69 chevy pickup conversion?
10-20-2003, 09:29 PM
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69 chevy pickup conversion? I am considering installing a LS1 out of a 2001 corvette into my 69 Chevy shortbed. I was wondering what I can expect to encounter. Should I install a manual or automatic transmission? The engine has 10k miles and is in great shape. I know that I will have to fab some motor mounts and change a transmission crossmember, but what about adapting the driveshaft to my rearend. Will I need to get a custom driveshaft built. Finally is the performance over a carbuerated SBC worth the effort of the conversion. I would love to see good throttle response and reasonable gas mileage of fuel injection, but is it worth the effort. I would appreciate anyones feedback. Also how big of a pain is wiring this motor up to operate correctly? THank you
10-20-2003, 10:49 PM
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Re: 69 chevy pickup conversion? You can get motor mount adapters for the LS1 to SBC. Look up at the top of the page and click on Speartech. John can sell you a modified harness or modify yours. He can also reprogram your PCM to remove items you wont be using and take care of VATS. You can also modify the harness yourself. I would recommend getting the Helms books for the year of the engine you have. You can also get LS1edit if you want to do your own computer tuning. Trans crossmember will be easy as you probably will be able to use the existing crossmember. May have to just slide it some and drill new holes in the frame. Do you have a coil or leaf spring rear? And a one or two peice driveshaft? This isn't the cheapest route to go for sure. I'm shooting for 10's in the quarter and 20MPG. PM or email me on any specifics and I'll help an way I can. My project is a '68 short, stepside. It's down to the frame as I'm installing a Fatman Fabrications front end and Hot Rods To Hell rear end kit along with a 8.8 Ford rear end (3.73, traction lock, disc brakes). I'm going with the manual, nitrous and stroked.
Do a search on motor mounts and wiring harnesses and you'll see that almost all the info you need to do this swap is here and if it isn't all you have to do is ask.
I noticed you have the engine out of a Vette? What tranny do you have or what are you planning on using?
Do a search on motor mounts and wiring harnesses and you'll see that almost all the info you need to do this swap is here and if it isn't all you have to do is ask.
I noticed you have the engine out of a Vette? What tranny do you have or what are you planning on using?
10-21-2003, 07:56 PM
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Re: 69 chevy pickup conversion? All that I have is the motor. This engine was taken out of a 69 camaro that was totaled. It already has a stand alone harness and ECU. I is programmed for an automatic transmission. I am not looking for anywhere near 10's. I wouldn't know how to get that much power to the ground in that light rearend. I have a coil sprung rear and a one peice driveshaft.
10-22-2003, 09:33 PM
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Re: 69 chevy pickup conversion? Glad to see there are other crazy people putting an LS1 into a 67-72 chevy truck. I have a 99 LS1 Camaro motor going into a '71 Chevy C10 shortbed. I'm on track to have it on the street next spring. It will be all black, with a 2000 Silverado interior and a '67 front end.
I got my harness done by John at Speartech-I have nothing but great things to say about him! I am a civil engineer and have wired several cars from scratch, but I would not tackle the wire harness myself for what John can do it for.
I went for an auto trans as this will be my daily driver in Chicago traffic. The original auto trans crossmember in the truck works fine for the 4L60E-just unbolt it and move the crossmember back in the frame to a new set of holes that are already there-no drilling required for that one.
The driveshaft is straight forward- just have a good shop make you a new one the right length-spend the 250 bucks and have it done right the first time.
The motor mounts you fabricate will depend on the type of exhaust you want to run-Corvette style mounts are needed to use late Corvette manifolds, which is what I'm doing. You could use Camaro mounts or the stock motor stands with the Street and Performance adapters with Camaro manifolds(easier-but engine will set higher in frame). The only real fabrication that I am doing is the motor stands, which I cut and welded up out of 3/16 plate. They sit on rubber biscuit mounts made for street rods by Chassis Engineering (the only cheap part at 28 bucks a pair)
The Camaro oil pan is the one you have to use-fits in the stock crossmember perfectly. The low mount A/C compressor from the Camaro is very tight-I'm using a high pass side mount kit from Street and Performance which also uses a Sanden compressor to make the Vintage Air kit fit perfectly.
