Bucketlist Blazer -Restomod build 6.6liter L8T

[NDM]

All my parts came in today. Steering is now 100% hooked up. So far it looks like the alignment will be good enough to drive to the alignment shop when ready. I installed the 2wd Redhead steering box and tomorrow I will bleed the air out of the box and lines. I plan to turn the blazer around to face the rear toward the door. Then I will install all the rear end components.



I am so excited to try out the Eaton Truetrac posi too. I have heard good things. If it goes well, I will swap the posi in my Buick to Truetrac because it looks like the clutches are shot in it the Regal's rear end.

[NDM]

My cartoon Blazer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pPVeLVNpSA

[NDM]

Holy hell! I am worn out! I spent a day and a half messing around with my rear axle. I got the 3.73 gears installed and the truetrac completed. What a royal pain that was. Granted this was my first gear swap but dayum!! I have very stout hands from wrenching for decades but my hands are sore as can be. The shim and crush sleeve design of this 12 bolt is just moronic. I will 100% use a crush sleeve eliminator if I ever have to take this thing apart again.



I got the mission accomplished though. It put me a day behind schedule though. No more 1 wheel peel. Now we will be 2 tire fire!!!

[NDM]

If you can do better, then do better.



Tonight I did the right thing. While it may have delayed my progress significantly, I feel much better about redoing my 3.73 gear and Eaton truetrac install. The pinion depth was just slightly off and I just had to make it right. I switched to a crush sleeve eliminator kit and I fixed the pinion depth. I was rewarded with a very smooth operating gear install with a good gear pattern and backlash that is dead on. The moment when I got it right, the gears just got buttery smooth. I knew I had it.



While I am sure that a shop that does this daily could do a better job but I can say that I did the absolute best job that I can do with the tools that I have. I am pleased.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by NDM

If you can do better, then do better.



Tonight I did the right thing. While it may have delayed my progress significantly, I feel much better about redoing my 3.73 gear and Eaton truetrac install. The pinion depth was just slightly off and I just had to make it right. I switched to a crush sleeve eliminator kit and I fixed the pinion depth. I was rewarded with a very smooth operating gear install with a good gear pattern and backlash that is dead on. The moment when I got it right, the gears just got buttery smooth. I knew I had it.



While I am sure that a shop that does this daily could do a better job but I can say that I did the absolute best job that I can do with the tools that I have. I am pleased.

Nothing wrong with that. Done is done.

[NDM]

I now have a 2wd 6l90e again. I am happy that it took me 15 min to disassemble and 30 min to reassemble the thing. It is on the floor ready for me to slide back under and back on to the motorcycle jack for reinstallation. I am getting good at 6l90 operations.

The plan is install it and get the 2wd rear end in by tomorrow so I can have measurements for the driveshaft. If all goes well I will be driving next week.

I was thinking of ordering a couple f9000 airsprings for the rear. I have valves and I could control them with my holley terminator x max too. Maybe not. We will see.

[Richard]

Making quick work on the 2wd install and looking good. Quite an altitude adjustment! Did my first gear change a while back on my 94. Have the 5.13's and air locker to install in my AAM 11.5 in the near future. Is that big snap ring in the middle of case a big deal to remove if you have the right tool"

[NDM]

Originally Posted by Richard

Making quick work on the 2wd install and looking good. Quite an altitude adjustment! Did my first gear change a while back on my 94. Have the 5.13's and air locker to install in my AAM 11.5 in the near future. Is that big snap ring in the middle of case a big deal to remove if you have the right tool"

Removal is not the issue. getting it back in is the problem.

[NDM]

I actually got the axle in place and ordered the driveshaft yesterday. I now must get this thing moving fast. On the way to the driveshaft shop I realized that my 6l90 in the Regal is failing. It drives but not for long. The trans has probably 160,000 miles or more on it.



The Blazer must be driving this week. The plan is to get everything done so that once I pick up the driveshaft, I will be good to go. I am thinking that thursday I will be at least moving. Test driving this weekend.



Right now it is sitting on the 4x4 bump stops. I fabricated the brackets that will allow the springs to bolt to the frame and will paint and install them today after I cut off the bump stop brackets. I will also fabricate shock brackets for the rear. I am going to use the 4x4 upper brackets and weld on new lower brackets. I will do that after I know what the real ride height will be.



I will have to modify or create a new panhard bar as it hits my custom fuel tank. I will get that done within the next day or so.



I think I am going to start making plans in the distant future to put an 8hp90 in the Blazer. These 6l90E's are not great.

[NDM]

Last night I discovered that the rear was too low. There was only 1 inch above the axle to the frame. That aint gonna work. The front has a 1 inch gap to the fender and in order to have the same in the rear, I ordered 3 inch drop springs vs the 5 inch springs that were on it. That should solve the issue. I temporarily put the coils from my Regal front coilovers on the blazer to simulate where it will be with the new coils. It should sit 1 inch higher than it does with the temp coils. That will give me 3 inch above the axle to the frame. That will work until I fab up a c notch in the future.

So, I will pick up the driveshaft today and relocate the rear shocks. I need to hook up the rear brakes and bleed them. Oh, and there is the bracket for the panhard bar too. Then I will start working on redoing the exhaust. Tomorrow I will finish the exhaust ,fill all the fluids and wait for the new coils.

This is my plan. I do realize that it may bleed into friday or even the weekend. I do however plan to be driving it on Saturday though.

Pics-(I plan to do 3.5 inch above axle)
Too low 1 inch above axle.



2inch above axle


Simulated 4 inch above axle



Fabricated coil locator/frame reinforcement bracket and temp coil spring.

