Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
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'68 Lincoln Continental + LQ4/4L80E

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Old Apr 4, 2006 | 12:30 AM
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Default '68 Lincoln Continental + LQ4/4L80E

I might just be out of my mind! I'm doing this swap for a guy that wants his car to be reliable and simple(as in no more screwing with the carb and dinosaur engine design) as he wants to drive it fairly regularly, whether around town or around the state for shows.

The 14k mile '05 LQ4/4L80E with accessories, harness and computer is in freight somewhere and should arrive this week.

First thing I'd like to do is get a plastic engine and trans replica as this is not the last LSx engine swap I'd like to do.

Second, as addressed in another post, I'm looking for oilpan options.

Third, I'll be posting progress pics, doing lots of searching and asking lots of questions. I want to say thanks for all the info I've found already, this seems to be an incredibly helpful and knowledgeable forum!

and so it begins....
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Old Apr 4, 2006 | 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by imagreasemonkey
First thing I'd like to do is get a plastic engine and trans replica as this is not the last LSx engine swap I'd like to do.
You certainly could spend the money on the plastic replica. One's I've seen are like $400.....

However, you might also check with your local machine shop (or other similar shops) for an LS1 block that isn't fixable (cracked, scored liners, whatever). Since they're aluminum, they don't weigh all that much, and since its basically just scrap metal, you should be able to get it pretty cheap. Might be able to score a cheap set of heads that way too.

Just a thought.....

'JustDreamin'
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Old Apr 4, 2006 | 08:55 AM
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http://www.hotrodlane.cc

The street and Performance catalog has a few options listed for oil pans. In addition to the ones that are listed tehre are the new LS2 pans and the GTO front sump pans. There are also CTSV pans.

Andrew
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Old Apr 4, 2006 | 01:03 PM
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whew, those things aren't cheap. P-ayr replicas through summit are 369 for the longblock and 249 for the 4L80E. it would be SOOOO nice to have though. anyone in/near CA want to split it with me?!
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Old Apr 4, 2006 | 06:19 PM
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here's some before pics. I do have the engine out, now it looks like there's a giant crater wrapped in fenders on the front of the car!
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Last edited by imagreasemonkey; Jun 25, 2006 at 04:16 PM.
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 04:45 PM
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wow, it's been several months since I've been on this site and since I've been wrenching on the Lincoln. I've been doing a bunch of reading trying to catch up on some of you guys' projects, there's some pretty dang cool engine swaps being done here!
well for the lincoln I pulled the original engine out and stripped pretty much everything off of the LQ4/4L80E to set it in there and see what needs to be addressed.

First issue is the steering drag link that is behind the front sump crossmember. it sticks out really far, almost requiring a dry-sump oil pan. Instead I'm looking for a power rack&pinion setup, which will allow me room to use the GTO front sump oil pan with some cutting required. I'll either have to make the sump deeper or wider side to side as the engine sits pretty far back in order to clear the trans behind the crossmember. I know the ford expeditions have power R&P, do you guys know of any other newer full size cars/trucks that use R&P? I can make my own brackets for it and have hoses made with the proper fittings, that's not a problem, I just need to find a unit that's heavy duty enough for this land barge. So that's the first fitment issue and needs to be dealt with to get the engine positioned, then the rest can be discovered and addressed. Also, having more room behind the crossmember will make it a lot easier to run the engine/trans in-n-out.

Second is the A/C compressor on the lower right(from driver's seat perspective) will slightly hit the frame. It may be minor enough that I can recess the side of the frame, it's not a critically structural area as it's in front of all the suspension mounting. OR I could try to find a high mount style setup. I know there are a ton of them for the car setups; what are my options for a high mount A/C compressor on the truck/van accessory drive system??

Third, the steering gearbox placement makes it unreasonably difficult to route exhaust down the driver's side, which is another reason I'd like to be able to do a power rack&pinion setup. It's a lot like the problem that us tri-5 chevy guys have with headers and 605 steering gearboxes, except less room and no header manufacturers with solutions to the problem...but what fun is an engine swap without some pioneering?!

