LS7 powered 59 BelAir
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 29
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From: Chambana, IL
LS7 powered 59 BelAir Well, here goes. Starting the build on a 59 Chevy I picked up last July. Was going to put a 396 BBC in her, but just changed the plan: LS7 powered 59!
So, starting my laundry list of stuff to do. I need your help, if you can spare some advice. Guaranteed I missed something
I have:
1959 Chevy (non numbers car so let's have some fun!)
327 cid chev + TH350 (nice old school setup, but it's outta there)
Front disk, rear drum, manual brakes, manual steering, 8'' rear end.
Fresh LS7 in the crate.
New brake booster, prop. valve & master cylinder in the box
tilt column (vulched out of my 91 GMC 1500)
Lots of time.
Current plan:
remove engine + trans (sell)
remove front end (a-arms, spindles, brakes, steering)
remove radiator
remove rear axle
remove leaky gas tank, lines, sender, pump
Need to get:
Trans! (auto) - leaning towards the 4L80E
Wiring harness/ECM
gas pedal (drive by wire)
radiator/electric fans
tubular a-arms/ball joints/sway bar
rack & pinion steering unit (99 intrepid center-steer setup)
front disks: Wilwood Dynalite Big Brake Front Brake Kit (4 piston, ~12" rotor, spindles)
rear disks - ???? no kit selected yet
Ford 8.8" rear end
rear suspension (yeah, this is wishy-washy right now - I know I need to do something, but it isn't really clear to me right now - sock it to me - give me some ideas, please. adjustable coilovers in rear? 4-link? elliptical springs? How would you approach this?)
new gas tank/sending unit, external pump, & plumbing
headers + exhaust + O2 sensor
A/C
Alternator
drive shaft
buckets
To Do:
cut & fab new trans tunnel
mini-tub in rear
This X-body is gonna be a pain when it's time to make a drive shaft - ideas?
Move batteries to trunk
trans crossmember
Fab brackets
plumb fuel lines
Drink beer
scratch
cuss
Having a new LS7 crate motor is nice, but there is a lot to do. I'll post pics as I go.
So, starting my laundry list of stuff to do. I need your help, if you can spare some advice. Guaranteed I missed something
I have:
1959 Chevy (non numbers car so let's have some fun!)
327 cid chev + TH350 (nice old school setup, but it's outta there)
Front disk, rear drum, manual brakes, manual steering, 8'' rear end.
Fresh LS7 in the crate.
New brake booster, prop. valve & master cylinder in the box
tilt column (vulched out of my 91 GMC 1500)
Lots of time.
Current plan:
remove engine + trans (sell)
remove front end (a-arms, spindles, brakes, steering)
remove radiator
remove rear axle
remove leaky gas tank, lines, sender, pump
Need to get:
Trans! (auto) - leaning towards the 4L80E
Wiring harness/ECM
gas pedal (drive by wire)
radiator/electric fans
tubular a-arms/ball joints/sway bar
rack & pinion steering unit (99 intrepid center-steer setup)
front disks: Wilwood Dynalite Big Brake Front Brake Kit (4 piston, ~12" rotor, spindles)
rear disks - ???? no kit selected yet
Ford 8.8" rear end
rear suspension (yeah, this is wishy-washy right now - I know I need to do something, but it isn't really clear to me right now - sock it to me - give me some ideas, please. adjustable coilovers in rear? 4-link? elliptical springs? How would you approach this?)
new gas tank/sending unit, external pump, & plumbing
headers + exhaust + O2 sensor
A/C
Alternator
drive shaft
buckets
To Do:
cut & fab new trans tunnel
mini-tub in rear
This X-body is gonna be a pain when it's time to make a drive shaft - ideas?
Move batteries to trunk
trans crossmember
Fab brackets
plumb fuel lines
Drink beer
scratch
cuss
Having a new LS7 crate motor is nice, but there is a lot to do. I'll post pics as I go.
Last edited by invader59; Mar 3, 2012 at 03:13 PM. Reason: laundry list updated
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Chambana, IL
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Creek, ca
Nice! One word of advice if you can fabricate then fabricate as much as you can as far as the LS engine brackets that you can! I have found that its easier, better, and looks better to build it yourself! I have been forced to go this route after buying junk parts at big$$$$
O.K as for the rear end the stocker is "O.K" for driving it nicely, If your going to beat on it, they make a 9 inch rear end. You could fab up your own stuff for a 12 bolt,but since I don't have access to everything to do that I often buy the bigger items. Brakes,there are alot of options you can go with a smaller set up made of mostly g.m parts or you can go Baer or Wilwood. Drive shaft, not really a big deal, keep the 2 piece and put in a billet support bearing.
