What I've been doing for the past seven months

[Project1970]

Well, the first answer to that is, not driving my truck.

I converted my '70 to a 700R4 in back in August of '02. However, either due to a TV misadjustment, or a poorly built trans - my guess is both - by the time summer '04 rolled around, it was starting to shift soft and wasn't acting normally. I drove it across town to the shop where the trans was built...and they looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I bought it two years ago. Lesson learned: If the "extended" warranty is only a year, don't expect it to go much longer.

It didn't.


I ended up having to park the truck until nearly November before it would even be towed off to the shop to work on it, while I saved up cash for what was orginally planned to be a transmission swap for a nicely done Bowtie Overdrives Stage 3. An eBay auction changed that, though...



Found that LS1 with 4L60E transmission, in town, with just over 12,000mi on it, for barely over $3k, and couldn't resist. I could spend $2k on a transmission alone now, and another $2-$3k on a rebuilt engine in six months, and still end up with a carbed engine, old accessories, and all of that mess. Or, for about $6k now, I could bolt in an LS1, lose some weight, gain over 100hp, and STILL have plenty of potential for more power when I have the money.

Out with the old...


150,000 miles on the bottom end, 30,000 on the heads.


Cleaning up 35 years of leaked oil and road grime.


Several coats of spray paint later, it's ready for the transplant.


I'll spare some (most) of the gruesome details between then and this for now.


It's actually a bit past that point (the ECM is installed, wiring almost done, headers bolted on, etc) but that's the best wide-angle picture I have.

If you want the rest of the photos...click here and browse to your heart's content.

Seeing as it's been parked since July, and in the shop since the very end of October...I will be very, very happy when I finally fire it up...hopefully in February!