IT HAS BEGUN!!!! kinda......

[uxdesigner]

Great build!

[mattcrp1]

This is the pm mounted and temp sender in the heater hose.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Nice job.

[mattcrp1]

So I finally found a good deal on a CTS-v pan and pick up. Here is the reason, the tape is hard to see but the truck pan hangs just under 2" below the cross member. The new pan is is 2" shallower.

[mattcrp1]

Just got notice that my reinforcement plate for the steering box shipped so hopefully I can get this this thing on the ground soon.

[mattcrp1]

I figured before I finished grinding on the frame and welding the plate (that does not fit very well) on I would swap the pan out. I got the old one out and swapped out the pick up. After looking at the old pan and pick up there was some sludge but no metal or chunks of unknown debris. I am pretty happy with that. Swapping this pan with the engine in the frame is a P.I.T.A.. Here you can see the depth difference of the CTS-V and truck pans.

[dman1982]

[QUOTE=mattcrp1;7504824]I figured before I finished grinding on the frame and welding the plate (that does not fit very well) on I would swap the pan out. I got the old one out and swapped out the pick up. After looking at the old pan and pick up there was some sludge but no metal or chunks of unknown debris. I am pretty happy with that. Swapping this pan with the engine in the frame is a P.I.T.A.. Here you can see the depth

With my k10 no clearance issues with the pan lol

But with the oil pan swap I believe you have to do some shimming on the timing cover...not a 100% sure but worth looking into

[mattcrp1]

I finally got my griffin ls swap radiator mounted as well as the fan and shroud.

[mattcrp1]

I am very happy with the way it fits. It looks like it came from the factory this way. Using the factory 4 core or big block rubber radiator cushions with the small block radiator retainer was the way I needed to go. My truck did not have the retainer and I bought one off of a member of the forum.

[mattcrp1]

I got a lot done recently. I have my new master cylinder installed and sent the drive shaft off to get cut. I got my cooling system filled and temp sender installed. I made the mistake of not filling the upper hose to back fill the cooling system. I had read that others have had difficulty bleeding the air out of other swaps with modified radiators. I got my pcm mounted as well and I am on the tail end of the wiring meld between the body and ls harness. Ill post pics soon.

[mattcrp1]

So after a few months of side jobs I finally saved enough for a used 2002 silverado aluminum drive shaft and had it shortened. After that I had to find the correct conversion U-joint. The drive shaft came with the 4l60 yoke, and that saved a few bucks.

I probably saved $100 going this way over a custom shaft. If I had to do it over I would have looked longer for a factory '76 shaft and had it shortened. The conversion joint took a little time for me to figure out.

I have also been messing with the exhaust. I am going with a 2.5" y-pipe into a magnaflow 3" muffler and single pipe out. I am so close to ripping this thing around the block

[mattcrp1]

Its been a while, been super busy with work, family etc.. Got the Y-pipe done and finish welded. Sorry I am having trouble loading the pic from instagram.

[mattcrp1]

Moderator, can you move this to the 73-87 builds forum? thanks.

[mattcrp1]

Well for the first time since I have owned it and possibly 15 years or more, my truck has finally moved under its own power. I got the exhaust finished and the wiring done as well as the air cleaner mounted. I found that I need to be extra careful with my oil pan as i am very low. More pics to come.

Matt

[mattcrp1]

I ran 2.5 pipe into a magnaflow y adapter and then a 3 inch single out to a magnaflow flow muffler. it sounds great and I could not be happier with the sound.

[dman1982]

Originally Posted by mattcrp1

Well for the first time since I have owned it and possibly 15 years or more, my truck has finally moved under its own power. I got the exhaust finished and the wiring done as well as the air cleaner mounted. I found that I need to be extra careful with my oil pan as i am very low. More pics to come.

Matt

Looks awesome man, I moved my 78 under its own power yesterday too

[SaltyC20]

Looking at your thread it has been a long time coming. Congrats.

[mattcrp1]

Thanks guys.

[mattcrp1]

One more shot.

[mattcrp1]

So I had my little helper shaking the wheel and I noticed the excessive movement in the area of the steering box to frame. I pulled the leaking box off and found a nice crack. Stop drilled, v-cut it, welded and started smoothing it out. I got a new box ready to go in. I plan on getting the reinforcement plate to go behind it.

[N2TRUX]

Great build up, thanks for sharing.

[mattcrp1]

Thanks for moving the thread.

[mattcrp1]

Here she is up in the air waiting for my summit parts to arrive. I found that the pit man arm had some play in the joint and the smittybuilt frame plate. My rag joint seemed ok, but if I get time I'll try and get a jeep shaft.

[Odaroloc]

Keep it up!

[mattcrp1]

So at the moment, I am trying to get the reinforcement plate fitted to the frame and installed. The plate is for a 4x4 and does match the 2x4 steering box, but it doesn't not fit for nothin.... Some slicing and dicing and bolting it down and tacking it in place.. more to come.