Will BBK headers for a 2010 Camaro fit a '72 Chevy C10 4.8 swap?

[Matt Cramer]

My wife found this truck last year looking for a cool old truck that could also be used for real truck work instead of something too nice to actually haul stuff with. We traded a '90 Suburban with a 454 and some cash for it.





It had a Goodwrench 350 - owner said he'd pulled it out of a friend's circle track car - and a freshly rebuilt TH350. Leaf sprung rear suspension, and it was fairly well optioned for an old truck. No headliner, but it had air conditioning - at least at one point. The evaporator on the firewall is still there, but the compressor and condenser are long gone.

The previous owner mentioned that it had been eating starters until he replaced the flexplate. This turned out to be foreshadowing: It ate another starter about six months after we got it. I pulled the starter, wondering if it was just another bad parts store rebuild or if he'd missed the root cause. Turns out the real problem wasn't the flexplate - it was the engine block, which was cracked at the starter mounting boss. I first thought maybe I should see if I should find another ex-circle track 350 for cheap, but then I saw it didn't seem to be too hard to get a LSx motor in there - and I found a 4.8 that had been pulled out of a 2007 U-haul box truck for $460, fully dressed. A/C compressor, manifolds, wiring harness, everything but an ECU. May not be the most powerful thing out there, but it's more power than a Goodwrench 350, and should be a lot better mileage.



Apparently U-haul box trucks all have 4L80Es behind them, as it already had the right flexplate and spacer to bolt to a TH350. And it's got an A/C compressor. At this point, I'm not sure I can get it to work without hacking up the frame, but I plan to give it a try after I get the truck up and running.

Got some 1/4" plate steel from McMaster and went to work making motor mount conversion plates. I happen to work for a shop that does some race car work, and the boss let me use some of the shop tools after hours or on my lunch break.



I used DraftSight to draw up templates on paper (using dimensions from a couple of sources, but [url=http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=413855]Glock's thread was a big one), printed them out, and tape them to the metal. That helps me locate the holes with a center punch.





I know, I know, should have used a C-clamp. And did for the second one. And spray grease probably isn't the best tap fluid, but it's better than nothing.



I've swapped to a cable operated throttle body. Found I need to remove a second PCV hose barb for that. Not a big deal.



The empty engine bay - note that these appear to be six cylinder engine stands.



I pressure washed it and spray bombed it, and drilled holes to set the engine stands back one set of holes (about 2.75"), so as to put the engine in the stock location, more or less.

Today, I dropped the engine in place.



Only to find the stock manifolds from the donor van don't really clear the engine stands or frame rails too well.



That is how I've left it so far. Need to research what manifolds would be a better fit. The Trailblazer SS manifolds clear the frame, but I've seen them hitting the engine stands. It looks like fifth gen Camaro manifolds may be better. Off to the LSx forums to research that.

[Xeen]

You can pull the engine stands out and modify them so that the top is low profile so you have more clearance for the exhaust manifolds.
Here is a photo of the CPP sheetmetal engine stands combined with Hooker clone GM exhaust manifolds to give you an idea about what I mean.

[Matt Cramer]

I've considered it, but as the manifolds have frame clearance issues too, it would be nice if I can find a manifold that clears everything. The Hooker cast manifolds look like they'll do the job, but I hear they're nearly identical to 2010-up Camaro manifolds.

[Xeen]

There isn't a manifold that will clear the stock perches any better so here are your options.
One is buy Doug Thorley headers which will cost you $600 shipped with the forum discount.
Another is buy CPP sheetmetal engine perches, CPP poly motor mounts and Hooker clone TBSS or Camaro exhaust manifolds.
The cheapest option is to modify your current perches and buy Hooker clone TBSS or Camaro exhaust manifolds.

[Hart_Rod]

Factory 2010+ Camaro manifolds should work. Check my Shifted build thread. There are pics in there.
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[Matt Cramer]

Thanks, those look like a great fit there. Nice truck and that blue color looks great!

