5.3/4L60e Swap. 1969 Plymouth Valiant Build. Blasphemy! Lots of Pics.
08-24-2012, 07:35 PM
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5.3/4L60e Swap. 1969 Plymouth Valiant Build. Blasphemy! Lots of Pics. Hey guys and girls. It's been a long time coming but I finally decided to sit down and take the time to make this thread. I'll start from the beginning.
Back in 2009 I decided to buy a project car to build into a daily driven street machine. After much debating and searching, I settled upon the Mopar family for two different reasons.
1) I wanted something different and
2) I enjoyed the sleek and subtle styling
Originally I planned to go with a 65 Belvedere. However, preliminary research and then further inspection brought me to the realization that bc of price that wasn't going to happen. I stumbled onto these Mopar A-Body's afterwards and I enjoyed their distinct styling, turned out that they were much more affordable as well. After much looking I came across a 69 Plymouth Valiant not far from home.
Went to go look at it, and a few hours later it was mine. The next few months I did as much research as I could. I came from the GM side of things after all, and was not familiar with Mopars in the least. I just knew I liked how they looked. In figuring out what direction I wanted to take with the car, life took over and the car sat in the garage for the last three years.
Fast forward to March of 2012, I wrecked my daily driver and pride and joy...my 98 Camaro SS. I was devastated, but life goes on. Especially, when there is a car sitting in your garage and you've found some new money to get it going again.
I decided that I would do a LS swap into it. My time researching Mopars had taught me, amongst other things, that Moparians were some of the strictest 'purists' of them all. "Mopars in Mopars, Chebbys in Chebbys, Fords in Fords," they said. Oh well, I didn't care to be a purist. Did a ton of research, and while the LS into a A-Body Mopar topic had been discussed in some forums, the swap was not a common one at all. With the encouragement of some fellow LS into Mopar supporters, and with the backing of an amazing fabricator, I decided to go for it. So here we are today. Still a long way's to go, and I will update this thread with further progress as it happens. Without further ado, pics!!!
When I first bought it, side view
Front view
Test fitting tires that were suppose to not fit, they fit! Just needed some motivation, bfh.
Some days I wish I would have kept the rallye's up front.
This is how it sat with tired truck springs and the 8 3/4" rear end.
Painted the rallyes black, and this is how it sat for a long time.
Rear end was replaced by a Ford 9" New frond disc brakes were swapped, and rear drum brakes were put on too.
This is the room available in the engine compartment, turned out to be more than enough.
Sorry for the dirty pic, only one I had of the k-member. Even after the swap, k-member looks exactly the same.
Here's the engine and trans. Picked this up from a member on here at a good price.
Engine on stand coming apart for cam and valvetrain upgrades
EPS Cam kit along with all valvetrain and supporting mods.
Custom engine mounts were made by fabricator.
How the car sat right before going into the shop for custom mounts and oil pan.
Motor inside engine bay with mock up truck intake.
Actual intake that will be used on the motor, need to outfit it with 8.1 injectors so I can spin the motor to 6500 with no fuel issues.
I've also made a thread on another forum, it has a few different pics in it if you guys are interested.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...d.php?t=202836
If you guys have any questions, comments, concerns...please do not hesitate to ask or contact me.
Back in 2009 I decided to buy a project car to build into a daily driven street machine. After much debating and searching, I settled upon the Mopar family for two different reasons.
1) I wanted something different and
2) I enjoyed the sleek and subtle styling
Originally I planned to go with a 65 Belvedere. However, preliminary research and then further inspection brought me to the realization that bc of price that wasn't going to happen. I stumbled onto these Mopar A-Body's afterwards and I enjoyed their distinct styling, turned out that they were much more affordable as well. After much looking I came across a 69 Plymouth Valiant not far from home.
Went to go look at it, and a few hours later it was mine. The next few months I did as much research as I could. I came from the GM side of things after all, and was not familiar with Mopars in the least. I just knew I liked how they looked. In figuring out what direction I wanted to take with the car, life took over and the car sat in the garage for the last three years.
Fast forward to March of 2012, I wrecked my daily driver and pride and joy...my 98 Camaro SS. I was devastated, but life goes on. Especially, when there is a car sitting in your garage and you've found some new money to get it going again.
I decided that I would do a LS swap into it. My time researching Mopars had taught me, amongst other things, that Moparians were some of the strictest 'purists' of them all. "Mopars in Mopars, Chebbys in Chebbys, Fords in Fords," they said. Oh well, I didn't care to be a purist. Did a ton of research, and while the LS into a A-Body Mopar topic had been discussed in some forums, the swap was not a common one at all. With the encouragement of some fellow LS into Mopar supporters, and with the backing of an amazing fabricator, I decided to go for it. So here we are today. Still a long way's to go, and I will update this thread with further progress as it happens. Without further ado, pics!!!When I first bought it, side view
Front view
Test fitting tires that were suppose to not fit, they fit! Just needed some motivation, bfh.
Some days I wish I would have kept the rallye's up front.
This is how it sat with tired truck springs and the 8 3/4" rear end.
Painted the rallyes black, and this is how it sat for a long time.
Rear end was replaced by a Ford 9" New frond disc brakes were swapped, and rear drum brakes were put on too.
This is the room available in the engine compartment, turned out to be more than enough.
Sorry for the dirty pic, only one I had of the k-member. Even after the swap, k-member looks exactly the same.
Here's the engine and trans. Picked this up from a member on here at a good price.
Engine on stand coming apart for cam and valvetrain upgrades
EPS Cam kit along with all valvetrain and supporting mods.
Custom engine mounts were made by fabricator.
How the car sat right before going into the shop for custom mounts and oil pan.
Motor inside engine bay with mock up truck intake.
Actual intake that will be used on the motor, need to outfit it with 8.1 injectors so I can spin the motor to 6500 with no fuel issues.
I've also made a thread on another forum, it has a few different pics in it if you guys are interested.
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/...d.php?t=202836
If you guys have any questions, comments, concerns...please do not hesitate to ask or contact me.
