kballs

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys i've been reading up on swapping an LS into my shorty van and it looks like it's a tough fit for the old style doghouse and engine bay which mine has.

From what I remember, the lt1 has the same motor mounts, flexplate/bellhousing, exhaust port location dimensions as a Gen1 engine.

Is all this stuff the same and can I get away with using headers or manifolds from a gen1 as well? The lt1 intake is very low compared to the lq4 6.0 i've got here avaialble so it looks like an easier swap and still a huge upgrade from the 305 that's in it.

myltwon

iTrader: (1)

Only major differences between Gen 1 and Gen 2 (lt1) is reverse cooled heads and efi, everything else is basically the same. Headers are interchangeable as well.

HellTeeOne

Repaint it black with a red stripe and turbine wheels.

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire.....the A-Team."

But yea, everything should fit just fine. Find some appropriate headers and stab in a LPE 211/219 and appropriate valvetrain before it goes in.

ahritchie

iTrader: (1)

I'd get some zoomie side pipe headers to let the LT1 breathe! You also need either an airbrushed wizard slaying a dragon, a naked woman riding a unicorn, psychedelic outer space scene or something of that nature IMO.

Fast355

The aluminum LT1 heads have angle plug heads and most fullsize van compatible headers/manifolds are for straight plugs.

If you plan to run a/c you will have to relocate the compressor as it hits the crossmember/frame and takes up a pair of the bolt holes that are used by the traditional small block engine mount pads. The LT1 block has additional holes on the passenger side behind the traditional 3 bolts for its mount.

The flexplate is a 153 tooth small diameter 1-piece rear main seal style and the block has the traditional bolt pattern for the bellhousing.

I built a Vortec head 383 TPI with a nice roller cam and put into my 1983 G20 van and backed it up to a 4L60E. Bolted on some Doug Thorley Tri-Y headers and used the complete serpentine belt setup from a 1992 G20 van along with electric fans from a Nissan Altima. With the 3.08 gear out back and the 450+ ft/lbs of torque it would get up and go for about 2 weeks at a time until the 4L60E blew up.



When I first built the setup I used high pressure rubber fuel injection hose to the across the top of the engine but quickly changed the setup to a rear feed modified fuel rail with AN fittings down to the 1992 TBI fuel lines I had running down the frame.

I used a 454 core radiator with a 28" wide core and a slightly trimmed Nissan Altima dual cooling fan assembly that had dual speed motors. I had the TPI, cooling fans and a/c compressor controlled by the 7730 ECM when I was running the 700r4 and later the 7427 when I was running the 4L60E.

kballs

iTrader: (1)

I've got chrome side pipes on it now and I'm working on a paint scheme but need to get it mechanically done first. Nice job fast 355! I thought about the TPI engines also. Do you know if the iron head lt1 uses strainght plugs? For some reason I think they do.

94LTZ

iTrader: (5)

Yes the iron heads do have straight plugs, just looked at a set in my garage to verify.

HellTeeOne

Very cool project, keep us updated. It'd be nice to find a set of headers that are compatible with angle plug heads...

93M6Formula

I've always loved those G-series vans, my dad had quite a few for his business back in the day, a couple were 6.2 diesels. I kinda want one to make a camper out of but i'd get endless amounts of **** for driving one...

kballs

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info LTZ. Lots of people always say they'd love to build one of these vans, but they're too gritty for most people to have as a daily driver. I've got my LS3 chevelle in storage collecting dust still because i'm too into this thing right now haha.

I'll have to see if the hooker headers state if they'll work with angle plug heads. That would only be a problem if I found an alloy head lt1. Of course they're a lot easier to come by than the Buick/Caprice platform engines.

The other option I thought of would be to just build a mild Gen1 and run some sort of efi on it, but there's no real cheap option when you can get a whole lt1 runner for under 1k w/trans.

Fast355

Have you considered a L31 Vortec 350?? The stock EFI setup can fuel up to about 350-400 HP and the vortec heads flow very well. The newer 2001/2002 Express vans used the L31 with an 0411 LS1 PCM. I have seen tuned stock L31 350s with bolt-ons put down 250 HP and over 300 TQ to the ground. That is double the power of your vans stock 305. Packaging one into a G-van with the stock serpentine belt setup would not be a problem. The late 90s P30 step vans even used the same style exhaust manifolds as the earlier G-vans.

I have a 4-bolt main 8,600+ GVW L31 in my Express conversion van that I have really reworked.

Edelbrock Etec 170 heads (Hecho en Mexico 062s cracked when I overheated it)
Mercruiser Marine intake with LS6 injectors (found it cheap and hated the stock spider setup)
Comp 215/220 @ .050 custom grind cam with Crane gold 1.6:1 full roller rockers
Doug Thorley Tri-Y headers into 2.5" exhaust into a bus muffler and 3" single tailpipe
2002 0411 LS1 PCM from a 5.3 Tahoe reflashed for a 2002 Express van 5.7/4L80E
HD Cooling system with 454 radiator, duramax fan, trailblazer ss fan clutch, factory oil and transmission coolers
Backed it up to a 4L80E with a 2,200 rpm B82 factory high stall converter
Have a 3.73 geared 9.5" 14-bolt out back

In all honesty a milder cam, stock vortec heads and a stock intake manifold would have probably made nearly as much power through 5,000 rpm.



The big brick will knock a hole into the wind and GO when it is on the highway. It has more power and speed than it honestly needs for safety reasons. I can set the cruise at 99 mph if I want and it holds it in overdrive without any issues.

kballs

iTrader: (1)

That's a decent idea too 355. For the trouble the ls would be and the power levels i'm looking for, it's hardly worth it. I'm sure I can score a vortex pretty cheap here and the old van would be pretty happy with that much power.

dsounroutz

Headers are interchangeable as well.