63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

I finally got started. I have got a 5.3 and a turbo 400 for test fitting. Since I am going to be taking the motor and trans out so much I decided to go ahead and cut out my radiator support. It looked bad any ways, and this way I will have more room for everything. Space is going to be at a premium since I am keeping my shock towers. I will probably have to notch them, but not sure yet. I test fitted the motor and trans today. I need to cut some of the old transmission mount out from the tunnel. The turbo 400 is way bigger than the t5 and C4 that I had in the car.

Here are the first few pics.

Radiator support


No radiator support


The search for an oil pan took a while. There are only 2 production front sump pans that I have found. The GTO and the Trailblazer SS. I scored a complete trailblazer setup for $75 of of ebay, so that is what I will try.

Here is a SBF front sump compared to the Trailblazer pan.



Last but not least. Here it is almost sitting right.



Next I will trim the tunnel and make motor/trans mounts. Then I decide if I need to notch the shock towers.

Here's one of the car.

slowbu

iTrader: (4)

Sweet falcon, been waiting to see some one put some ls heartbeat in one
Keep up the good work

Striker289

iTrader: (1)

Owning a TBSS and being on the forums a lot of guys experience bearing failure because of the front sump. PCMForLESS makes rear sump setup for the stock TBSS Oil Pan though. Just some food for thought.

Build looks Great.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the heads up on the TBSS pan issue. I will read up on it.

likes cars

I have been building this car in my head and on bar napkins for a while now. I might part with my Chevelle soon, an early Falcon with a turbo 4.8 or 5.3 is next for sure. Keep up the posts. Good luck.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

So the TBSS pan wouldn't work. The TH400 is so big that I could not get a good driveline angle with the TBSS pan, so I had to get the GTO pan after all. All is good now. I got the motor mounts and trans mount made and I am working on notching shock towers now for exhaust room. Picked up my S475 and a FMIC also. Here are some pics of the progress.


This is the room without notching the shock towers. A little tight.


My S475 with the T4 flange




More to come.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

If my car was nicer I might try to trade you. LOL. That is a sweet Chevelle.

The Falcon was the car I drove in High School back in 1990. I am hopeful this will be the build where it actually becomes the car I have always dreamed of having.

The cool thing about it is that I do everything that gets done to it in my garage, but the thing that keeps if from being as cool as it should be is that I do everything that gets done to it in my garage.

x275radial

iTrader: (1)

pretty kewl. i have a 62 falcon thsat i did a strut frontend. using 90 mustang suspension also have a 5.3 with turbo400 and possibly twin 62s.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

How hard was the strut swap. Any pics?

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

Got the shock towers cut out yesterday. Waiting for the new metal to show up so I can weld them back up hopefully this weekend.

Blackpanther99

iTrader: (8)

This is gonna be a fun build Liking the turbo already

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

Got the shock towers welded back up in the falcon. Got the motor back in and the truck manifolds will still not fit. I broke down tonight and ordered some of the Hooker LS manifolds to see if they will fit.





Hopefully the hooker manifolds will fit and then I can get on to the fun part of figuring out where to fit in the turbo and intercooler. Once everything is mocked up I will pull it all down for some final clean up grinding.

LT1RAY

iTrader: (21)

I think your going have to flip the manifolds up and maybe use something like the vette ls3 manifolds.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

The manifolds will definitely need to be flipped. I am hoping that the hookers will work, if they don't I will check out the LS3 vet manifolds.

sq_creations

iTrader: (5)

I'm about to start on a 5.3 swap into a 62 galaxie. I was wondering if you would post up some photo's of the mounts you made.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

I used some 1/8" plate cut and connected to the block using the 4 bolts. Then used some 3/16" to go to the frame. I put in some more bracing after these photos just to be sure and drilled a second hole so they are bolted to the frame using 2 bolts.

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

While I am waiting on the FedEx man I went ahead and got the new radiator fitted and decided on where to put my intercooler I picked up from Hitman. I had to notch the frame for the big radiator and will have to bend/tweak my grill to clear the bottom of the intercooler. It will be a tight fit to fit a fan, exhaust and turbo in the space that is left. lol

SouthtexasplaynSR

What front suspension are you currently using or you going to run? My son & I know where we can pick up a cheap (beater) falcon & we thought of building it as a "budget beater".

63Falcon5.3

iTrader: (1)

The front suspension is stock V8. My Falcon is from Texas. I grew up in Livingston.

It is a really tight fit for the LS motor. If you keep the stock suspension like I did you will have to notch the shock towers and I am still not sure there is enough room for regular exhaust. I think I can get away with it since I am doing the front mount turbo. I know Crites makes a notching kit and 351 swap heads for Falcons, so that might work for you, just change the flange on the headers to fit the LS.

SouthtexasplaynSR

Keep us posted & hope to see the car at C&C some time