Fourth, the way the fenders/subframe rails are designed I need exhaust manifolds or headers with primary tubes that come out at an upward angle instead of down like the factory manifolds, and with a collector that points down. So I believe I will be making my own stainless shorty headers. I work with fabricating stainless tubing all the time building chemical spray systems for 500k and $1 million ag aircraft so this shouldn't be anything extraordinary, I'd just like to get a head to header flange to start from, I see those all the time for gen 1's, who makes them for gen III's?

Fifth, I believe I've found a place to mount the wiring harness, computer and fuse/relay panel that will be out of sight but easily accessible, pretty excited about that.

And the inner fenders look like swiss cheese with all the holes that were drilled in them for routing wires and hoses here, there and everywhere; I began filling those in and grinding them down, it's going to take a while. I'm planning on filling them all in and then I'll just make new holes when I get to mounting new hoses/wiring so I can put stuff wherever I want and not wherever the nearest mounting hole is.

It's exciting for me to make some progress on this, if any of you guys have answers to some of my above questions or any tips you think may help this go smoothly for me, I'd really appreciate hearing them!

See ya,
jon
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 04:53 PM
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 04:53 PM
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 05:18 PM
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i hope you have enoght room in there for that..:0
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 09:17 PM
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please detail clean and paint the engine bay before adding that chevy motor!
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Old Jun 25, 2006 | 09:26 PM
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So far I have not seen any highmount brackets for the A/C compressor on a truck motor. The belt is further from the front of the motor and everyone seems to make brackets for the f-body and vette stuff. I am in the process of making a high mount bracket and will post dimensions when I am done. https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...gh+mount+A%2FC
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Old Jun 26, 2006 | 02:32 AM
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Originally Posted by malibu9in
please detail clean and paint the engine bay before adding that chevy motor!
why?

yeah, it'll be detailed and a half. just getting the old wiring out, scraping/washing most of the grease out and cutting the remaining half of the rotten battery tray out makes it look like a completely different engine compartment already, can't wait to see what it looks like with filled holes and a new finish when I'm ready for the final engine stab. ahh, this chevy motor/tranny is the best thing to ever happen to this car; it seems like half of the car was put together as an afterthought.

Now that you mention it, I could make my own adjustable bracket with tie-rod ends for the A/C. we have all kinds of different sizes for aircraft. I just have to make sure I can fit a belt on it.
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Old Jun 26, 2006 | 07:18 AM
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Looks like a cool swap. To answer another of your questions, GM sells Gen3 header flanges as do a couple of aftermarket companies. Check out this thread for more info and the GM part number.
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 03:26 AM
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okay, another interesting turn in events. looking under there, if I move the steering to the front, I'll be able to trim and use the rear sump oil pan. I've got one side of the suspension taken apart, it looks like I may be able to swap the spindles side for side, put the rack&pinion up front and carry on from there. man, progress is slow with only two guys working every saturday!

thanks for the replies, they've been very helpful to me.

jon
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Old Jul 4, 2006 | 01:21 PM
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very intertesting project!
I almost bought one of those Lincolns years ago but it was a little rusty and I figured it would be hell to restore, damn the NY winters and roadsalt!

that motor is gonna be wonderful in the car, awesome idea!
best of luck to ya!
keep it simple and you'll get it running sooner!
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Old Oct 19, 2011 | 09:31 PM
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Ridiculously old thread, but wondering if anything ever came about of this? My buddy is buying an old Continental and we are planning on doing this exact same swap....
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Old Oct 19, 2011 | 11:28 PM
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Talk ab bringing one up from the dead!!
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Old Oct 19, 2011 | 11:28 PM
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Talk ab bringing one up from the dead!! Thanks for using the search button as it was intended and not just asking a question, seriously.
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Old Oct 19, 2011 | 11:29 PM
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Talk ab bringing one up from the dead!! Thanks for using the search button as it was intended and not just starting another thread, seriously.
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Old Nov 25, 2011 | 04:56 PM
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YES YES YES!!! what happened to this thread?? i too am in the process of doing this to my lincoln as well!! as far as the truck A/c problem i make a bracket kit that move a Sanden Compressor in the "stock" location forward that uses the same "main" belt hope the builder pipes up and updates this thread
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