I hope you elect to do your project-its a relatively easy swap, but it is not the cheap way to go. I my opinion, the LS1 blows away any of the other small blocks I've ever had, and I've had about 20 different ones in everything from a 69 Camaro to a Datsun 240Z. Your mileage will be way better than any carbureted vehicle also.
I got my harness done by John at Speartech-I have nothing but great things to say about him! I am a civil engineer and have wired several cars from scratch, but I would not tackle the wire harness myself for what John can do it for.
I went for an auto trans as this will be my daily driver in Chicago traffic. The original auto trans crossmember in the truck works fine for the 4L60E-just unbolt it and move the crossmember back in the frame to a new set of holes that are already there-no drilling required for that one.
The driveshaft is straight forward- just have a good shop make you a new one the right length-spend the 250 bucks and have it done right the first time.
The motor mounts you fabricate will depend on the type of exhaust you want to run-Corvette style mounts are needed to use late Corvette manifolds, which is what I'm doing. You could use Camaro mounts or the stock motor stands with the Street and Performance adapters with Camaro manifolds(easier-but engine will set higher in frame). The only real fabrication that I am doing is the motor stands, which I cut and welded up out of 3/16 plate. They sit on rubber biscuit mounts made for street rods by Chassis Engineering (the only cheap part at 28 bucks a pair)
The Camaro oil pan is the one you have to use-fits in the stock crossmember perfectly. The low mount A/C compressor from the Camaro is very tight-I'm using a high pass side mount kit from Street and Performance which also uses a Sanden compressor to make the Vintage Air kit fit perfectly.
I hope you elect to do your project-its a relatively easy swap, but it is not the cheap way to go. I my opinion, the LS1 blows away any of the other small blocks I've ever had, and I've had about 20 different ones in everything from a 69 Camaro to a Datsun 240Z. Your mileage will be way better than any carbureted vehicle also.
10-23-2003, 01:37 AM
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Re: 69 chevy pickup conversion? I'm glad to see more LS1's in old trucks.
Mine is a 1981 GMC and I removed the stock 305 and TH350 and instaled a 2002 Camaro LS1 and 4L60E with all the accessories. The AC was the trickiest part but I was able to modify the stock mounts and make it fit. I made my own adapter plates for the swap using 1/4 in. plates that bolt into the LS1 block and mount the stock 305 mounting hardware. I made my own harness using the 2002 Camaro and mating it with my truck harness and a underhood fuse/relay ***'y from a 1997 Z-28 Camaro. I also used the 2002 electric cooling fans and even the cruise control. My drive shaft mounted right up without any mods an I simply moved the crossmember back a few inches and drilled new holes. The powersteering hoses, trans cooling lines and vaccuum for the brake booster hooked up without any problem.
This is a daily driven truck and gets over 20 MPG. It also runs a 13.9 in the 1/4 @97MPH.
I may be wrong but I think for a daily driven vehicle this is the best all around choice!!
Mine is a 1981 GMC and I removed the stock 305 and TH350 and instaled a 2002 Camaro LS1 and 4L60E with all the accessories. The AC was the trickiest part but I was able to modify the stock mounts and make it fit. I made my own adapter plates for the swap using 1/4 in. plates that bolt into the LS1 block and mount the stock 305 mounting hardware. I made my own harness using the 2002 Camaro and mating it with my truck harness and a underhood fuse/relay ***'y from a 1997 Z-28 Camaro. I also used the 2002 electric cooling fans and even the cruise control. My drive shaft mounted right up without any mods an I simply moved the crossmember back a few inches and drilled new holes. The powersteering hoses, trans cooling lines and vaccuum for the brake booster hooked up without any problem.
