Hey there everyone! And names is Andres but you can call me Andre. I've been building up my 1970 Chevelle Malibu for the past couple of years. I just finished welding in the Hellwig Frame FX kit. Now I'm ready to mock up a LS engine and transmission. I'm looking for a LS6, L99 or LS3 and mate it to a 4l80E transmission. The frame is completely stripped and ready for the engine. I'm just wondering where to get a decent engine or do I go for a Blueprint LS engine. I know piecing a engine together can be very time consuming so I just wonder if I should just spend the money and and get a new engine with a warranty. I want my car to be a driver not a drag race car so any experienced input is appreciated.

 

[QUOTE=1970ChevelleLS;20509184]Hey there everyone! And names is Andres but you can call me Andre. I've been building up my 1970 Chevelle Malibu for the past couple of years. I just finished welding in the Hellwig Frame FX kit. Now I'm ready to mock up a LS engine and transmission. I'm looking for a LS6, L99 or LS3 and mate it to a 4l80E transmission. The frame is completely stripped and ready for the engine. I'm just wondering where to get a decent engine or do I go for a Blueprint LS engine. I know piecing a engine together can be very time consuming so I just wonder if I should just spend the money and and get a new engine with a warranty. I want my car to be a driver not a drag race car so any experienced input is appreciated./QUOTE]
There are rules about vendors who are not sponsors so send me a PM for info on a LS built to 650/650 N/A. An LS mated to a 6l80e is vastly superior to using a 4l80e.
When you built the frame for your Chevelle, you made it possible to build a great handling A body without going crazy. Your frame reinforced won't flex with a solid 1 3/8" front sway bar. In the rear, delete any sway bar bolted to the LCA's and use an adjustable Pro Touring Style rear bar that is easy to match the roll resistance of the front bar (equal is best). BMR Suspension SB035 - Sway Bar Kit, Rear, Pro-touring Style, Hollow, 1.125" - 1964-1972 A-Body

 

In this case the front frame rails are welded together by a fabricated box connector. Extra HD sway bar brackets are necessary for the Nolathane (Australian company) 35 mm solid front sway bar (~300% stiffer than OEM). With the adjustable pro-touring style rear sway bar, (>400% stiffer than OEM) Eibach Pro Kit springs (lower by 2.5" from OEM Caprice height) and Koni adjustables set full hard, this 96 Caprice is neutral and pulls over one G sideways. 18X9.5" wheels F+R with Michelin Pilot Super Sport 255/40-18's.

The Caprice Classic in 1996 had exactly the same wheelbase and frame as an A body from 1964 to 1972. As did the 94-96 Impala SS. My 94 SVI Impala SS has all of the framework of my Caprice and Koni's, but with the QA 1 hollow 1 3/8" front bar but with OEM SS wheels and springs and Nitto 555G2 275/50-17's.
Does not handle as well as the Caprice (of course).
BMR Suspension SB035 - Sway Bar Kit, Rear, Pro-touring Style, Hollow, 1.125" - 1964-1972 A-Body

 

[QUOTE=LSX Thunder;20509227]The 6l80e would require extensive tunnel work on the body especially when you lower the ride height which I plan on doing. But it's f the can get that LS engine with the 6l80e I will seriously consider it.

 

[QUOTE=1970ChevelleLS;20509245]Not extensive. Just like putting a T-56 in a B body. You cut a hole in the floor about centered at the top of the tunnel about a foot from the dash. Total cut out measures a foot wide and two feet long. Sounds drastic but it isn't because the body on frame design means the rest of the body stays as strong as it ever is (not very). A junk yard bumper cover gives all the material you'll need to isolate inside from the out. Add a piece of Dynamat and you're good. You don't even have to reinforce the tunnel after cutting. Takes about one hour. MY SVI back in 1994 converted two dozen 94 Impala's to T-56's just like this and they are still running around the Middle East just fine. Trade often at over $100,000 from Jordan to Saud. T-56 has gear ratios like the 6l80e with two overdrives. 4th is 1:1. A 4l80 has a ~3:1 first gear, the 6l80e has a 4:1 first gear. Much more flexible, final drives from 2.731 to 4.56 work just fine.

 

Stroked 383 LT-1 with Vortec Supercharger, stand-alone fuel management system, Richmond 4.56 gears, boxed frame, Koni, Eibach, Quickor Suspension 1 3/8" solid F+R sway bars, seats from a Bonneville.

