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Will your kit require any modifying of the trans tunnel with the 80 or 85 trans?
It's too preliminary to be able to report the exact fitment characteristics of the 4L80/4L85 just yet, but I will be documenting the fitment of them with both sets of the Hooker engine brackets as I progress through this project. If you subscribe to this thread then you will benefit from that information if it interests you. The typical fitment constraints related to the 4L80 transmission are providing clearance for the electrical plug on the left side of the case and the cooler lines on the right side of the case.
Those headers look amazing. Love the 1 7/8" primaries. Any plans for a version for 64-67 A-bodies? The market is very lacking in long-tube headers for the 64-67 cars, especially with 1 7/8" primaries.
Thanks,
Jeff
Thanks for the compliment on the headers Jeff. Knowing what I know about the 64-67 A-bodies, I have a high level of confidence that these headers are going to also work on those cars, but I will have to go through the motions of validating that before I can truly say they will.
If for some reason they don't, I can't see us not getting around to creating something specific for those cars as they are quite a popular swap platform.
I test fit the new Hooker A-body headers on an engine mounted on a stand with common 1" set-back LS swap plates and old school mounts...they fit with no problems, so any of you using those types of mounts in your A-body that are needed a set of headers should be able to use these headers with good results, even though you won't benefit from the geometry advantages offered by the Hooker engine brackets. Here's a look...
Will your kit require any modifying of the trans tunnel with the 80 or 85 trans?
This update is for you oldstv...if you use the forward position engine brackets, you can bolt a 4L80 into the car at the same optimized inclination angle as any other transmission the Hooker components will support and you can use the stock crossmember as well as long as you use the crossmember spacers included with the Hooker engine bracket kit. Although you won't have to cut the floor open, you will need to have new body bushings installed in your car and you will probably have to dimple the floor slightly for clearance around the rear output speed sensor and the return cooler line fitting, unless you are using an early case 4L80 that has both cooler lines up front. This position also allows you to install the crossmember without having to partially pull the engine as others have had to do when using 1" set-back swap plates...it went right in like butter.
Thanks for confirming that. I did some of my own research last night and discovered that many guys have used the fixed displacement stock truck compressors with success in their swaps.
I was referring to the VARIABLE displacement compressors like the gto and the fbody and corvette. It's even been builds that disable the variable displacement and make these compressors fixed like the truck compressor.
I prefer header clearance, tie rod clearance, and drive line angles to have priority over my compressor mount location.
I was referring to the VARIABLE displacement compressors like the gto and the fbody and corvette. It's even been builds that disable the variable displacement and make these compressors fixed like the truck compressor.
I prefer header clearance, tie rod clearance, and drive line angles to have priority over my compressor mount location.
I understand and have seen guys attempt to incorporate every type of OE and aftermarket compressor into their swaps over the years, so I just let them know which ones will fit and which ones won't when asked.
The components in this system are being designed for users that share the same functional/geometric priorities that you do, specifically meaning steering component clearances and U-joint working angles. That aside, the secondary ability of the engine brackets to accommodate low-mount A/C compressors will be seen as a huge benefit to many users in the planning stages of their swap. I will be test fitting the F-body low-mount compressor and bracket in the next couple of days.
Hey Todd, I have not talked to you in a while but i'm glad to see you have the A body swap headers looking good, the Hookers on my 73 LS Camaro fit Great!, I also have a 70 chevelle waiting to go together, may be a LS in the future for it also, thanks for all the time, effort and hard work you have put in the development of such great parts.
Hello turbodarryl, it has been a long time indeed. If you decide to go with these new components on your A-body swap, I'll give you all the help I can from this end...I've gotten a lot of the issues that have existed in this swap application resolved, so you're going to suffer far less aggravation and achieve more optimized results than those that have come before you.
This is the kind of information that I have been waiting on and it makes me soooo glad to have waited to do this swap. I am doing a real 70 stg1 GS Buick and would prefer not to alter the car too much in case I ever want to go back stock. I am hoping to be able to use the factory air cleaner as it mates up to the air scoops in the hood.
Thank you for doing this!!
This is the kind of information that I have been waiting on and it makes me soooo glad to have waited to do this swap. I am doing a real 70 stg1 GS Buick and would prefer not to alter the car too much in case I ever want to go back stock. I am hoping to be able to use the factory air cleaner as it mates up to the air scoops in the hood.
