. The intake is a factory LS7 ported by LS2 Portworks. The cam specs are .633/.640 lift, 226/242 @.050 on a 115+3 LSA. I inserted a picture of some of the parts I have so far. I will continue to post the entire build as it progresses. Thanks.
10-11-2011, 02:35 PM
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LS7 Swap Progress Well I decided to work on the car today. Here is the progress. The two dolly's really help when your doing it by yourself. Now it's off to the rear end shop to have them inspect everything. After that it goes to No Limit for the coil over mock up.