 

That sounds doable but haven't found and info or how to's on doing a 6l80e swap on a Chevelle. If you have any links to that please share.

Thanks LSX Thunder

 

As I wrote your Chevelle is in every important way the 94-96 Impala SS, or all B body cars from 1977-1996 are the same wheelbase, frame and suspensions potentials as your car. Hundreds of "how to" posts for LS and 6l80e swaps into the same chassis as a 1970 Chevelle are here:

https://www.impalassforum.com

The "ALL NEW" 1977 B body cars (Roadmaster, Fleetwood, Caprice, and even the Pontiac Parisienne and eventually 94 Impala) were GM taking the A body out of mothballs. A difference without a distinction. Even the Middle East exports of the Caprice SS.

One example:
1995 Impala SS LS Swap 6.0 with 6L80e Transmission | Chevy Impala SS Forum

Bob Tullius News Coverage. Information, Expert Analysis and Opinions (motorsport.com)

 

Nice project!

I have my 70' chevelle on the road now, 5.3 turbo with t56 magnum. Here is the build thread with YT vids:

https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...rbo-build.html

If you plan on lowering the car, then extensive tunnel surgery is required. I had to cut out firewall to rear seat to maintain ~3° driveline angles. Used 3" driveshaft with 1350 joints.

Ask me any questions,
Matt

 

Extensive tunnel surgery is required? The OP has already separated the body from the frame. As I wrote, one hour of easy cutting is all it takes to fit a 6l80e (or a T-56). The body is flexible and easy to modify and once reattached to the frame it's no more fragile than OEM.
My aluminum DS from The Driveshaft Shop with their u-joints and the driveshaft angles you mentioned have been "no issue". Adjustable upper control arms from UMI and standard LCA's from UMI. Sway bar attachment avoids the LCA's by using a Pro-Touring style adjustable rear bar from BMR. Handles like bat (the flying kind), an order of magnitude better that any OEM A or B body with shakes, rattles and squeaks far better than OEM. At Virginia International Raceway's Road Racing circuit, it has a faster lap time than any C5 Corvette (can't make that claim about the later ones).

 

Watch this:

 

I already had.

"extensive"

 

Call it what you want, it is more cutting than most think. It is also more intimidating than it actually is. In the beginning, I was worried about the tunnel mods, but now that it is done....piece of cake.

 

[QUOTE=bochnak;20509533 but now that it is done....piece of cake.[/QUOTE]

You are correct, sir!

 

Hey there Matt. I recently started watching your YouTube channel. Great job on your videos! I guess the first thing is to aquire an engine and transmission. I've had vehicles that were cool but not real easy to jump in and go drive it without having something to worry about. I want this Chevelle to not have any excuses for me not to drive it to work or a road trip. I tend to think getting a drop out unit from a recycling yard would bey best bet since the engine and transmission were married at birth. I tend to think if I were to piece a combo together it will take me much longer and probably the same if not more money. What do you guys think about that route?

Thanks ks,
Andre

 

 

I will have to test and see how much my frame flexes now that it's been re-enforced.

 

Hellwig will cry if that's not a typo.
The one place that makes a huge difference is between the front frame rails. My post photo in this thread shows the cure. OEM on the A, B, D and G bodies the front frame rails flex like they were made of tin. Proof? Start any of them with the hood open and watch the frame rails while someone turns the wheel. Even with the car sitting on dirt, the steering box mounted on the driver's side twists the front rail. Steering precision? "Wrong guess Hans". The front sway bar bolted to the frame rails does the same thing with any front bar of over 1/2" thick. GM knew this so when they basically copied all those front suspensions for the F body, they created a sub frame design that eliminated this problem. Changed the rear suspension too. Deleted the rear bar bolted to the LCA's and used a Pro-Touring style attachment to the axle and the frame. An order of magnitude better eliminating the inevitable binding the OEM A body design causes. When it was designed there were no rear A body sway bars OEM, Oldsmobile installed the first one on a 442 and it was so tiny it didn't bind but still improved the handling a little.

 

Argh, typo. I just corrected it.

(this IT guy can't type)

 

Yeah if you can get a complete dropout that would be best. I would highly recommend Holley products for install: engine mounts, oil pan, x-member.