Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Looks pretty frisky when you got the chance to put your foot in it and was pretty flat through the twists. Bet it was fun. Nice job.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Thanks! For suspension I just have a large sway bar in front with airlift bags inside all 4 coil springs. I was shocked it handle so nice. I was just worried something would break if I pushed it hard. It also has a new cam in it which gave it so much more power.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Subscribed!

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I just noticed you're in Vegas... You should come by the weekly car show/meet on Sundays. There are a couple 67/72 trucks that show up, one is a member here and has an LS1 swap.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I just found your post. I have a 1971 c10 and thinking about doing the conversion . I can get the engine and transmission and all acc. and harness and computer . all i would need to do is give the fuse box from the donar engine 12v and everything should work. Ware are the speedo and tach taken from?

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Car show on Sundays? I only knew about cars and coffee on Sundays. Can you pm me your#?

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Just delete vats first and it should run. I used autometer gauges.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

How did you delete the vats

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I did it myself using Hptuners. It cost over 500$ for it. You can have a local tuner reprogram it for you for around 100$ If you cant find anyone you can mail the PCM to me to reprogram it. PM if you are interested in that.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

That's weird that you're getting such bad mileage with the LQ4. My LQ4 Chevelle with 315 tires, gm hot cam, t56 and 3.90 gears gets 23mpg on the highway/ ~17 in town. I know it's a car and it's lower, but those wide tires don't do me any favors. No AC though.

Nice truck man. Im planning out my 71 GMC for my newly acquired 5.3/auto swap and I really like the way you did the mounts and AC.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

My 68 firebird with 4.10's, t56 and the 6.0 in that got 24 on the highway. These trucks are not aerodynamic in any way. My firebird would cruise at 90mph no problem. My truck needs a lot more gas input to maintain the higher speeds. I changed cams in the truck and got 17mpg on my last trip though.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

x2! I'd love to see this truck in person

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

You said you ran dirty dingo engine mounts. Did you just use a dingo 1973+ mount on the driver side with the clam shell isolator and a different one on the passenger side? Did you have to get 2 sets of plates to do this? Curious since I cant really make it out in the pictures. Thanks.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

love the swap
post pics of your car when you get time

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

i used dingo plates on both sides. that pic was to show how the 73 mount is different.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Came out real nice bro thanks for all the info :metal:

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Very cool! I plan on doing the same swap very soon the same way. Nice work!

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

what was the issue? - I've seen pics of people using them and want to use one with my 63' if at all possible.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

my inspiration thread! the 350 i just put in my 69 a few months ago is starting to smoke at warm idle now...time to find a 5.3 and do a mild build but i plan on keeping it hooked up to my th400 unless i score a trans cheap as well. so dingo mounts and 73+ mounts and im guessin the factory driveshaft will work as long as the mounts are adjusted accordingly. lookin into the car intake and manifolds since im dropped 3" but plan to lay frame in the near future. *thumbs up*

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I would go ahead and find a 5.3/4L60E combo and change them both.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

A LS1 tank will not fit between the frame rails unless you hack it up the frame up. Not worth it at all in my opinion. Also its not a flat tank on the bottom and will hang down.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I did exactly this and 68GMCCustom is exactly right! Has so much more power and driveability is still great.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Thanks....glad to here I'm not putting bad information out there! :lol:

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

New updates. Installed a 8.8 ford rear end for cheap but strong limited slip. Also upgraded to a better flowing intake manifold out off a TBSS. Upgraded to 90mm dbw throttle body off a gto as well. Much more responsive and wants to spin the tires all the time.

Attachment 1301302

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

What is the difference between the stock manifold vs the TBSS manifold? Also, what year is the GTO TB and did you have to re-tune?

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Well its kinda confusing. My new intake is a GEN IV cathedral style head intake. Used on TBSS and all 5.3 and 4.8's. They look much different from the gen3 style and some testing has shown them to make more power than a LS6 intake. Ive read many conflicting tests though. I got mine cheap and wanted to upgrade to the 90mm DBW. It was easy to put a GTO DBW throttle body on mine due to the old style dbw I used(00-02). Same as the corvette. newer 2003-2007 DBW you need a 250$ signal modifer to get a gto throttle body to use.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Ah, got ya. I have 2011 dbw. Thanks!

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

How did you do the wiring on the compressor . Got a vintage air system going to start install

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I just followed the vintage air instructions. Your just using a different compressor but the wiring is the same.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Did you narrow/widen the 8.8 to center the pumpkin (explorer)? Or did you use a Mustang 8.8?

I'm about to do the same and ditch the 12 bolt boat anchor.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

I used a explorer rear but its too narrow. It will require deep dish wheels or 2 inch spacers on each end. I used 2 inch spacers that convert the bolt pattern back to 5x5.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

no such thing as too narrow...:metal:

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Yeah it's 2 inches narrower, but it's an off center pumpkin so you would have had to take 2 15/16 off the long end to center it up.

That's what I do to fit them in car swaps. Other option would be drilling the plug on the short side, and putting 2 long tubes and it would be 2" longer than the 12 bolt

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Pic above is the 8.8 versus 12 bolt length. Its almost 4 inches less in width.



Attachment 1307265

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Did you center the pumpkin or is the 12 bolt not a centered pumpkin either? Hard to tell in pics.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Its offset 2 1/4 inches i believe. I had to cut open the rear crossmember a bit since the driveshaft would hit it with the offset pumpkin

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Thanks I have yet to measure my 12 bolt, but the factory 96-00 explorer rear ends are offset 2 15/16 to the passenger side. I was just curious if the 12 bolt it similarly offset from the factory. Otherwise the long tube on the 8.8 needs to be cut down 2 15/16 and use the short axle shaft on both sides. Or vice versa if you want it to be longer. -only required if you need to center the pumpkin depending on the vehicle it's going into.

Did you weld on new u bolt perches to it?

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

Yep I welded new perches on. It would be best to put long axles on best sides.
Ol blue was cast in a college film. Its in the first minute of the vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w18xDj9ACU4
Its all in fun so pls know all actors are volunteers.

Re: 1968 C10 5.3 swap, the easy way.
 

finally getting started on my lq4 swap....got DD mounts otw....did you have any issues with cab clearances? now im being told to not go the DD 73+ mount way lol