alocker

iTrader: (10)

I will be documenting my swap here to keep myself motivated and to hopefully provide a technical reference to anyone that may need it in the future. I am not doing anything groundbreaking but since GM 65-70 B-body swaps are still somewhat obscure, this could be informative.

I purchased my 68 fastback in October of 2012 after bad crash ended my amateur superbike racing career. A big slow cruiser for the family would be safe and fun. The original 250 horsepower 327 and Powerglide could not turn a tire paired with the stock 3.08 open 10 bolt. The 327 was nasty and leaky and may never have been out of the car. The winter project was to clean it up, new gaskets, intake, carb, and I built a 2004R for it. It came out great and could chirp the tires from a stop now

The car ran great all summer long and was very reliable. The problem was the 327 was tired (I think it had 97k original miles) and it needed valve stem seals at the very least. I found a gread deal on a later 350 with Trick Flow heads and and LT4 Hotcam. Intalled that along with a converter and 4.88 12 bolt posi. Swapped it in over the winter and drove the wheels off during the summer of 2014. I took it to Great Lakes Dragway a few times and got bit by the horesepower bug again. With some tuning I was able to get all 4200 lbs with me in it to turn a 13.7 at 96 with a 1.8x 60' on 18" street Nitto's. The late model guys stood around and chuckled while I had the carb apart for rejetting.

I found a 38k miles LY6/4L80e locally out of a rolled van. It was very complete and even had auction paperwork verifying the miles. The plan was an LS3 intake, headers, and a VVT cam with forced induction upgrades in the distant future. I then decided that in the long run, adding forced induction now would be the most cost effective way of doing things. I quick call to my local tuner and we are off.

SBE LY6 with Gapped 1st and 2nd rings.
ARP Head Studs
LS9 Head Gaskets
JFR Rectangle Turbo Cam
BTR Valve Springs
Borg Warner cast S475 T4 1.25 83mm with race cover
4L80e built by me with a Jakes's Stage 3 kit
JFR Yank PY3400 triple disk converter
3.31 Geared 12 bolt set up by Joe Priola
Dual ZL1 Fuel Pump Modules
Vaporworx/Pressureworx PWM boost referenced fuel pressure control module
Innovate SCG-1 Wideband/Boost controller
JGS-500R Wastegate with heavy spring
JGS 50mm BOV
Garrett 12x24x3.5 air to air intercooler
Tuned by Late Model Throttle in Waukesha WI.









355 SBC


New used motor

alocker

iTrader: (10)

The plan will be to buy the parts necessary over the winter to get the motor and trans in a state where it can be mocked up in the car. The cam, springs, studs, head gaskets, oil pan, and paint will get squared away. Hopefully funds will allow this and I can sell the current motor/trans in the spring. The car will stay in running condition before it's pulled. The new motor/trans will get installed. Then the hot side fabrication can begin.

First on the list is getting the trans taken care of. I wanted to peek inside to see what's doing. Fortunately like the motor, everything is very clean with no chunks of metal. I will order the Jake's kit on Monday.

76larkman

So that's what mini vans supposed to do for car guys. Nice looking project car, how heavy is the beast? Probably can use a shot of nitrous as well.

Jimbo1367

Motor and trans look clean inside. The Imp looks really nice too !!!

alocker

iTrader: (10)

It's not as heavy as you would think. 1968 was the beginning of real government safety standards and the only extra weight was seatbelts, collapsing steering column, and side marker lights. The weight is actually before I added a power Strato-Bench which added at least 100lbs. With my 275 lbs in the seat it's all of 4200 if not more. It actually on par with a 5th gen Camaro.



Thanks, I was happy to see the internals. You never know what you are going to get but the guy I purchased from pulled it from a complete rolled van. It never sat outside in a salvage yard and I know wasn't some kind of warranty core. The coolest thing about these bottom ends are the rods. They look really trick compared to any stock small block Chevy.

