Something Different!!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Something Different!! This is my 38K Box A 1960 Pontiac Starchief Sedan project. I am just getting ready to take the car down to the frame to be sandblasted and have all the rust repaired. My plan for the car is to be our Resto Mod sedan that we can drive anywhere in comfort reliably! I'm thinking a White Roof over fire engine red sitting on whitewalls with Black and white interior
The cool part is I want to transplant the complete drivetrain (minus rearend) from an 00-03 GM truck (either a 5.3 or 4.8 automatic) My goal here is to keep the powertrain bone stock including exhaust. Not looking for a road warrior just an everyday driver that appears 100% original until you open the hood. I have NEVER done anything like this before and I'm not some high end auto shop technician either just a farm boy with a plan
I'm on somewhat of a budget here so any tips are appreciated as I blast into the unknown...
Ol' 2bbl 389
The cool part is I want to transplant the complete drivetrain (minus rearend) from an 00-03 GM truck (either a 5.3 or 4.8 automatic) My goal here is to keep the powertrain bone stock including exhaust. Not looking for a road warrior just an everyday driver that appears 100% original until you open the hood. I have NEVER done anything like this before and I'm not some high end auto shop technician either just a farm boy with a plan I'm on somewhat of a budget here so any tips are appreciated as I blast into the unknown...Ol' 2bbl 389
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
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From: Arizona
Thanks I bought the car from my Grandpa for 1500 bucks a few yrs ago. I've considered leaving it the original color but the wife brought up the white over red and now I can't get it out of my head!! I'm a ways out from paint so I have time to ponder....But when I finish it will still look completely bone stock
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Dammit now the wife is telling me she likes the green too so maybe it will stay it's original color!! It is different and I do like it... Question for the guys that have done these swaps just how much custom fab will I have to do to make an LS engine/trans work in this car?? I have a good friend who is an awesome fabricator who'd help me out with the welding/cutting/fitting necessary just curious what I'm up against.
The only thing that might be an issue is A/C if you plan to have that. All you need to drop these engines in are the mount adapter plates and a trans crossmember. Chances are that the truck manifolds will work well in such a big engine bay but if not, Camaro ones are cheap. You'll need a new oil pan as the truck one will probably hang too low below the k-frame unless you want to cut the truck pan.
Sweet ride man, keep her green!
Sweet ride man, keep her green!
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very cool build. i'd keep it the original color and everything. just clean her up. the only major fabrication will be motor mounts, trans crossmember, and exhaust. there will small things like brackets, radiator, etc. but other than that, it's pretty simple. take plenty of pics, it'll be an awesome show piece once complete.
Is this the same as a impala/bel air basically? I cant tell if its actually bigger or not. If its an x-frame car, the swap will go easy, if its bigger framed, I bet it will be even easier.
very cool, and i'd leave the stock color. Theres something cool about the old colors....everyone had red...
4 doors are cooler cruisers for sure, i've done a few old 4 doors with LS swaps. More attention getters than anything i've ever done
very cool, and i'd leave the stock color. Theres something cool about the old colors....everyone had red...
4 doors are cooler cruisers for sure, i've done a few old 4 doors with LS swaps. More attention getters than anything i've ever done
If you paint it red you will be swapping out all the interior parts too. You gotta keep that big *** green steering wheel.
I like that color too. Cool car. I would be tempted to keep the mechanical radiator fan. Probably not worth the trouble though.
I would also look into a dual reservoir master cylinder brake set up. I had a brake hose go in a single system unit like that once and it's not a good feeling.
I like that color too. Cool car. I would be tempted to keep the mechanical radiator fan. Probably not worth the trouble though.
I would also look into a dual reservoir master cylinder brake set up. I had a brake hose go in a single system unit like that once and it's not a good feeling.
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 90
Likes: 1
From: Melbourne, Fl
'60 Poncho/Air The only thing that might be an issue is A/C if you plan to have that. All you need to drop these engines in are the mount adapter plates and a trans crossmember. Chances are that the truck manifolds will work well in such a big engine bay but if not, Camaro ones are cheap. You'll need a new oil pan as the truck one will probably hang too low below the k-frame unless you want to cut the truck pan.
Sweet ride man, keep her green!
Sweet ride man, keep her green!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
If you paint it red you will be swapping out all the interior parts too. You gotta keep that big *** green steering wheel.
I like that color too. Cool car. I would be tempted to keep the mechanical radiator fan. Probably not worth the trouble though.
I would also look into a dual reservoir master cylinder brake set up. I had a brake hose go in a single system unit like that once and it's not a good feeling.
I like that color too. Cool car. I would be tempted to keep the mechanical radiator fan. Probably not worth the trouble though.
I would also look into a dual reservoir master cylinder brake set up. I had a brake hose go in a single system unit like that once and it's not a good feeling.
I am going to keep her green, between everyone here and my lovely wife I've been convinced! She has to come apart though the car looks pretty decent from the pics but once you get closer to it her age really shows and there is some decent rust underneath the ol girl. Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Is this the same as a impala/bel air basically? I cant tell if its actually bigger or not. If its an x-frame car, the swap will go easy, if its bigger framed, I bet it will be even easier.
very cool, and i'd leave the stock color. Theres something cool about the old colors....everyone had red...
4 doors are cooler cruisers for sure, i've done a few old 4 doors with LS swaps. More attention getters than anything i've ever done
very cool, and i'd leave the stock color. Theres something cool about the old colors....everyone had red...
4 doors are cooler cruisers for sure, i've done a few old 4 doors with LS swaps. More attention getters than anything i've ever done
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Also I'm thinking that I might try to buy an entire truck to be the donor patient instead of sourcing everything out one piece at a time is this a wise move? Figure I could part it out when I'm done stealing parts from it and make a few bucks back. I really don't care if it has 160K miles as long as it runs great.
TECH Resident
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Just be careful. All good intentions of staying on a budget can go south quickly. Especially when you start the restoration of the paint and interior. I say re- do the seat and let it be. Good luck to ya ...... Gonna be way cool ride.
Last edited by rockytopper; Feb 10, 2012 at 10:00 AM.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Also I'm thinking that I might try to buy an entire truck to be the donor patient instead of sourcing everything out one piece at a time is this a wise move? Figure I could part it out when I'm done stealing parts from it and make a few bucks back. I really don't care if it has 160K miles as long as it runs great.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 393
Likes: 0
If I were to do mine over again I would absolutely try to find the whole car, van, truck etc. People that do that usually end up with a lower cost to perform the swap due to the resale of the unused parts.
Cool project! Don't open too many cans of worms yet with the body, interior stuff. Its called "scope creep" and suddenly you can end up overwhelmed and over budget. There will be enough items fighting for your money just to get the swap up and running. Car looks badass just the way it is!
Cool project! Don't open too many cans of worms yet with the body, interior stuff. Its called "scope creep" and suddenly you can end up overwhelmed and over budget. There will be enough items fighting for your money just to get the swap up and running. Car looks badass just the way it is!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Thanks for all the good info here. I don't know what kind of can of worms I will open by getting into body work I am tempted to just clean it up best I can and restore the interior but I HATE knowing that rust is down there. we shall see as I begin to tear it apart I'm planning to start on it Sunday. I will be uploading more pics as time goes by!!