JoeNova

Just finished up another swap. Code named the "4DoorsMoreWhores" by a buddy of mine, its a white 1969 Chevelle with a mild cammed 5.3 and a 4L60e.

The car came to us in pretty bad shape. Rusted all over, vinyl top has been holding in a LOT of water and the roof is completely rotted out underneath. It had a stock 350/350 combo in it that ran OK, but had to warm up before you attempted to drive it. We put the 350 on a Dyno Dynamics (Often called the Heart Breaker) at a buddy's shop and it made an impressive 104whp.

We pulled out the engine and trans and got started.

The 5.3 was pulled from a Tahoe, complete with everything. No idea on actual mileage. The 4L60e was pulled from a truck we parted out a while back, and I paid $325 for a complete rebuild.

The 5.3 got:
-F-body pan and pickup tube. Modified the stock truck windage tray.
-Achor Mounts part #2142. $3/each from Summit, $6/each at local parts store.
-ICT Billet Mounts part #551628. $35/pair from Summit.
-LS1 MLS head gaskets, part #12498544. $38/pair at Summit.
-Stock LS7 lifters, less than $100 on ebay.
-Howards single beehive springs part #98113, $120/set from Summit.
-Howards 222/225 112 LSA Cam. My GO-TO for mild 5.3. Part #190245-12, $360 from Summit.
-Speed Engineering 1 3/4" A-body headers part #25-1025-1, $250.
-Dorman Power steering Pulley, part # 300-201, $19.
-91" 6-rib belt, works great with the small case alternator and Dorman PS pulley.

For Trans:
-TCI Fastgate shifter
-Stock Driveshaft shortened 5"
-2200 stall converter
-Stock trans crossmember, moved back a couple of inches. Drilled 1 hole for Mount.

Fuel:
-Inline Walbro 255
-Vette filter and regulator
-20' of Summit Twist-tite -6 AN Pushlok hose.
-ICT billet pushlok fittings.
-Unmodified stock tank, stock pickup goes to fuel pump, return goes into a vent.
-Returnless truck rails.

Cooling:
-Stock 2000 truck upper radiator hose.
-F-body fans (they fit these radiators perfect).
-40-amp self-resetting breaker runs both fans at the same time.

Everything else was bone stock.
The exhaust on the car was 2" crimp-bend exhaust, 1 5/8" at the bends.
It has a 2.56 rear gear ratio. First gear tops out at 70, 3rd at 130 lol!

The results?
312whp, 320 ft-lbs on about the 5th dyno pull on a dyno notorious for reading low. Tripled the power of the stock 350. Converted the car from a slow, lazy, unreliable beater to a fuel injected reliable cruiser for $2500 total.


First fire, running pig rich with open headers:

On the dyno: (Smoke is from a little oil on header)

Tuskyz28

Joey..... you a bad MF!!! Sweet car and i love your threads!!

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

Nice job Joe.

I get so tired of hearing people say you need $10,000 to complete an LSx swap. If you are willing to price shop, do things yourself and aren't scared of used parts it can be done for $4000 all day long. As you just proved that number can get even lower depending what kind of deals you can find or what fancy bits you feel aren't necessary - like overpriced AN fittings and associated line so many people think they need.

JoeNova

$2500 for a fresh 4L60e, and a good 5.3 shortblock with new parts and a cam is a hell of a deal. I don't know why more people don't do these budget swaps. With the cover on the engine, its actually pleasing to look at. Everything was painted, etc.

This 222/225 cam might be small, but packs a punch.
I picked it for a buddy of mine doing a 5.3 build in an old rat rod. He stuck it in a bone stock gen 4 5.3 that had 799 heads. With nothing but this cam and 1 7/8" headers, it made 426 HP on his engine dyno (same guy that owns this chassis dyno) running on microsquirt.

Once the rear gear is swapped for a 3.73 and the exhaust is upgraded to dual 2.5" all of the way back, it should pick up ~25 whp and launch much harder.
We did the dyno pull in 2nd gear from 45 to 130 lol. It cruises on the highway in overdrive at pretty much idle, so it definitely needs that 2.56 rear out.

Tuskyz28

That cam sounds very interesting!! I say its a great choice!! Not too big and not to small.

JoeNova

He's signed up for a 2.5" dual exhaust, which should change sound quite a bit. I'll get an exhaust video before and after so you can hear the cam, along with some underhood pics.

Tuskyz28

What brand mufflers ?

TipsyMcStagger

iTrader: (1)

It definitely helps with the budget when you have a swap platform that fits the truck manifold and accessories under the hood.

Nice job!

Tipsy

JoeNova

It takes about $250 more to use F-body intake. I get the complete intakes for $200 shipped, use a idler relocation kit $20, and $30 for a belt. Water pump neck is fixed with a hammer, or I pie-cut out a piece and angle it away a little bit.

ls1nova71

iTrader: (4)

Where do you get a 4l60e rebuilt for $325???? Around here it's closer to $800.... I like the car, but then I like 4 doors, but the 4 door hardtop is seldom seen these days, very cool!

TipsyMcStagger

iTrader: (1)

There's no substitute for experience.

Tipsy

JoeNova

A guy a couple hours from me in Kentucky was rebuilding them for $350 each, or $325 each if I took him more than one.

Now a local guy does them 10 mins from me. I take him the trans, hand him $350, and he installs a basic rebuild kit with Borg Warner or Raybestos clutches. For $500, I get a rebuild plus a Sonnax Sun shell, corvette servo, aluminum forward apply piston, and a couple springs in valve body to firm up the shift.

Shop around enough, you'll find a local guy willing to sit down a do rebuilds for $200 profit for an afternoons worth of work.

Toxic ChevyII

Would you by chance have the vacuum at idle with this Howard's cam? I have a LM7 I'm swapping into a 67 ChevyII and was thinking about using this cam. Thanks.

JoeNova

If I get a few minutes tomorrow, I'll double check for you.
I remember it pulling 12" of vacuum at a 650 RPM idle. I'm pretty sure it pulls 15" now that I raised idle to 775 RPM.

4EyedTurd1

iTrader: (1)

Care to share where you get your idler relocation parts from?

JoeNova

This one doesn't use an idler relocator. It has a truck intake with the rounded Vortec cover.

When I do use the idler relocation, I get it from ICT Billet.

gjestico

iTrader: (5)

What does the PCM tuning cost on a job like that ?

JoeNova

I do my own tuning so just cost me $100 in HPT Credits.
A lot of the local guys charge $350 for a dyno tune, which isn't too bad.

Aceshigh

Hey Joe,

Those ANCHOR mounts you used , what mounts to the frame were used ??? Original with no changes ??
These ?? http://www.speedwaymotors.com/AMD-W-...SABEgLIbPD_BwE

With the Dorman 300-201 pulley, your power steering pump clearanced everything without issues ??

Any help is appreciated, I've got a thread going to trying to see what others succeeded with on motor mounts, plates, steering, etc.
Thanks bud.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...questions.html

cypris09

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for this post. I'm a bit far from dropping in my motor in my project. (68 lemans) I plan on doing the summit setback plates and using those exact headers. Definitely answered a few questions I had.