2005 Monte Carlo SS -LS4 - 4T80E - S475-
09-10-2015, 10:15 PM
#1
2005 Monte Carlo SS -LS4 - 4T80E - S475- My project is something that most of you arent used too i'm sure. 2005 Monte Carlo SS, complete with "wrong wheel drive". I started building this car 13 days ago for LS Fest, but unfortunately it seems that has mostly fallen through. While I still plan to have the car running this weekend, I simply ran out of time to have it complete, road worthy and tuned.
Here are a few photos of the car from when I started two weeks ago. The car is super clean and only has 23k miles on the chassis. Originally it was powered by a supercharged 3.8L v6.
Obviously the first order of business was to rip into her and drop the cradle. We pulled the L67, stripped the engine bay, laid down some fresh paint and cleaned up everything we possibly could.
The intercooler started life as a Vibrant Performance core measuring 22"x12"x4.5". Fabricated some end tanks and put the whole assembly together with the mounting tabs on the rear so it almost looks like it's floating. Finished off the assembly with some of the awesome Vanjen style clamps from Vibrant on the end-tanks.
For a turbo I picked up a BW S475 from Bullseye with their 1.0 V-Band exhaust housing. Obviously, it is a pretty big turbo so I fabricated a nice pedestal mount/ stand to support the weight instead of asking the hot side to take on the burden.
With the turbo and intercooler knocked-out I was able to tackle a few little things while waiting on the short-block. The exhaust is probably my favorite part of the car so far. Super short 4" bumper-exit with a badass trim-ring I had cut locally.
Short-block came back from the machine shop. Freshly rebuilt LS4. Still stock rods/ pistons, new rings with the gap opened up a little, fresh bearings, all cleaned and ready to rock. Put it back together with a few new goodies. Deleted the DOD and slid a custom grind from Engine Power Systems in the hole. Brian Tooley springs and pushrods topped off the 243 heads, and a LS2 intake looks like it belongs on top! Simple proven combination...
The transmission is unique to the application. It actually is a 4T80e found in the FWD Northstar applications and it is a far superior unit to the anemic 4t65 found in these cars. We had to relocate the starter to the oil pan, cut a small ear off the block, and grind about an 1/8" thick area of the oil pan rail to clear the differential housing...but all and all we got it together! Even built a bracket to reuse the stock 4t65 shifter cable with the new transmission.
Today was a big day for the hot-side. I still have to add the wastegate perch...but aside from that all the hard fab work is done. The fit is awesome given the confines of the bay. I love the way it turned out!
Really cranking away now. I will update tomorrow with some more pictures. Hoping to make a few test hits on Saturday!
Here are a few photos of the car from when I started two weeks ago. The car is super clean and only has 23k miles on the chassis. Originally it was powered by a supercharged 3.8L v6.
Obviously the first order of business was to rip into her and drop the cradle. We pulled the L67, stripped the engine bay, laid down some fresh paint and cleaned up everything we possibly could.
The intercooler started life as a Vibrant Performance core measuring 22"x12"x4.5". Fabricated some end tanks and put the whole assembly together with the mounting tabs on the rear so it almost looks like it's floating. Finished off the assembly with some of the awesome Vanjen style clamps from Vibrant on the end-tanks.
For a turbo I picked up a BW S475 from Bullseye with their 1.0 V-Band exhaust housing. Obviously, it is a pretty big turbo so I fabricated a nice pedestal mount/ stand to support the weight instead of asking the hot side to take on the burden.
With the turbo and intercooler knocked-out I was able to tackle a few little things while waiting on the short-block. The exhaust is probably my favorite part of the car so far. Super short 4" bumper-exit with a badass trim-ring I had cut locally.
Short-block came back from the machine shop. Freshly rebuilt LS4. Still stock rods/ pistons, new rings with the gap opened up a little, fresh bearings, all cleaned and ready to rock. Put it back together with a few new goodies. Deleted the DOD and slid a custom grind from Engine Power Systems in the hole. Brian Tooley springs and pushrods topped off the 243 heads, and a LS2 intake looks like it belongs on top! Simple proven combination...
The transmission is unique to the application. It actually is a 4T80e found in the FWD Northstar applications and it is a far superior unit to the anemic 4t65 found in these cars. We had to relocate the starter to the oil pan, cut a small ear off the block, and grind about an 1/8" thick area of the oil pan rail to clear the differential housing...but all and all we got it together! Even built a bracket to reuse the stock 4t65 shifter cable with the new transmission.
Today was a big day for the hot-side. I still have to add the wastegate perch...but aside from that all the hard fab work is done. The fit is awesome given the confines of the bay. I love the way it turned out!
Really cranking away now. I will update tomorrow with some more pictures. Hoping to make a few test hits on Saturday!
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Brian Crispano (05-29-2020)
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09-11-2015, 08:46 AM
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It will be interesting to see how the 4T80E holds up. Others have done it though so i bet it will be fine. I wonder how the axles will like it????
Hope all works out for you. Should be a killer sleeper.
Hope all works out for you. Should be a killer sleeper.
09-11-2015, 04:25 PM
#10
Thanks for all the support guys!
Made a bunch more progress today. It is really close to running. I basically have to wire it up, and take care of a few odds and ends. Here are a few more photos.
I had to pull the entire hot side back off today to mount the gate and run the oil drain off the turbo mount bracket. Here is a quick shot of all the goodies that get buried.
We hammered out the transmission cooler, turbo feed/ return and the brake lines.
Also had these billet bars cut to replace the stupid stamped steel factory braces. I still I think I prefer the bay without the braces all together..but I will let them slide for now.
Other half of the cold side is all buttoned up, race-port 50mm Turbosmart BOV is mounted up....engine bay is just about done!
Hoping to have a start-up video to share tomorrow
Made a bunch more progress today. It is really close to running. I basically have to wire it up, and take care of a few odds and ends. Here are a few more photos.
I had to pull the entire hot side back off today to mount the gate and run the oil drain off the turbo mount bracket. Here is a quick shot of all the goodies that get buried.
We hammered out the transmission cooler, turbo feed/ return and the brake lines.
Also had these billet bars cut to replace the stupid stamped steel factory braces. I still I think I prefer the bay without the braces all together..but I will let them slide for now.
Other half of the cold side is all buttoned up, race-port 50mm Turbosmart BOV is mounted up....engine bay is just about done!
Hoping to have a start-up video to share tomorrow
The following users liked this post:
Brian Crispano (05-29-2020)
The following users liked this post:
Brian Crispano (05-29-2020)
09-15-2015, 02:53 PM
#16
Made a lot more progress this weekend on the car. I buttoned up a ton of odds and ends, and I plan on firing the car tomorrow. The complete engine harness is all wired up, I just need to integrate the body side of things. In addition to all the wiring, finished up the wastegate perch, dump tube, and charge pipe.
ALMOST ready to make some hits!
ALMOST ready to make some hits!
The following users liked this post:
Brian Crispano (05-29-2020)
The following users liked this post:
Brian Crispano (05-29-2020)