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I am in the process of obtaining a 5.3 LS out of an old Tahoe. My plans are a simple, but cheap rebuild. I have a 1971 Cutlass Convertible that will be getting it. I plan on keeping the stock transmission as it was recently rebuilt before I got the car. There is nothing wrong with the current motor, I just want something in it that won’t break the bank to replace parts. Any suggestions?
Sell the rebuilt transmission you have and get a 4l60e to use behind it. You dont have to worry about kickdown cables or adapters and you are able to tune the shift pressures and speeds. Also with torque management it may even hold up longer.
The 4L60E will fit. But the 4L60E from a 4x4 does not have the correct tail shaft. You can buy the correct parts but the trans has to come apart to install. Not a bad thing if it may be a great time for a rebuild?
Just curious as to why you would think Olds parts would break the bank? The small displacement Olds engines were continuously manufactured from 1949 through 1990. All parts for engines made from 1968 to the end of production are common with the exception of heads, intakes and gaskets for the 307/5.0 made from 1980-1990. They designed a change in deck height so early high performance intakes and heads couldn't be used. My point is 32 years of common engine parts certainly won't break the bank. I can tell you the engine swap, engine and trans mounts, replacement driveshaft, replacement harness, relocated battery, fuel system ect will break the bank real quickly. Of course it's your choice.
Just curious as to why you would think Olds parts would break the bank? The small displacement Olds engines were continuously manufactured from 1949 through 1990. All parts for engines made from 1968 to the end of production are common with the exception of heads, intakes and gaskets for the 307/5.0 made from 1980-1990. They designed a change in deck height so early high performance intakes and heads couldn't be used. My point is 32 years of common engine parts certainly won't break the bank. I can tell you the engine swap, engine and trans mounts, replacement driveshaft, replacement harness, relocated battery, fuel system ect will break the bank real quickly. Of course it's your choice.
Just the scarcity of parts. I can get LS parts all day long. I also wanted to go EFI, not the sniper route. As much as I love the sniper on my truck, I am looking for a modern block. I also plan on keeping the original parts just in the event I want to go back.
Suggestions? Stick with all of the Holley swap parts - forward bias engine mounts, their 302-3 oil pan and their Blackheart headers. Bringing the engine forward makes fitting that possible 4L60E much simpler with no snipping of tin in the floor pan required.
You may also need the one inch smaller power steering pump pulley from an S-10 truck so it clears the steering box. I can get you my part number later.
Figure out your cooling lines for the transmission early. Ninety degree fittings at the exit and entrance to the transmission case likely required to miss the floor pan.
Consider changing the hard to reach later engine sensors - especially the crank position sensor and maybe the knock sensors and their harness under the intake manifold. Also maybe the cam position sensor. It'll never be easier to reach these than right now.
While you are at this stage, please consider swapping in the 1995-98 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering box. This gives you the better steering ratio and heftier torsion bar force compared to your current steering gear box. GM sold these Saginaw boxes to Jeep and these are a very good smiles per dollar per mile upgrade for any GM A-body . . . or later G-body. You can get the boxes in the junk yards for cheap - just don't pull one from anything hit in the front. And pick a JGC vehicle - not a Liberty or a Sport model. Those two probably are identical but nobody seems to know for sure though they do look identical. In any case, you will need the Dorman 31011 rag joint to complete the swap - adapts to your 1971 steering shaft.
I second the use of the Holley swap components. I just used them today to drop the engine into my 70 GTO.
My other suggestions are going with the Terminator X Max and a 4L60e and definitely drive by wire throttle. The pedal from a 2009 Chevy Impala SS practically bolts into a GM A-body.
If I can offer help with the tuning, please keep me in mind.
I second the use of the Holley swap components. I just used them today to drop the engine into my 70 GTO.
My other suggestions are going with the Terminator X Max and a 4L60e and definitely drive by wire throttle. The pedal from a 2009 Chevy Impala SS practically bolts into a GM A-body.
Andrew
I second that. On a side note, Holley has been making DBW pedal bracket that uses C6 pedal. Holley also sells the pedal. Holley has just about everything you’ll need.
I second that. On a side note, Holley has been making DBW pedal bracket that uses C6 pedal. Holley also sells the pedal. Holley has just about everything you’ll need.
I second the use of the Holley swap components. I just used them today to drop the engine into my 70 GTO.
My other suggestions are going with the Terminator X Max and a 4L60e and definitely drive by wire throttle. The pedal from a 2009 Chevy Impala SS practically bolts into a GM A-body.
If I can offer help with the tuning, please keep me in mind.
Andrew
Andrew,
Does that 2009 Chevy Impala SS come with a bracket?
The factory pedal mount uses 4 holes to mount the pedal to the firewall. Once that is removed, I lined up one of the 4 holes with one of the holes in the Impala pedal, angled the pedal so it was positioned correctly, then drilled a hole in the firewall to match the second hole in the pedal mount. It is super simple, which is why I said that it practically is a bolt in...Here is a picture from the old build thread:
Thank you so much, I keep going back to all your builds trying to remember what I saw in which one !
I have subscribed to them all, as well as Kwhizz as I'm also doing a 67 Chevelle. I'm just getting started on my first, you guys along with some others I follow seem to knock them out pretty fast.
Thank you so much, I keep going back to all your builds trying to remember what I saw in which one !
I have subscribed to them all, as well as Kwhizz as I'm also doing a 67 Chevelle. I'm just getting started on my first, you guys along with some others I follow seem to knock them out pretty fast.
Ken
I'm not sure how fast I am this time around. It'll be 2 years next spring since I started the latest round of updates.
Some motivation for your swap. My 442 clone got almost 4k miles in this year just to and fro work; I'm at 20k+ miles since my swap in 2012 and still love it. I only drive locally but the power and reliability can't be beat.
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1971 Cutlass 
