I love my LS Swap!
06-10-2010, 05:42 PM
#1
I love my LS Swap! My 53 Studebaker - 2000 LS1 swap has been on the road for 13k miles and over 3 years now. It has always run well and I have continued to tweak it with various smaller projects. I just completed the most ambitious test of its success by driving it from North of Sacramento down to Anaheim and then to Glendale AZ for the International Studebaker meet and then back home. I did encounter one problem that was no fault of the swap, had a transmission coolant line come apart between the hard line and the hose and oiled down I-10 going up the grade from Indio. I fixed it easily enough but with no trans fluid had to call the hook and it got loaded on a roll back truck to get back to Indio for some fluid. I have since put a slight flare in the lines to prevent it from happening again (Thanks Chris442). But I digress. Car got rave reviews in both Anaheim for a Studebaker meet there and at the the Big Meet in AZ. I drove it almost 2000 miles, ran it down the Speed World drag strip 9 times on a hot/bad air night and ran a best of 14.16 at 99, drove it around the greater Phoenix area on a 109 degree days with the AC on, finally flew back across the desert to CA with the cruise control set on 76 mph and the AC keeping me comfy. Took me 12.5 hours to cover 800 miles and that includes lunch, fuel and comfort stops. I finally calculated the miles and fuel usage and figured out it got 26.8 mpg for the entire trip, that includes the in town and drag strip time! Truly these combinations are the best of both worlds. Not really bragging, well maybe a little, but wanted to share my success hoping to motivate those that are still busting knuckles or sitting on the fence about doing an LS swap. Next stop: Hot August Nights in Reno Aug 4-8. See ya there if you make it.
Pat
Pat
I haven't ventured out much in my Mav yet, but last year my son and I drove my GN powered S-10 on an 800 mile roundtrip to get the trans for the Mav built and it was a near-perfect trip... 
06-11-2010, 11:06 AM
#4
It's always satisfying when you get that kind of outcome from a build. Helps your confidence for that next long trip. Great looking car! If I would have known you were comming down I5 through LA, I would have made the effort to hook up with you. I'm near I5 at Magic Mountain (Valencia).
Andy1
Andy1
06-11-2010, 11:49 AM
#6
Just glad that I could help out. Sounds like the trip home was smooth sailing, which is good to hear.
I was out at the track with him, and I actually was in the other lane for his best pass--he won. I was only driving my Mom's grocery getter, though.
It's just fun to watch people react to seeing the car go down the strip, and then to see their reactions when the car runs as quick as it does. Not too many cars that run on wide whites can run 13s.
I think you've earned the right to brag a little, too. Most cars of that age would be tied down to a trailer for that trip. The trip you took in the weather there was is about the harshest highway test you can give a car. Other than the one mishap, the car did great. I'm also impressed with that mileage, we've never even flirted with a number like that in the Camaro.
I was out at the track with him, and I actually was in the other lane for his best pass--he won. I was only driving my Mom's grocery getter, though.
It's just fun to watch people react to seeing the car go down the strip, and then to see their reactions when the car runs as quick as it does. Not too many cars that run on wide whites can run 13s.I think you've earned the right to brag a little, too. Most cars of that age would be tied down to a trailer for that trip. The trip you took in the weather there was is about the harshest highway test you can give a car. Other than the one mishap, the car did great. I'm also impressed with that mileage, we've never even flirted with a number like that in the Camaro.
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06-12-2010, 01:09 AM
#11
TECH Resident
Good goin' Pat...mine has nearly 30K on it now. We did a Route 66 run last summer that was the most fun we ever had with our clothes on. That run was three weeks and over 5,000 miles on the old girl. By the way, with a 3:1 gearset we managed over 25 mpg!!
Yep...still lovin' it after all these smiles!!
Yep...still lovin' it after all these smiles!!
06-12-2010, 09:03 AM
#12
Thanks guys for all the comments. I found a receipt I missed and it looks like we actually "only" got right at 26 mpg. On another note I saw a couple good examples of some simple traction bars I can build for the car, the other guys claim they really work well for them on a similar Stude suspension. That should drop my 60 foot times down out of the 2.20s and 2.30s and really lower my ET. Gary, I also just put a new Vintage Air system in and it does work great. Phoenix and the desert were great tests. I am regretting that I did not post my travel schedule before hand so I might have met up with some of you guys. Next time for sure. Brian, I have not touched the new 'retirement' project, though I did buy some parking light and tail light lenses for it at the Studebaker meet. I have decided it is going to have Studebaker power, likely fuel injected and maybe supercharged. But that's all a ways off.
Pat
Pat
06-12-2010, 09:18 PM
#13
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Stu funny you mentioned your mishap on the trip. I put 10.5k on my swap before I tore it down to restore it and the only trouble I had besides a alt going out once was my trans lines blowing off twice same as yours from the hard lines. Luckly for me both times I was close enough to a store to limp and get trans fluid without becoming stranded.
06-13-2010, 11:52 AM
#14
Stu - congrats on the payoff to the hard work - patting one's back and tooting the horn in your situation is well deserved! 
Ok, this is really weird...
I lost a cooler line last week too. I have around 10K miles on the swap since September (Yes I drive this car a LOT). I lost a seal on one of the line fittings going in the transmission.
A bit of cussing for the tight fit, 2 quarts and $10 later I was back on the road. Luckily I was literally down the street from my house when I realized it.
Note to self, replace those fittings before putting the transmission in the car - it was a pain! It's amazing how far two quarts of oil will go on the driveway / shop floor!
Ok, this is really weird...
I lost a cooler line last week too. I have around 10K miles on the swap since September (Yes I drive this car a LOT). I lost a seal on one of the line fittings going in the transmission.
A bit of cussing for the tight fit, 2 quarts and $10 later I was back on the road. Luckily I was literally down the street from my house when I realized it. Note to self, replace those fittings before putting the transmission in the car - it was a pain! It's amazing how far two quarts of oil will go on the driveway / shop floor!
01-22-2011, 10:07 AM
#15
Pat, Good to see you are still having fun with the stu. Here's a road trip for you in Sept. It's one of the best events I made last year in the '55. It was their first year for the event and it was great.
http://www.holley.com/lsfest/
This will be my 3rd year with the ls powerplant and I agree that it was well worth the effort and expense.
Have a good year,
Steve
http://www.holley.com/lsfest/
This will be my 3rd year with the ls powerplant and I agree that it was well worth the effort and expense.
Have a good year,
Steve
01-23-2011, 11:14 AM
#19
im gonna say that my ls equipped vehicles have been the most reliable for me.
so im not surprised your trip was a success with the ls.
my dd 4.8 truck has 320k, still on stock wp,starter,trans and avgs bout 23mpg ice cold ac,runs on 87. and drips/leaks nothing.
some ppl get surprised when i mention its ls powered, they think it has a swap
so im not surprised your trip was a success with the ls.
my dd 4.8 truck has 320k, still on stock wp,starter,trans and avgs bout 23mpg ice cold ac,runs on 87. and drips/leaks nothing.
some ppl get surprised when i mention its ls powered, they think it has a swap
