FatfreeGTO

Thanks Dan!

So finally got my ECM & TCM situated and went to start the car today. First key on I have a flashing CEL so I'm not sure what that is about going to pick up a scanner tomorrow. I also need to find a different source for my keyed on 12v because when I crank I lost the voltage to the ign relay which seems to be a common problem with these swaps. I will investigate that tomorrow for a proper voltage source.

Anyways I installed the LS3 intake yesterday and what a difference over the LY6/L92 really sits lower and I like it so much better. I did start the car up but only for 30 seconds or so just to make sure it ran, the open headers are loud! I plan on getting a video up tomorrow of it running.

??? I have the 85mm truck MAF and have seen different pinouts for it... The MAF itself is labeled I I - + ? and I forget the last letter right now for the pins. I have seen colors going in this order for the wires purple, tan, black, pink, yellow and conversely yellow, pink, black, purple, tan or tan, purple. does anyone know what is correct to match up with the MAF pins?

Messing with the wiring...


Filling her up with some fluids finally!


LS3 Intake manifold


So that was how I spent my day, then tonight the girlfriend wanted me to spend some time with her and not the car (of course right when I get it running no less, go figure, chicks....) so we went and took a glassblowing class. It was actually alot of fun and I'm glad we did it, so I thought I would share a few pics on here...




Using a paddle to make the bottom of the bowl we were making flat.

FatfreeGTO

Startup!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWjTjah__jE


First Drive!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxJeSUAJPfI

chuk

nice work and sweet GTO!

FatfreeGTO

Thanks! Welcome to the site!

GTOSE

iTrader: (1)

That's a great lookin' GTO man!

LS1TA_956

iTrader: (1)

Nice goat .....what numbers are you expecting ?

FatfreeGTO

Thanks for the compliments, the video makes the body/paint look better then it is but that's ok.

As for numbers I'm not really sure what to expect, I guess anything over 325 at the wheels with a tune and I will be happy (for now...)

Couple interesting things about getting the car started. I can't for the life of me find a switched 12v source anywhere on the car that stays energized while cranking. I had to put in a "kill switch" and run my ignition relay to a constant 12v through the kill switch. Any ideas?? If not I don't really mind the switch its sort of hidden anyways.

john 67

Great job . Doesn't the first ride feel great ?

-TheBandit-

iTrader: (1)

Wow man, you worked quickly and got it done! Congrats.

FatfreeGTO

Yeah it was awesome I couldn't get the grin off my face!

Thanks! Basically 2 months and it was a huge commitment there was so much to learn.

Now I just need to get some offsets from my headers to my x pipe and get some dyno tuning done.

FatfreeGTO

So today I got my headers connected to the exhaust and finally got out for a real drive! I have to say from inside the car the pypes exhaust sounds awesome, but will get really quiet if you want it to be. It sure doesn't sound like an old muscle car any more the sound is so much different its hard to describe, and the throttle response it pretty nice as well can't wait to get it all tuned. Other then the fact that my power steering pump is making noise it was awesome! I'm afraid of how long my tires will last, I made a few smoke clouds pretty much effortlessly. I still haven't really been able to floor it and stay in it, I'm going to be paranoid for a while about every little thing possibly coming loose....

The 4l80e shifts really nicely, I'm surprised at how nice it is.

Well anyways I hope to get tuned soon so maybe I can get some videos from the dyno so everyone can hear it.

FatfreeGTO

Got my day at the dyno scheduled for next Thursday. Hope the weather cooperates.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

I recommend finding an indoor dyno. Trust me it was enough putting the car together outdoors.

FatfreeGTO

Oh ha yeah its an indoor dyno, I just won't drive the car there if its raining. It already has enough rust, and who knows how bad the weatherstripping will leak.

FatfreeGTO

So I'm bored tonight and I thought I would post some pics of where I've been with this build up.

This is the day the car came home about 9 years ago... My dad bought it off of ebay from IL and then proceeded to get it running before completely tearing it apart, where it then sat for the next 8 years until I purchased it in early 2010



Sat in the garage like this for a long time. The body lift is homemade making it and getting the body off the car took 1 day. This is how the car looked when I bought it.


