Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Your build is very inspiring ! everything looks great!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

x2 Cant wait to see the 6.0 LS2 in this ride. Got me tossing around the idea of putting some sort of LS motor in my truck next winter, amazing power and good reliability!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Here's a little update on the engine/trans fitment.
I had it in with the frame stands in the way they came from the factory and my oil pan was hitting my cross member. Swapped sides with the stands hoping it would move the engine back far enough to clear and ran into other problems so switched the frame stands back and plan on raising the engine about 1.5"s.
I'm making some brackets now to do that and hope to try getting the engine in again later this week.
Here's the new brackets I made to raise the engine up.
The last pic is some DOM that I will weld to the brackets that wrap around the original frame stands. I'm going to place the engine in on top of them before I weld them to be sure they're in the right position.
If I need to go any higher I can just put some steel plate between the DOM and bracket before I weld them.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I also had to make some brackets for the transmission cross member as my frame is fully boxed.
I will weld them to the inside of the frame once I get the angle of the engine/trans set.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Nice fab. Looks like it came with it and better.

How come u just don get another pan instead? There are a few good pans out there that will accommodate low clearance issues. They are not too cheap though.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Hey those are pretty cool. Nice work, the little holes always make it look better.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Thanks.
I had to replace the pan that was on the engine as the Trailblazer pan is specific to that chassis. The research I did said the CTS pan would fit my front clip but would hang a little low. The slope on the pan made it hit the cross member so raising it is the best option.
I've already got $200 in it and the only pans I've seen that come close to fitting without any mods are in the $600 range. Holley makes one that is $400 but I couldn't find any info that said it would fit. They even say there may be some modification for it.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Looking good. Your fab skills are awesome!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Looking just great, nice job.....Jim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Great fab Kim, I'm sure you've considered it, but why not notch the x member or pan?

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I am not sure about you application, but I have looked at these below. I have a camaro pan (lsx) is is a little thick. I need to get the engine as low as I can for better handling.


http://www.autokraft.org/products/ scroll down on the page

http://www.kevkoracing.com/wetsump_chevy.htm

I know that milidon makes some nice ones as well but they are a bit more expensive.

Anyways, it looks like you have the problem solved with your ingenuity.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Looking good! I can hear it running now!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I did consider notching the cross member but figured this would be a little easier. I also didn't like the pan hanging below it as I'm lowering the truck.
As far as modifying the pan I have no experience welding aluminum.
I would probably ruin it in the process.
I know raising the engine isn't ideal for handling but I won't be road racing it anyway.

Those are some nice pans and I did look at them. I wanted to stay with the cast aluminum.
The "A" body pan needs to be modified to fit in my front clip.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Man Kim, you always seem to amaze me in the fab mods that you do. I always am waiting to see whats up your sleeve next. Can't wait to see more!!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Me too. I like to learn from fantastic fab guys.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Thanks for the kind words guys.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Everything looks awesome and I'm happy another tri five truck is being turned to the dark side. (injection) I just can't wait to see it in the engine bay. I HAD to use a camaro pan on my 5.3 because the truck pans are hella deep. In the engine section of this site there is actually a sub category for LSx swaps. Have you tried posting on there to see if anyone has any good suggestions on the pan issue?

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Saw this on one of 67Chevy's posts, but I know the money is more the issue, these pans ain't cheap and your solution looks sound. Good info though.
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conver...-oil-pans.html

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I've been in that thread. The biggest problem I had with my set up is that I have a chevelle clip. There is a ton of very good info in there though.


I've read that thread. It has a ton of good info on the different pans.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Man Kim!

your fab work is really nice!

soon we shall see the power plant installed eh?

keep up the good work

Brian

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Well I finally got it in. It turned out to be a bigger pain than I expected.
The original frame stands put the engine too far forward and my power steering pump wouldn't fit. I ended up using some after market stands and cutting them down to fit. Had to move the engine back about 3"s. I was able to get everything to work except for the stock AC pump which was on the lower passenger side. They make a bracket to raise it so that won't be a problem.
Got the oil pan to sit level with the cross member.
I still need to get the cab back into position. I need to modify my firewall now that the engine is farther back than expected.
I still need to do the final welding on it all but it was a good day over all.
Here's a few pics to show what I ended up doing.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Looks good. I went through a lot of trial and error to make that bracket assembly for the AC but got it right. The spacing is critical with serpentine systems. I need to find a way to post the templates for the parts because I think lots of people could use this for the same reasons you and I need it. When I had my father in law machine mine I had him make a second set and it 's just sitting here in a bag...