[SCOTI]

Looks good & functional.

[NDM]

Big sexy has arrived

[NDM]

Much better. New springs are in and I may add a half inch spacer if there is issues with the axle hitting the frame.

I fabbed up a simple shock crossmember and got it installed. Oops, I forgot to remove my stainless steel ties that held the shocks in the ride height position.

I am definitely behind schedule but I think that I will be able to finish on Sat. I still have to reconfigure the exhaust and do the panhard bar mount. Then it is mostly fluids and connecting a few things. I do have to bleed the rear brakes. Oh, gotta remove the 4x4 rear shocks too.

Note- I was going to relocate the rear shocks to outside the frame and behind the axle. Unfortunately my breaker bar broke. I will need to cut the u bolts and I do not have replacements. I will relocate them at a later date maybe.

I am bummed to be behind schedule but excited to be almost there.

[SCOTI]

Definitely need to relocate the rear shocks outboard of the frame rails vs. where they are.

[NDM]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Definitely need to relocate the rear shocks outboard of the frame rails vs. where they are.

I 100% planned to do it but I am not waiting another week to drive it. I need this thing on the road like yesterday. With my Regal trans issues and this thing up on wheel cribs, I am having to borrow my wifes car and that will get old quickly.

Right now they are in essentially the factory location so I am sure it will be fine for now.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by NDM

I 100% planned to do it but I am not waiting another week to drive it. I need this thing on the road like yesterday. With my Regal trans issues and this thing up on wheel cribs, I am having to borrow my wifes car and that will get old quickly.

Right now they are in essentially the factory location so I am sure it will be fine for now.

Agreed.

[NDM]

Well. I am bummed that it is not complete. I am hung up on the exhaust. The truck arms are taking up a ton of space. It leaves barely enough space for the 3 inch exhaust tubes. Damn near no space for the two 18 inch mufflers. I was able to rework the H-pipe and I am very happy with how tight it fits to the trans. The good news is that I found a way forward but I cant get it done tonight. I need to do a bunch of cutting and welding and do not want to disturb the neighbors.

All that is left (baring any surprises)-
Fab exhaust
Trans fluid
Bleed brakes
Bleed power steering/hydroboost
Adjust the shifter

Extras-
Truck arm bushings
Fix the two fuel pump depths in the tank

I am tired so I will only post these photos of my little axle tag. I hate it when I have to guess what gearing is in the car. I cannot find my engraver so I just whacked holes for the letters. It is hard to see in the photos though.

[NDM]

Well the exhaust has been hell!! I got it reworked to the point where I can drive it but it has taken so much time to get the damn pipes worked around everything. The truck arms are taking up all the space where the pipes went before and having dual 3 inch pipes does not help.

Today I will be driving it for the first time but it will be without mufflers. I am waiting on a package with straight pipes so I can finish the muffler install. I also found a brake line leak which will mean that I have to run a new line but it is good enough for me to drive it for now. the leak is very slow.

Yesterday I started it and it was so rowdy!! I am looking forward to dropping it off the wheel cribs and driving it into the driveway for a few photos.

I will share some photos of the exhaust but much of it will probably make no sense. I really need a car lift. Maybe I should work hard to make that happen. Doing all of this on the floor on my back is getting old as hell.

[NDM]

I have successfully choppity chopped it around the block a few times without mufflers! Smiles for days!

[NDM]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WP6MT7B8iZI

[NDM]

I had the thing weighed today. 4756 pounds with the top on and all the stereo. The top is over 200 pounds. With the top off, the power to weight ratio (estimated hp of 600) is within a half of a percent of a trackhawk. Take out the removeable back seats and I am ahead.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by NDM

I had the thing weighed today. 4756 pounds with the top on and all the stereo. The top is over 200 pounds. With the top off, the power to weight ratio (estimated hp of 600) is within a half of a percent of a trackhawk. Take out the removeable back seats and I am ahead.

I bet there's some lightening that can be done to help those numbers improve

[NDM]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I bet there's some lightening that can be done to help those numbers improve

Already in progress. Hell, my audio gear problbly weighs about 300 to 400 pounds.
Rear Subwoofers are 84 pounds
Front sub is 27 pounds
26 pounds of amplifiers
Cadillac escalade rear seats are heavy and quickly removeable
Factory 4x4 brackets still have to be removed. Gotta be 20lbs.
I would love to lighten the hood, buy a lighter hood or build a hood. I have been working with composites for decades and it is an option for a person with my skillset.

I think I could get the Blazer down to about 4400 pounds by summer. Pretty easily.

[SCOTI]

Sounds do-able.

[NDM]

So, I am far enough along in shakedown phase that I can share a few things.



It needs to come up in the front. I can hear rubbing and it looks low in front. This is likely due to the heavy iron block. No big deal. I just have to figure out what springs are in it and order a 1 inch up.



The trans is finally learning. I had to remove the trans cooler to let it get up to operating temps to begin learning. Today it started feeling much better but it does not like the cold.



Mufflers are on and it sounds nice. Unfortunately I will have to exhaust wrap a few strategic places because they hit a little on big bumps.



I probably need to take it to a pro tuner. I do not think I am making crazy strides with this cold weather. Now it seems to be safe/stable enough to put it in the hands of someone with real skills so after the rear end break in is done I will likely pay for a tune. That way I can get some dyno numbers too. 😎



Definitely need to upgrade the front shocks. If I go with double adjustable, I can get it dialed in so maybe that is the route I go.



It is nice to be able to drive it again. I will take it on the highway soon. I am still braking in the new gears and trutrac rearend.



No burnouts just yet, sorry. Last time that ended very poorly as some may recall. Lol!