First thing I did was send the frame out to be powdercoated. I went with the color called "Tuxedo Black" its a wrinkle finish.



Here is a shot of the front suspension. Kinda basic but it actually works really well and the car handles better then I would have expected. New poly bushings, hotchkis springs, and bilstein shocks.



Ended up doing a 4 wheel disc brake conversion. Nothing to fancy but it works well for how I drive the car.



Again the rear suspension is the same components as the front. Also ran a 3/8" stainless pre-bent fuel line (Guess I knew an LS swap was coming at some point ) vs the factory 5/16" Also ran a pre-bent stainless brake line kit, these were included with the disc brake conversion. Still need to get the rear end rebuilt. Its currently a 3.23 open diff.



Finished up the front brakes and enjoyed some Schlitz tall boys!



Ran the pypes 2.5" exhaust and got the new body mount bushings installed.



At this point all I could do was pretend to burn rubber.



Well the old Pontiac 400 had been given a redneck rebuild (paintjob) got reinstalled, also cleaned up the firewall a bunch and gave it a paintjob. The body is ready to meet the frame again after 8 years!



Started lowering the body back down. Took about 45 min to get the body back on the frame.



And there it was finally out of the gargage!


Finally got the car all assembled and on the road. I wish the paint/body really were in as good of shape as some pictures make it appear. I will need to save for quite a while I think before I can get that stuff taken care of properly.



Had some issues with engine related stuff though, stabbing in the distributor was a pain, dealing with distributor points, carb backfires, overall I just never really felt comfortable going to far from home with it. I did get out and put a couple hundred miles on it but again the comfort factor wasn't there.

I guess thankfully this spring the transmission starting to slip really helped lead to this whole LS swap for this summer. I love driving the car now, I love that it always starts, idles great, no issues with overheating and I know I don't have to worry about it, has way more power, I'm really happy I decided to part with the money and just do this already! I can't wait to get the car back from the dyno tomorrow and see how it does with a proper tune. I'm sure its just going to be the icing on the cake.

I guess for anyone who reads this who hasn't done it yet, plan on spending more then you think. I went way over budget, mostly due to things I didn't even think about. I would recommend having a plan ahead of time and learning as much as you can before you turn a single wrench. That was the hardest part for me, having to spend so much time researching while I was in the middle of the swap.

If anyone has any good ideas for a cost effective way to deal with rust holes and bubbling, as well as paint that will last for 3 years or so and still look good while not costing more then $1000 let me know. Although I'm sure what I want to do doesn't really exist, I'm just tired of thinking about what to do with the body.

hookemdevils22

iTrader: (12)

who'd you go through for the 4-wheel disc conversion? and I agree on the pypes exhaust, it's not musclecar'y at all. even the 3" race pro system on my nova is quiet, with less rumble than I'm accustomed to.

man this build makes me want to yank the body off the frame of my '66... yup, I'll do that if I can't get what I want for it.

FatfreeGTO

I can't believe you are trying to sell the 66 but I understand I've been there before too, hell we all have!

I got the disc brakes from mattsclassicbowties.com the kit is made by right stuff detailing. Everything including the lines was under $1000 so I felt it was a good deal, I would have loved the look of some big C5/C6 brakes or something similar but that would have been way overkill for me. Just wish I would have paid extra for the coated rotors, but I didn't want the cross drilled slotted kind and that is all they offered like that if I remember correctly.

I should buy your gto and put your body on my frame

hookemdevils22

iTrader: (12)

haha, I wouldn't say I'm trying to sell it, more like I've listed it on craigslist and responded to phone calls/emails. I'd be perfectly happy keeping it in my buddy's garage (the nova and the girl's 67 Mustang are in our garage) and restoring it either very slowly or sometime in the future.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

Nice! 'Like the bilsteins. Are you going to stab a posi in that 12 bolt?

Be sure and avoid the Pontiac forums. They'll have a coronary if they see what you did with that Poncho motor. I joined a Camaro forum and some moron jumped on me for not having a mouse motor.

futureuser

iTrader: (1)

I cut out most of the rust in my body and covered it with aluminum tape. I am thinking of getting the more expensive speed tape used on airplanes, then painting it. But hey, you might be higher class than me.