5.3 racer

iTrader: (8)

automatic, th-350. factory tranny crossmember, made my own engine mounts, unmodified f-body pan, unmodified engine crossmember. i used f-body manifolds with a custom y-pipe into my "original" 3" single exhaust. i used all of the truck accessories except for the a/c. i used an a/c bracket from a 4.3 s-10/blazer. used a longer belt and swapped the truck idler with a smaller diameter one from a 4.6 ford. i also moved the upper hose inlet to clear the new tensioner. so now everything runs off of one belt. it's by now means as clean as john b.'s installation but it works.

StickSS

Thanks for the info 5.3 racer. I like the sleeper look to your car. Once again nice job and good luck with the car. Thanks

capps

Scott - Tell me about your fuel line kit. Who makes this? I am going from a carb setup to fuel injection and will need something very similar to what you have pictured.

jdperk-86elco

Hey guys, I had a chance to purchase a LS1 and 4L06E from a 2000 Camaro from a guy just down the street from me for $2800 included harness, accessories, CPU, everything. It was running before he removed it from a rear end accident car. I set up to meet him two days later as agreed upon and he just didn't return my calls or email. Very disappointing, someone must have up the ante and the guy wasn't kind enought just to let me know as I would have understand. Money in hand is worth more than a promise.

I will look for another setup this spring. I am sold on an LS1 installed in my 1986 Elcamino. Any good deals by March please let me know as I will be ready to buy.

Keep me posted guys.

Oh John B would the accessories on a LS1 out of a Covette would have worked on your Monte? Was the A/C compressor hitting the frame is that why you went for a new brack up top?

I take it the alt cleared the steering box? You changed the steering box to a IROC version is it a faster turn radius and is it a direct bolt on?

James

MrDude_1

iTrader: (4)

a friend of mine with a Gbody Monte swapped in a quicker ratio 3rdgen Fbody box.. it was a direct bolt in.

John B

iTrader: (10)

Not sure....I've never measured.
Yes sir!

Yes, just as if it was designed to!
As MrDude_1 stated, yes it bolted right up.

Tennessee Auto

iTrader: (11)

JohnB, I know you done your swap a long time ago. Why did you have to move the AC? It seems to fit on the El Camino's just fine. Are the Monte SS's diferent? I took your advice on the smaller F-Body steering box, and it looks like the alternator will clear, on our setup.

Thanks Scott

jdperk-86elco

John B, what f-body year and model should I look for a steering box to mount right up to my 86 Elcamino? What will the turn radius be conpared to the original steering box? Is the steering box change required to clear the alt?

James

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

You may want to check this out.. its an LT1 conversion but same principal

http://www.poltergeist.us/

John B

iTrader: (10)

Scott, I suspect that your installation has the motor shifted to the driver's side and by doing this it probably can be made to clear. I elected to install the motor in the exact same centerline position as the OEM SBC which believe it or not actually sits closer to the passenger side of the car. I did this for several reasons...first I wanted it to sit in the car just like the OEM motor and 2nd, I didn't want any mis-alignment downstream by having the motor and trans not at the same angle in relation to the rear end and lastly, I didn't want the weight bias of the car to be different than the OEM set-up. This doesn't make my installation any better or worse than anyone elses...just doing it based on my criteria for an OEM fitment.
Nope...identical as far as installation.
Any 3rd Gen F-body that has the box stamped "XH"
Slighly less but you'll never really notice the difference.
Not at all...I did this strictly as a handling mod and it was easy to gain access while the motor was out!

Tennessee Auto

iTrader: (11)

JohnB, the motor and trans are in a perfect centerline with the rearend. Its over a full inch, just like the original. I was just wondering. Its also nice to see the first ever LS1 I pulled from a car, in such a nice body

Thanks Scott

gen 3 bu

iTrader: (2)

i installed the same gear box on my 1993 sonoma and it ruined my turning radius - keep in mind this is a totally different chassis. i also think the pitman arm is longer on the g/f- body compared to the s-trucks, and that is probably the main contributing factor.

kevin

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

By setting the engine back to match the original transmission placement and fit in without mods to the pan or crossmember did you have to cut the heater box for clearance or does the cutlass heater box have enough room?

