'71 Chevelle LS3 w/ Vararam
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'71 Chevelle LS3 w/ Vararam - 2013 Updates
Just wanted to share a restoration/pro-street conversion we recently completed in our shop. 1971 Chevelle with a cammed LS3/4l60e, Full BMR susp, 3.73 Eaton posi, GTO seats, and modified GTO Vararam.
Here are some before - mid - after pics. Still has plenty of details to finish, but overall it is a great street machine with looks and power plenty.
Here are some before - mid - after pics. Still has plenty of details to finish, but overall it is a great street machine with looks and power plenty.
Last edited by QUEST4-10S; 06-06-2013 at 04:20 PM. Reason: updates
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WOW. Very nice. The first pic looks like the condition most of my "toys" start out as. LOL. The control arms look alot better black vs BMRsred. Did you order them black or repowdercoat them?
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All suspension components were ordered in the hammertone gray color, I think that picture is a bit too dark to see the color. Like I said, there are still plenty of details to finish, that m/c will be painted soon enough to match the engine bay. It was just in a haste to get the vehicle to a car show, (which it took 1st place) that priorities needed to be set. Thanks for feedback. BTW that Vararam is a functioning unit. The original underhood cowl opening was closed and relocated to breath air from the front underhood. IAT temps actually decrease when hood is closed.
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Was this an L92 out of a truck or an ls3 from a car? The first pic looks like truck accessories while the latter ones look like car. I ask because I was wondering if you had to notch the frame to keep the a/c and I was thinking trucks/cars had different a/c compressors.
Nice color combo.
Nice color combo.
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Chuckd71, Sorry it took me 2 years to respond! As you can tell it's been a while since I have cruised the forum. It was a combination of truck and car brackets with a lot of modification. I am sorry but I really don't remember how on earth I did it. I do remember offsetting the right motor mount about an inch so it could clear the compressor. I have since changed the setup for P/S and alternator with a kit from kwikperformance. Worked really well! As far as the mounts. Nook and tranny makes adjustable mounts that work for this mod. Even though they say it won't. I did have to cut off a small corner of the a/c bracket to clear the mount and I made new holes on the frame to bolt up the mount. The motor is pushing 455hp to the wheels and no signs of it coming loose.
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Update pictures of this build with lots of changes! Well like many projects this one has continued to evolve. I modified the hood so it can breath through the front part. I temporarily put foam on the bottom of hood outlining the Vararam tray. and IAT's were around ambient temperature. I haven't finished that part to make certain I am getting a proper seal. I also changed accessory brackets for better correct belt alignment. This build always gave me problems with idle and I went back and forth between tuners with not much success. I installed the MSD Atomic LS kit. It was relatively easy to install and fired up and idled after 5 attempts. It is running relatively well. I used a PCS kit for the 4l60e and that worked flawlessly. As far as the Atomic kit, just idling issues I am running into, it struggles to idle after blipping the throttle in park and parking lot maneuvering with cause it to stall. It flat out won't idle with a/c on. It is an ongoing project as the diagnostics capability of the MSD leaves MUCH to be desired. It is basically trial and error. I am testing components individually, I did find have an intermittent failure with TPS. I also am going to try another throttle. (previous tuner drilled a 1/4 hole to help him with idle) Here are a few pics!