76larkman

I like the build, its not a cooky cutter car. I grew up in a 66 impala 2dr hardtop bright yellow(not original was white). Awesome memories they just don't make them like that anymore. I have a converted 76 skylark L33 5.3 4L65E. Running but not drivable finished til spring gets here.

kainedogg

iTrader: (23)

Sub'd for the end result. I love Impala's and don't think they get enough love. Glad you are fixing that.
Are you prior military OP?

alocker

iTrader: (10)

While this car is not considered rare, the goal is to not cut anything on the car. I have some ideas for the inter cooler up my sleeve that wont require any hacking, I just hope it works. What's crazy is how many people have memories of the 65-70 cars and how they are just starting to become collectible (the standard base cars). Chevy made well over a million full size cars in 68 but there are few nice ones left. This car actually gets more attention than my old Chevelle ever did. You just don't see them often.

Not previous military, I don't have the stones to serve. Just curious what might have made you think that I was?

kainedogg

iTrader: (23)

I am ex-military (wife still in) and when you said "will get squared away" I know that is a common term especially with Non Commissioned Officers taking care of their subordinates or "squaring them away."
Your build is inspirational. I have a '70 Chevelle with similar aspirations. I too have an LY6/4l80e combo going in as we speak. I used the newer Holley oil pan.
Let me know what you decide with the LS3 intake if you decide to keep the truck accessories.
I plan to keep mine, have the truck a/c stay down low and make room for the S400x 75 this summer.
You can PM me if you wan to compare notes. Don't want to clog your thread.

Jimbo1367

I thought he meant minivans being usefull for hauling motors/trannys home.

alocker

iTrader: (10)

I gotcha, I did not know that, just a phrase I have always used. I do plan on keeping the truck accessories but no AC. The intake is still up in the air. I will probably get grief for this but I want to run the new cheapo fabricated intakes. On a boosted application it should be fine and they look fantastic. That's a bit down the road though. No worries on clogging this thread. It's an open forum. Do you have a build thread?

They are great for hauling motors, I try to avoid the trannys though

76larkman

Yah I just playing about using the van haul motor/ tranny. done it myself but my best one is fully dressed Pontiac 350 motor and tranny inside the back of 78 Ford Fiesta hatchback. everytime hit a dip or bump front would come off ground and its fwd.

kainedogg

iTrader: (23)

I don't have a build thread for the Chevelle but in my sig are the other two stagnant projects.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

Great combo for turbo. I just melted a ring land in mine. I should have regapped them, or replaced with forged.

alocker

iTrader: (10)

What do you think caused the issue? Bad gas? Mechanical?

I am for sure gapping the top ring.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

It was making around 700 hp, and think the ring gap closed, it just got too hot and melted the side of the piston. There was no knock. Also, there was a little water in the motor when I got it, because the intake was exposed to the elements, so there may have been a little rust in that cylinder.

PontiacPOWA

Nice car! My brother an I did a stock 4.8 and 4l80e swap with intentions of boost in a 68 Biscayne this past summer. Its not quite as nice as yours and a budget build lol so its a little messy under the hood. It was pretty straight forward and not too difficult, but let me know if you need any pictures or advice. Good luck!

alocker

iTrader: (10)

Thanks! Post em up. I'm always looking for ideas.

RonSSNova

iTrader: (3)

Cool car.
I had a COPO 68 Impala 427 425hp 4 speed car in college.
Took it apart before anyone paid attention to such cars......oh well.

You will have fun with the LS turbo. No shortage of room under the hood!

Ron

PontiacPOWA

Heres some pics for ya. Originally a 250 powerglide grandma car. No power steering, manual drum brakes on all 4



Home made ugly motor mounts haha


Hose clamped a walbro 450 to the sending unit




Home made turnbuckle accessory drive


Ford focus electric fans on the factory radiator. Works Beautifully


Like i said, its not show quality, but it gets the job done haha... My brother is actually daily driving it right now in this cold new york weather. Microsquirt plug and play engine management and a US shift controller shifts the 4l80e with circle d converter.