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Kim, install looks great, nice job. Without going back in your post, I believe you have a camaro clip, correct?...Jim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

It's looking good. Why don't you just put a notch in the crossmember? That's what I did to make my fit.

Tri5

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Check the link in my sig about mounting an a/c compressor to these engines.

I have the bracket just have not done it yet. Looks pretty easy and it puts it in a better location keeping you from having to notch the cross member.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

A Chevelle clip :dohh::dohh: , I guess that's why no LS people weighed in, that would make your set up unique. Looks like your well on your way. Viva la progress.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

looks good kim. making progress! :D

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I could use your template to make my install a little easier if I end up making my own.

My clip is from a 67 Chevelle.

If your talking about the AC unit the swap plates I have won't let the bracket mount to the block. There's a couple of work a-rounds without spending a ton of money though.

I've seen that fix and am really considering it for mine also.
These guys make a decent priced bracket to raise it also.
http://www.kwikperf.com/lsx_ac.html

Thanks for looking at my thread guys.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Holy cow, that's cool! It's awesome what people can accomplish when they have to be conservatively creative with the cashflow. We can't all afford to go out and buy a Vintage Air frontrunner system, can we?

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Here's a pic of the parts. Mostly there are really only the three plates that need a template. The rest are just bushings. My idler bushing has a step but it's poossible you could do it with two pieces instead. You'd still have to have the 2002 Z28 tensioner, a sanden compressor, and a couple really long metric bolts to get into the head. It's just like the kwik setup but I had to figure it all out with a tape measure and wooden templates. I don't know how hard it would be to scan these and post them as a pdf file.

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Those are nice pieces.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Kim, question about your engine mounts.....Did they end up being cut the same length?? I know you are using a Chevelle clip in all, but in mine I am using a 78 TA clip. I have seen some people use the old 68 Camaro frame mounts (actually the same mount for the C10's and Blazers and a few other vehicles too) but, they seem to be using 2 of the same mount and for some reason I cannot get the same distance on either side....if I do it is either not centered or not level.

Thanks Tim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Tim
They are the same length.
Here's how I did it.
I took pieces of wood the same width as the front of my oil pan and put them on the cross member and let the front of the pan rest there. I used my floor jack to raise the rear of the trans until I got a downward angle between 1 and 5 degrees.
I made sure everything was centered and level side to side and cut the mounts to fit in the space.
It took a lot of time and I checked everything a bunch of times before I tacked it in.
If I were you I would try and measure the front clip to make sure it's symmetrical from side to side. It's possible the factory had the engine farther to one side to make room for things. I would think any extra room would be on the drivers side.
I ended up moving my engine back 4.5"s from the stock location for my clip so my P.S. pump wouldn't hit my steering box.
Hope this helps.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

I made some more progress on the truck.
Seeing as I had to set the engine back farther than expected I needed to make the cab fit around it. I made a new cad dolly to make the work a little easier.
Lots of measuring and painters tape and I had something I thought would work.
I find it better to cut as little as possible at first. It's always easier to take more out than to add it back in.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

This was the first go around.
The trans is still hitting and I didn't like how it fit around the heads.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

After a little more time with the cut off wheel I'm almost there.
It's hard to see the difference around the heads but I made the lower part of the opening a little straighter.
Every thing fits but I'm going to open the trans a touch more.
I just have to get a set of headers now and make sure they're going to fit.
Kim

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Looking good Kim.

Tri5

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Awesome work Kim!

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Re: My 57 Pro Street
 

Nice job, like the way it looks....Jim