loweredd

iTrader: (2)

After doing the LT1 swap in my 85 4 door Caprice, I knew I really wanted a wagon. All of the ones we found had maroon or blue interior. I dislike both. About 2 and a half years after, a friend sent me a link to a Craigslist ad of one in Sioux City which is about 30 miles away. I looked at the pictures and it was gray on gray. Exactly like the 85. Well, it is an 89, so it has the woodgrain on the dash and door panels instead of the aluminum that the 85 has. Still, it was a BIG plus. I went and looked at it and it looked pretty decent, but it had a 350 swapped in instead of the Olds motor, and the engine was a massive leak and didn't run very well at all. The guy selling it said he sold engines and transmissions on Craigslist, so I told him I wanted the wagon without the engine and transmission. I drove it home and pulled both and took them back to him. We cleaned up the car, and started looking for a new powerplant. I found an LQ4 on Ebay and messaged the seller. Got it for a good price, AND a 4L80E. The engine is an 05 from an H2. 4L80E came out of an 04 truck I think the tag said.

I am far enough along on this that I feel comfortable starting a topic on it. LOL. It WON'T sit for 3 years like the 79 has. Well here we go.



Brought it home and cleaned it up.



Cheap way to make it look like a panel?



Lined up with the 85.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

Got the engine in with the truck pan on it, just to get things sorted out. I'm using a Caprice underhood fuse block like I did on the 85, just because it has so many spots available, and it looks good.







I didn't want the wires running from the alternator across to the inner fender, so I depinned the ecm connectors and ran the wires back across the firewall and up along the inner fender for a cleaner look.

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Awesome!!! I've always wanted to see a wagon built!

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

Here is my solution to the DBW pedal in the Caprice. I unbolted the old pedal and firewall support, and drilled the holes in the DBW pedal assembly. Then I chopped the pedal off, and after a few trial and error fittings in the car, I welded it up. I sticks out a little further than stock, just because of the nature of mounting it, but it feels good from the seat.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

I ditched the stock booster for a hydroboost, and started laying out the harness. I am going to go UNDER the hydroboost, and the main harness will run right up against the fender.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

Mounted up a 95 wagon tank. Fits great!! The only hard part was tearing apart the whole interior just to run the power wire to the tank through the inside of the car as opposed to along the frame rail. Details.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

I ordered an F-body oil pan swap, and starting cutting holes in the frame. I am going to use the truck A/C setup.



I had to flap wheel on the back of the compressor to get JUST enough clearance for the motor mount nut to fit. I am using 1" set back plates.









This gave good clearance for the pan, but I went ahead and cut about another inch off when I pulled the engine out.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

All welded up and ready to clean and paint. This was as of Saturday evening.





I'm using Trailblazer SS or TBSS exhaust manifolds on this one and the passenger side here needed just bit more clearance.





I went ahead and put a bunch of spot welds around the engine mounts so I could gain a little more clearance for the A/C compressor. This way, I could lose the bolt that was right by the compressor, and cut the frame back that extra 1/4".

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Your making good progress. You got any more pics of your 85. I had a 82 in high school, that was the car that started my wrenching days.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Any updates? Killer 85!

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

I've gotten a bit more done. I cleaned up the engine compartment some and made battery cables. Plumbed the hydroboost hoses and modified the pedal linkage. I got a set of 77-90 specific VHx gauges from Dakota Digital too!!

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

I was working on the exhaust today. I think it was 12 degrees out. =( There is not much left to do. I have the upcoming week at home, so I hope to have it running by the 2nd of December.

BOXCHEV

iTrader: (3)

Whats the setup on the 4 door with lt1... suspension wise? And tire size?

Love the way it sits.

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

It has Vogtland springs and 235/45/18 & 285/40/18s

autocomman

Very cool...next month or so Im doin just this to dads 82 olds custom cruiser, pretty much same except for a body line and the interior, and I have the plastic inner fenders. Im not gonna notch the frame though, gonna get an autokraft pan and the relocation kit for the R-4 compressor, and the F-body manifolds. Good to see the truck intake fits too cause I planned on using just a regular 5.3. All I have to change is the exh and oil pan. Id love to find a late wagon fuel tank, bolt in? That would make my life easy, but i may just change the sender for now

Whats the underhood fuse box you have? That a late caprice underhood box? I also have to figure out the gas pedal and the DBW, the olds has that foot long pedal that rests on the floor. Ill be starting a thread once i get into it. Looks awesome and about frekin time I see this done in a wagon!!

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

The late model tank just bolts in. I ran the pump 12V wire through the interior and out the back with the fuel sender wire. I got the tank and sender and neck for $100. The fuel pump works, I just had to do the usual sending unit refurbishing so the gauge read correctly.

The fuse box IS late model Caprice. I used the factory 89 map sensor bracket and modified it, just like I did on the 85. I had to share a fuse for coils and injectors and I've seen some people say that that could make problem diagnosing harder down the line if I'm trying to figure a blown fuse out, but I think it will be OK.

darren roar

iTrader: (1)

Does the hood close with the truck intake?

loweredd

iTrader: (2)

It seems so. I am worried about 1 or 2 of the hydroboost lines though. That, and the evap solenoid needs to go bye bye too.

autocomman

Yeah that hood clearance with the truck intake is something im concerned about, but your sayin it closes and thats a good thing, how high up the the alternator sit, is it higher than the top of the intake?? And I cant delete the EVAP stuff from my swap, haha Infact I need to make it a functioning system as in california, its gotta be refereed

I dont think you can just buy those tanks new anymore either can you, used only...90+ custom cruiser, roadmaster estate and caprice wagons. Doesn't the late sender fit in the older metal tanks?

Mark