73lsnova

UPDATE: 7/5/17 just got my heads back from the machine shop, got my stock 862 heads resurfaced, with a valve job new valve springs and seats and hot tanked now the engine is ready to be re assembled and droped into the engine bay this saturday! Pictures of the heads will be at the bottom!

Hello guys my name is mike, this is my first time posting on the forum. I have a 1973 Chevy Nova and recently I've decided that I want to do a ls swap for more of the obvious reasons why everyone else does them haha. Well so far things are going as planned but I also have some questions I was hoping to get some help on...also more of an obvious thing (most) people say when there doing a 5.3 or any ls swap, they always state that it is a "bugget swap" so yes of course my project is also running on low funds at the moment right now too haha. I got my hands on a used 2002 5.3 lm7 with 130k miles on it tore it down replacing the main gaskets, oil pan, rear main, head gaskets etc and the stock cam and pushrods with the ls6 cam and ls6 pushrods. Came with the ecu, harness and all for about $450, I have the 4l60e also with the stock torque converter.(will I need a new one since I have the ls6 cam?) Iv got the mounts and adapters, and most of my parts, now the question's I had before I continue are what kind of radiator could I use for the swap and also I want to go with an in line mounted fuel pump instead of a in-tank fuel pump about how much hose will I need to run all my fuel lines and what's the best pump to buy money wise and reliability wise?.. is it better to buy a new driveshafts rather than getting mine cut and balanced, and where can I find a set of long tune headers that wont give me clearance issue with the frame or steering column? Keep in mind this is a bugget build so I am looking for decent prices on most of my parts I still need, although I do know most of the time it's better to spend more more money on parts that are going to benift you in the long run. I appreciate any fed back and help you gus can give me and also if I am forgetting anything crucial to my build please let me know, I'll post some pictures on here if I can figure out how to do so I hope you guys enjoy my build this is my first major swap I am doing myself with some help from my buddy's so I hope it meets some of yalls standard's haha have a great day guys
...thanks in advance!

hookemdevils22

iTrader: (12)

Your options are pretty varied. For a budget build, I'd consider:

• Summit radiator with inlet and outlet on the passenger side, or keep your stock radiator and see my early in my build for the PN on hoses that'll work
• Walbro 255 fuel pump with Corvette filter/regulator*+
• Stock torque converter
• Cut/mod the truck oil pan for ground clearance
• Have your driveshaft modded (it's generally cheaper)
• Check the X-body swap thread for long tubes used in other projects

*Many people, myself included, have had issues with the Vette FPR, but that seems to be mainly on higher hp builds.
+Note that an in-line pump will require a sump of some sort, at which point I'd strongly advise looking at a 5th gen Camaro pump with internal filter/regulator.

73lsnova

Thanks a bunch I really appreciate the feedback I'll look into the parts you posted and will post my outcome after I make my decisions! Very nice build btw!

Suncc49

Keep your stock radiator if you so desire and you can splice your hose together using junkyard parts... check my build thread towards the end on splicing

I used a griffin sbc radiator I had laying around - 1 1/2 upper to 1 5/16 upper truck water pump

1 3/4 lower to 1 1/2 lower truck water pump

AnotherWs6

iTrader: (17)

Haha, that thing is awesome. There isn't much else out there as redneck/mean looking as a beat up, primered Nova. I had one too, mine just never ran! Good luck with your project. A Nova is def on the short list for the next car I add to my "collection" lol.

73lsnova

Thanks I appreciate it! Im looking for more of a street beast look with a more meaner blacked out look, other than it looking original