Project Large Marge - Going Full Tilt

[Just-in-credible]

Which…brings me to the next major update in the project.
I changed direction slightly from some of the original ideas for a powertrain. I still want to put a diesel of some sort in it. However, coming across a decent one in this neck of the woods is SO expensive. I decided I was going to change plans and look for something else that was cool and different. I’ve done the LS thing already. I was looking for something a bit different. What did I end up settling on? An 8.1 out of like, a 2002 ish 2500. The first snag I hit was the transmission. I wanted to keep it manual. I ended up finding both an 8.1, and a ZF6 6 speed separately. I figure I can slap a cam in the 8.1, bolt up the ZF6, and have fun with the big block for a summer. Who knows, maaaaaaaaybe even run a turbo with a few pounds of boost? Apparently, you can flip the intake manifold backwards on the 8.1, which would put the throttle body in the perfect position for a turbo.

The 8.1 I a few hours away (ironically, right down the road from my parents farm, where I JUST was last weekend…figures..) so I don’t have it yet. The transmission was about a 9 hour drive, but my cousin was working literally one town over, so he picked it up for me and ran it home for me.
I got to work cleaning it up and getting it mocked up into place. With a little bit of elbow grease, it cleaned up pretty good! I don’t have a clutch in it yet, but it is in place where I want it for now.