[Matt Cramer]

Got the Camaro manifolds now. They clear the frame great, but not the (6 cylinder?) engine stands. They look like they would take way less hammering to make them fit - although right now I'm looking through the classifieds for V8 stands to see if it would make more sense just to swap the stands.

[Xeen]

Matt the V8 perches wont clear it any better don't waste your time or your money, just modify the ones you have.
When you modify the perch you will need to cut out the cathedral at the horizontal bend and flatten it by welding in new sheet metal, then make supports and weld them in underneith like the CPP perches, you can't just flatten it with a hammer

[Matt Cramer]

Thanks - I must have been thinking of the big block perches.

Or maybe I should just cut a different style mount adapter and give up on using the truck A/C mount.

[STOCKISH]

Youll definitely want the AC, and leaving it in the stock location is perfect. Just buy some new mounts! Cool truck!

[Matt Cramer]

Time to do something about that pesky frame stand to manifold clearance issue:

[Xeen]

It looks like the engine perch should have quite a bit more clearance for the exhaust manifold now.
I'm crossing my fingers for good luck.

[Matt Cramer]

Thanks! I've mocked up the modified stands with the manifold on the engine, and it seems to clear - we'll see how it does when actually in the truck next week.

[Matt Cramer]

Lowered the engine back into place, bolted the mounts down to the frame rail, and test fitted my '10 Camaro manifolds.






Everything clears!

[Xeen]

Originally Posted by Matt Cramer

Lowered the engine back into place, bolted the mounts down to the frame rail, and test fitted my '10 Camaro manifolds.
Everything clears!

Great work.

[Matt Cramer]

I put a Walbro GSS342 255 lph fuel pump with an install kit intended for a '94-'97 Mazda Miata on the end of the stock sending unit.



And sure enough, it fits in the tank like it was designed to go there. This is a test fit before I wired it up.

[Matt Cramer]

Before I wired it up, I sat down and drew out some wiring diagrams in Inkscape: http://www.diyautotune.com/downloads...g_diagrams.pdf

[Low Elco]

Great work so far! It'll be interesting to see how loud that pump is in the in-cab tank. I'd imagine Peel-n-seal is your friend. A 91 Jeep wrangler tank is cheap and the sender for the FI application accepts that pump. Just a bit of FYI if you wanna change.

[Matt Cramer]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Great work so far! It'll be interesting to see how loud that pump is in the in-cab tank. I'd imagine Peel-n-seal is your friend. A 91 Jeep wrangler tank is cheap and the sender for the FI application accepts that pump. Just a bit of FYI if you wanna change.

To answer that question - moderately loud, but once the truck starts, the Flowmasters are a bit louder. Nothing is quiet about this truck.

But I am starting to ponder the Jeep tank swap for my next project on it.

[khan1369]

I love the fuel pump install. What did you do for a return line? Any fuel starvation problems due to not having baffling?

I have a 5.3 sitting in my garage with a blown head gasket. I am in the process of fixing up the engine and getting it ready to install. I am on a tight budget and your fuel system seems to be the answer to my prayers. At least temporarily.

Pics of your return line set up would be great if you have them.

[khan1369]

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...i_systems.html

Think I will do something like this...

[Matt Cramer]

Originally Posted by khan1369

I love the fuel pump install. What did you do for a return line? Any fuel starvation problems due to not having baffling?

Stock vapor line with all rubber parts replaced. I've seen cases where this didn't work due to a restrictor in the line. On my truck, apparently it only had one in the rubber line to the charcoal canister.

I've heard the pump sputter on hard turns below 1/8 tank. Other than that, the biggest problem was sealing the vapors out of the cab, but that seems to be solved.

[mattcrp1]

I saw on another thread you mentioned the Microsquirt being used as a trans controller. Is that the game plan for the 4l60e?

[Matt Cramer]

That's good to know, does the Jeep tank mount under the bed or in the cab?

[Low Elco]

Under the bed. 16 gal