49 ls1

[Low Elco]

Shapin' up good! I like the way the recess matches the curve of the intake cover.

[Wybrow]

I love seeing LS motors and smooth firewalls in these things.

[skymangs]

Thanks Wybrow and Elco. I still have to finish up the lower firewall. I think Tomorrow afternoon I'm gonna pull the cab to make the trans crossmember. Then it'll be on to rust repair! got some kick panel (inner and outer) issues, and cab corners to fix.

[skymangs]

Today I built a holder for my PCM. Welds to the inside of the drivers firewall, PCM just slides in and locks in place.

[skymangs]

I also pulled the cab to start making a transmission crossmember. Should have that and the brake setup done today.

[69CST-V]

You work fast man. Nice progress. Looking forward to seeing how you route the wiring.

[oldman3]

Originally Posted by 69CST-V

You work fast man. Nice progress. Looking forward to seeing how you route the wiring.

Same here Chris....Jim

[skymangs]

Thanks guys. My plan on the harness is to run everything (TP, IAC, Injectors, Coils, Alt) under the intake so that none of it is very visible. Then from the back of the motor, I'm going to go straight up (behind the drivers valve cover) into top of the 2" recess. So only about 3 or 4" of harness will show behind the motor. That being said, I'm sure there is some reason that it won't work out, and I'll wind up re-doing everything...

[skymangs]

Big weekend... Ernie's '53 is finally home, worked on Chris's '33 with him today, and got a bunch done on the '49 as well.

To start with, I finished up the crossmember. I cut 1/8" steel to box in the frame (it will get fully boxed when I'm done). Drilled holes for the crossmember, and welded nuts to the backside. Here's some pics.

[skymangs]

I also had some issues with my brake setup. The brake lever was too close to the bell housing, and would have interfered with the exhaust routing. Solution was to use the clutch pedal, weld the brake pedal to it, then cut the brake pedal, and the clutch pivot, moving the whole thing over to the outboard hole in the floor. should clear everything just fine now.

[skymangs]

Here is a little on the wiring. the stock intake has plenty of "meat" to clearance in order to run wiring under the intake. 1st pic is the bottom of the stock intake runners. 2nd is where I notched them, 3rd shows the amount of room to run injector wires below the intake for a clean look.

There's still plenty of room left should I need to clearance them more for the coil pack wires.

[oldman3]

Hey Chris, your moving right along, nice work. I also noticed you had three threads and 3 post, with work done on all of them. All I can say is "you the man"....Jim

[sqrlnts]

This is not your first rodeo, great work.

[skymangs]

Jim, you are very observant. I did work on all three this weekend, I'm a little ADD maybe? Albeit, If I only had one project I could get way more done on it!
Besides, the quicker I can turn them out... the more of them I can save!

Squirts, actually this is my first LS1. Just do lots of research before I start to find the tricks and avoid others mistakes (I make enough of my own mistakes to keep me busy!)

[Bubba54]

Truck is looking good, nice work!
Shawn

[skymangs]

Thanks Shawn,

Today's progress. Worked that harness all day. got it set up so everything runs under the intake. Now I guess I'd better start on the inside of the cab.

[skymangs]

Here's what it looks like assembled, the complete harness is in, and all connectors are attached. No nasty fat old wiring harness anywhere to be seen!

[ChuckDriver]

Very cool project, love the dash mod!!

[skymangs]

Thanks Chuckdriver. Just tryin not to screw it up too badly!

[69CST-V]

Looking good!

[oldman3]

Nice clean job Chris...Jim

[Low Elco]

Lookin' good!

[_Ogre]

nice fab skilz, dash, firewall and brakes all self made. i like self made
i don't understand why you can do all this fab work and then you buy a kit for the trans.
they look cheesy imo, plus they cost a lot more than you can make them for.



i took this pic of a tf dash in a ad truck, just a little incentive for you
he did the same as you are with part of the dash welded to the doors.

[skymangs]

Thanks all. It's the first time I've used a kit crossmember. Speedway had a $7.99 flat rate shipping deal if I spent $150 when I bought my radiator. Since the rad was $110, and would have been $24 shipping, and the crossmember was on sale, $39.00... I think my cost analysis made it cheaper than making one. Rad and crossmember for $157 next day shipping included. By my calculations, that crossmember cost me about 24 bucks, and with the 5" drop it leaves me maximum room for exhaust. Oh, and I did make the ends and the mounting plates. It only came with the center section.

[skymangs]

Got a little bit done today. Used some 1/8th strap to replace the factory firewall braces, and give some structure to it again.

Spent the rest of the day working wiring. Wound up shortening/lengthening EVERY damned wire in the red plug. Also had to loom up my O2 sensors and MAF.

Now I have the Blue connector to work on tomorrow.

Terribly tedious!