For your mounts did you use factory mounts with adapters or did you make new mounts and for which side (engine or frame)? Do you have any dimensions for the mounts?

Thank You
Dan

John B

iTrader: (10)

Okay, now I can see why.....your motor sits further forward than mine! Note the pic below:

jdperk-86elco

"New motor mounts and trans mount by BRP to raise the engine up and foward in the car. The AC will clear now, along with the manifolds, and the alt will be relocated to the top. " This quote taken from www.tennesseeauto.com on the 1980 Elcamino LS1 install. So using the BRP motor mounts the engine is moved forward and also up. The other pictures show knotching the crossmember and boxing it in.

So John B, your motor mounts place the engine block exactly where the original block was located. Talking to crossmember manufacture the 4L60E should measure from the engine bellhousing mount to the transmission crossmember mount 23 inches. This is with using their fabbed transmission crossmember bolted to the same mounting location as the factory crossmember. If you left the A/C compressor low then would you have to knotch the corner of the frame where the crossmember connects to the frame rail or just the frame rail forward of the crossmember?

James

John B

iTrader: (10)

It place the motor about 5/8" forward of the SBC location but it works just fine with the G-Force crossmember.
If you used my mounts you'd probably want to notch in both directions because you're still going to have to connect the A/C lines to the rear of the compressor and have room for a bolt and a wrench for access if you ever want to take it off without jacking up the motor. You'll also need side clearance to get the wiring connector to not rub the frame.

This is one of the main reasons I engineered my mounts the way I did. For my money moving the engine 2+" forward will cost you dearly in weight distribution, handling and most importantly (at least for me) weight transfer at the dragstrip! Not only this but the serviceability of the A/C compressor if you ever have a failure or need to service it where you need to get the compressor out our disconnect the hardware. Just my .02

5.3 racer

iTrader: (8)

i didn't have to cut the heater/ac box, i did however remove the rearmost coil bracket boss on the right valve cover. it wasn't a problem once the engine was installed but it would have poked a hole in the box when going in. you could likely remove the valve cover when installing the engine and not have to remove the boss. i used the factory f-body engine brackets and fabbed my own frame brackets. they bolt to the crossmember exactly where the 307 olds brackets did( not sure where the chevy brackets bolt to.) here's a picture of my mounts:

jdperk-86elco

Guys, I am sold on an LS1 install just gathering information. Has anyone knotched their frame rail to clear the AC compressor on a El Camino or G body? If so how about some pictures of the frame knotch?

John B, relocating the AC compressor to the top is there any other solution to compressor and bracket compared to your custom solution. To reword is there any other manufacture or factory brackets that would relocate the AC to the top of the LS1? Last question John B how much for your AC bracket and since you are using one belt are you experiencing any belt problems?

James

G-Body

iTrader: (4)

Fbody motorsports has a bracket to mount a R4 compressor up on the top passenger side. This would require changing the pulley on the a/c compressor to one from a serpentine belt fbody, and probably custom hoses since the compressor is being moved from the drivers to the pass. side. I haven`t checked everything yet but I don`t think there is a stock set of hoses that will fit. http://www.fbodymotorsports.com/ls1_conversion_parts
Probably the best solution though would be to use the LS1 or an LT1 compressor since the R4 compressors are not known for their durability.

StickSS

Hi Guys: There is another possible solution I saw in a magzine article. In a 66 chevelle they used all the Vette brackets but they used a Camaro Compressor on a Vette A/C bracket. They used a small spacer begind one bolt on the compressor and they just swapped the AC Clutch and pully from the Vette compressor to the Camaro compressor. Everything lined up and cleared the frame. I don't know if this would work on a G body I think that the Vette P/S Pully will hit the upper control arm. If you are using Hotkiss control arms or Global West it might clear. You could also try using rhe Fbody P/s pump and alternator and brackets they should be all right. Then you could mount the Camaro compressor on the Vette A/c bracket and use a shorter belt. The tensioner and Idker Pully will not line up maybe you could use some kind of spacer under it. Don't Know if it would work for sure. If you had both a/c brackets from the vette and Camaro you might be able to rig something up. Good Luck