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Walnut Creek, ca
I agree with norm! I went with a moser 9" rear for a 64 impala! As far as brakes I did the CPP big brake kit and they have there heads up there you know what! If you can go Wilwood or bear I would from what I have done.
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I agree with the rear choices. Might want to consider the 4th trailing arm if you car doesnt have one. I know my Biscayne only has 3.
Jon
PSI
Jon
PSI
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Facebook/psiconversion
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Verdad Gallardo I did/used cpp for the brake stuff. WILL NOT!!!!!!!!! use their stuff again. Customer satisfaction was poor at the best. I will be selling my cpp brake stuff and going to Baer or wilwood.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Chambana, IL
If your going to beat on it, they make a 9 inch rear end. You could fab up your own stuff for a 12 bolt,but since I don't have access to everything to do that I often buy the bigger items.
I am worried about the length of the new trans extending too close to the X in the frame, that's why I'm hemming an hawing - No use worrying until I get her apart and mock it up though.
PSIConversion, yep it only has 3 trailing arms (biiiig clunky suckers, too). I'd love to install a 4-link if possible - that way I get to upgrade to coilovers too - I resist only because I am biting off a huge chunk as it is. Maybe I can do something that's "pretty good" to start and push off the huge rear end fiesta until a later time. Just replace existing with tubular, Add 4th arm, new springs and install the 9"+wilwood disks?
bwilrolla64 L&C on the CPP message - too bad others have to bear the frustration, I'll learn from your experience and steer clear
Invaider, 8.8 rears are plenty stout and have good parts availability. I prefer the drop out center section on the 9" rears for ease of maintenance. Since you have to fabricate mounts for either it only matters what YOU want and can get parts for. Hell, you could get a Toyota rear with Dodge brakes (just random) and put it under the car because you'll have to do nearly the same amount of work getting anything else to work.
You will have some real fun with a 4L80E in that car because of the x frame and the transmission mount. You will need a custom mount to get it to fit.
I'm using a custom wishbone upper mount on my car and a couple of others I'm in the process of helping build. This eliminates the panhard rod and allows you to keep the factory style lower trailing arms and mounting positions.
The rear springs are on the trailing arms in front of the rear axle. because of this I think typical coil overs would be difficult to do and might not be worth the effort. Once you see where everything lines up you will see what I mean.
95%+ of these cars have three trailing arms. Only a few came with four from the factory and from all I have worked on, owned or people I know I can only think of one that did.
Good luck on the build and take lots of pictures.
You will have some real fun with a 4L80E in that car because of the x frame and the transmission mount. You will need a custom mount to get it to fit.
I'm using a custom wishbone upper mount on my car and a couple of others I'm in the process of helping build. This eliminates the panhard rod and allows you to keep the factory style lower trailing arms and mounting positions.
The rear springs are on the trailing arms in front of the rear axle. because of this I think typical coil overs would be difficult to do and might not be worth the effort. Once you see where everything lines up you will see what I mean.
95%+ of these cars have three trailing arms. Only a few came with four from the factory and from all I have worked on, owned or people I know I can only think of one that did.
Good luck on the build and take lots of pictures.
I have a 4l60-e in my Biscayne. I bought a 700r4 kit ( trans crossmember) from a old chevy car site. I also bought a gto engine/trans and it came with the trans crossmember. It almost looks like a easy fit to get it to work on the x-frame car. I'll get some pics of it this weekend and post them up.
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 244
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From: Walnut Creek, ca
There is a place called global west suspension and I had already made these brackets before I saw there's but they mount from the front side of the upper trailing arm and run toward the the X in the frame. You can either bolt it to the frame or weld it. The
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Chambana, IL
Invaider, 8.8 rears are plenty stout and have good parts availability. I prefer the drop out center section on the 9" rears for ease of maintenance. Since you have to fabricate mounts for either it only matters what YOU want and can get parts for. Hell, you could get a Toyota rear with Dodge brakes (just random) and put it under the car because you'll have to do nearly the same amount of work getting anything else to work.
You will have some real fun with a 4L80E in that car because of the x frame and the transmission mount. You will need a custom mount to get it to fit.
You will have some real fun with a 4L80E in that car because of the x frame and the transmission mount. You will need a custom mount to get it to fit.
I will post plenty pictures.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Chambana, IL
I have a 4l60-e in my Biscayne. I bought a 700r4 kit ( trans crossmember) from a old chevy car site. I also bought a gto engine/trans and it came with the trans crossmember. It almost looks like a easy fit to get it to work on the x-frame car. I'll get some pics of it this weekend and post them up.
It really won't be that hard once you look it over. That transmission will fit with room to spare but the floor may need a massage and the crossmember will need to move for sure. Years ago I was going to do a TH400 in my 61 but I got a better idea and decided to go back to a manual transmission (I hate autos). The car is under the knife again, this time for a LSx and T-56 or similar transmission variant.