This is a daily driven truck and gets over 20 MPG. It also runs a 13.9 in the 1/4 @97MPH.
I may be wrong but I think for a daily driven vehicle this is the best all around choice!!
Last edited by GMChasLS1; 10-27-2003 at 06:12 PM. Reason: mistyped a word
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10-25-2003, 01:27 PM
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exciting to see people with similar interests, my shop has done several ls1 conversions, a couple belong to me. We finish a very nice 72 chev, ls1-4l60e a few months ago. Have put a few hundred miles since conversion with no problems. Drives like a dream (needs cruize though). I am new to this forum but I will try to attach a picture. I used street and performance for the motor mount conversions, seemed to work very well. Two sizable issues that we delt with, built a stainless fuel tank for the back and hid the fuel fill behind the left rear tail light, also because it was an air truck, there was no room under the dash, so we mounted the pcm under the seat, worked well but required a special built harness for the extra lenth. We have done a 69 camaro with a 6speed, and have a 69 firebird scheduled for one in two weeks. Email me if you would like pics or If you have questions.
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10-30-2003, 09:38 PM
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Hi truck guys, I just finished a 69 truck with a 2001 LS1 installed corvett covers on coil packs turned out real nice. My truck is a72 with a 6.0 a4 PTE-63 turbo ,I drive it every day Just ran 8.08 85mph 1/8 with slicks/8.60 with radials. Glad to see other people enjoying these trucks.
11-22-2003, 02:02 AM
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I recently installed a 98 corvette LS1 into my 68 chevy SWB. I've been driving it everyday for the last 4-5 months. I love it. I beats any small block I've ever had. It took me about 3 months in my time off of work. It is a very large task and isn't easy to do. I did my own wiring harness into a AEM ECU. I also have wide-band O2 sensors. It's a lot of fun to tune with a laptop.
I also used a camaro oil pan. I fits the crossmember like a glove. I used the corvette motor mounts but modified them to match the angle of the crossmember. I did it this way so I could use the stock corvette exh. manifolds. I used a 700r4 auto tranny. I got the TV kickdown from bowtie overdrives and works great. The radiator hoses are pieced together from about 4 different hoses. I used a Lokar LS1 throttle cable to my stock linkage from the firewall. I also used a camaro throttle body to have the manual throttle.
There are tons of other mods that I had to do but can't think of all of them right now. Good luck on your project. It's all worth it.
I also used a camaro oil pan. I fits the crossmember like a glove. I used the corvette motor mounts but modified them to match the angle of the crossmember. I did it this way so I could use the stock corvette exh. manifolds. I used a 700r4 auto tranny. I got the TV kickdown from bowtie overdrives and works great. The radiator hoses are pieced together from about 4 different hoses. I used a Lokar LS1 throttle cable to my stock linkage from the firewall. I also used a camaro throttle body to have the manual throttle.
There are tons of other mods that I had to do but can't think of all of them right now. Good luck on your project. It's all worth it.
11-22-2003, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by machine68
One more.
It's a 71 GMC.
Old Engine Shot... Still looks about the same - just some more chrome.
11-24-2003, 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by machine68
So is yours up and running? Got any pics? My trucks actually viper red. It just looks orange sometimes in different light.
Website is at www.daltons71gmc.carsouth.com
It needs to be updated - there's not any excellent pics there - but it gives you the idea. Beware of the photo page if you have dial-up. Lots of pictures and big ones at that.
Sorry to threadjack DaYubba.
11-25-2003, 04:34 AM
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Earth motors please post a picture of your truck we will be starting this same project with my friends 71 cheyenne only he will have an engine built from my 5.3 block and will utilize my old 4l60e. I will eventually do the same but hope to do a turbo 6.0 I currently one an 01 gmc RCSB with a procharged 6.0.