Thank you for doing this!!
Glad to be of help to you and any others in the planning stages of their swap.
I can understand you wanting to leave your car as unmolested as possible and can verify that using stock-position engine mounts in your case and expecting to achieve optimized U-joint working angles without major floor reconstruction is a fantasy. You cannot fight the original build architecture of the car and if you are looking for an optimized bolt-in solution that requires no floor cutting/welding it just makes sense to move the eng/trans mating plane forward from stock in certain instances.
In other instances (like non-A/C, TH350, TH400 or 2004R installations for instance) it makes more sense to retain the engine/trans mounting plane in the stock location, which is why we opted to develop two distinct sets of engine mounting brackets for this application that will each work with the headers developed right alongside them.
Put me in line for your mounts and headers. I'm ready to go. Would be glad to post progress pictures. I have a 69 Pontiac Custom S Convertible. Suspension and brakes already upgraded - four wheel disk brakes, new P-S-T front end kit, eibach springs (1 inch lower), bilstein shocks, front and back hotchkis extreme sway bars, 12 bolt rear end with eaton posi and 3.55 gears. Motor is a carbureted LS1 408 stroker w autokraft pan. All forged internals. Dyno: 591 peak HP @ 6,000, 554 lb-ft torque @ 5,000. Tranny is a Jake's Transmission 4l80e. I was ready to go until I saw your posts. Thought is was worth the wait. Shoot me a pm as soon as you release Thx.
Put me in line for your mounts and headers. I'm ready to go. Would be glad to post progress pictures. I have a 69 Pontiac Custom S Convertible. Suspension and brakes already upgraded - four wheel disk brakes, new P-S-T front end kit, eibach springs (1 inch lower), bilstein shocks, front and back hotchkis extreme sway bars, 12 bolt rear end with eaton posi and 3.55 gears. Motor is a carbureted LS1 408 stroker w autokraft pan. All forged internals. Dyno: 591 peak HP @ 6,000, 554 lb-ft torque @ 5,000. Tranny is a Jake's Transmission 4l80e. I was ready to go until I saw your posts. Thought is was worth the wait. Shoot me a pm as soon as you release Thx.
That sounds like a nice build parts list your working with there, glad to have you on board with the new Hooker A-body system parts. Tell me more about your project as far as the vehicle itself goes, are you going to be using A/C? Do you have new body bushings installed on your car? I will post any availability information I get here on this thread, so you will get it ASAP if you subscribe to it. They are welding up the first 10 sets of the 1-7/8" headers now, so I would place an order on the Holley website for a set, as soon as it's possible to do so, to ensure you won't have to wait for the next production run to get a set. The engine brackets are currently on order and usually are subject to a 4 week lead time. I don't work in production, sales or customer service, so please understand that any availability information I give out here is merely an experienced guess on my part.
All new body mounts installed 8 months ago. Using Pace corvette accessory brackets with high mount a/c bracket for classic auto air (sanden compressor) perfect fit system. I don't check the Holley website everyday so please let me know when I can order headers. Don't want to miss first production run.
All new body mounts installed 8 months ago. Using Pace corvette accessory brackets with high mount a/c bracket for classic auto air (sanden compressor) perfect fit system. I don't check the Holley website everyday so please let me know when I can order headers. Don't want to miss first production run.
You seem to be all set there then. I will do my best to monitor the headers getting listing on the website for you, but be aware that I typically spend my days in the design lab and don't check it everyday either.
I've been told that I can add a washer or two to give the bushings some extra hight which helps with the trans tunnel clearance. Have you heard that? Is it possible that there different thickness on the bushings themselves?
I've been told that I can add a washer or two to give the bushings some extra hight which helps with the trans tunnel clearance. Have you heard that? Is it possible that there different thickness on the bushings themselves?
I guess that would be possible, but the pinpointed areas you'll need a little extra clearance for your 4L80 won't be helped much through that effort; the trans output speed sensor and rear cooler fitting/ line is where you will need to focus your attention. For what it's worth, I installed stock mounts from OPGI on the vehicle I'm using for development.
11-04-2015, 12:00 PM
