How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

It is all looking very good. I agree with Steven (yes, miracles happen ) that the work on the firewall will beam out everytime you open her up!

I sure hope so, this sanding stuff is for the birds...

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Nice work on the Intake Chris! Looks great!

Thanks Mike! One chip at a time, chip, chip, chip...

This look like progress to anyone else? Yeah, me either. I think at some point soon good enough is gonna be good enough for me.

[rustytruck50]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

This look like progress to anyone else? Yeah, me either. I think at some point soon good enough is gonna be good enough for me.

I understand what you're saying, but you're at warp speed compared to where I'm at!

[gringoloco]

Originally Posted by C10_ustacould

What type of paint did you use to paint the engine?



Which throttle body is this?

And... What harness and ECU are you using?

The paint is Seymour EN-48. According to my google searches it’s the most correct color and sheen with the best durability out of a rattle can. Pretty happy with how it laid out, though the pigment is a little thin and requires multiple coats. Can’t yet speak to durability.

Throttle body is a 92mm from Warr Performance. Pretty much the same China version that lots of sellers have available, but Warr takes the time to fix the minor issues that many of them have so that it’s a bolt-on, no hassle affair. Again, google/forums say it’s good, we’ll see. Looks/feels like a nice part in my hands.

For the harness/ECM I was planning on using GM, but just picked up a FiTech standalone 70050. This lets me delete the MAF which was making the air cleaner sit too high, while utilizing all of the other factory sensors/coils/injectors, etc. It also uses wideband O2s which should theoretically make tuning easier/faster.

The main reason for grabbing the FiTech was time savings as reworking the stock harness and ECM would be very time consuming and I gotta get this beast going before we move next summer. If I was running a stock engine, stock stuff would be a no-brainer, but I gotta be difficult If it sucks/I hate it, I can always go back to GM or Holley for a harness/ECM, though both of those options are more expensive and/or take longer to get going.

Originally Posted by rustytruck50

I understand what you're saying, but you're at warp speed compared to where I'm at!

Thanks for that, the repetitive sanding is keeeeling me

[gringoloco]

After a few more rounds of filler, glaze, and being covered in sanding dust, I layed the first round of primer (looking splotchy while it dries). This first coat is mostly to get it all in one color so I can more easily identify any flaws. I’ve found a few things that require some attention, but I’d say it’s around 90% done with body work.

[C10_ustacould]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

The paint is Seymour EN-48. According to my google searches it’s the most correct color and sheen with the best durability out of a rattle can. Pretty happy with how it laid out, though the pigment is a little thin and requires multiple coats. Can’t yet speak to durability.

Throttle body is a 92mm from Warr Performance. Pretty much the same China version that lots of sellers have available, but Warr takes the time to fix the minor issues that many of them have so that it’s a bolt-on, no hassle affair. Again, google/forums say it’s good, we’ll see. Looks/feels like a nice part in my hands.

For the harness/ECM I was planning on using GM, but just picked up a FiTech standalone 70050. This lets me delete the MAF which was making the air cleaner sit too high, while utilizing all of the other factory sensors/coils/injectors, etc. It also uses wideband O2s which should theoretically make tuning easier/faster.

The main reason for grabbing the FiTech was time savings as reworking the stock harness and ECM would be very time consuming and I gotta get this beast going before we move next summer. If I was running a stock engine, stock stuff would be a no-brainer, but I gotta be difficult If it sucks/I hate it, I can always go back to GM or Holley for a harness/ECM, though both of those options are more expensive and/or take longer to get going.

Thanks for the info on the paint, how many cans did you use on your engine? The reason I ask these questions is that we are picking up an LS1 this weekend and I'm not 100% sure how we'll outfit it in our truck. We have the FiTech Go EFI 4 600hp throttle body unit on our 350/700r4 set up, so an LS1/700r4 with the throttle body is a possibility. The self learning capacity is a huge attribute but it also a limiting factor. Getting help from a local tuner is impossible because they can't use HP Tuners or the like and don't want to tune it the hard way. Money, as always, will have an influence on the decisions but overall performance and tune-ability will be first and foremost. The first decision we've made is of course to use the LS1 long block. The second decision is to use the competent but much less expensive Holley accessory drive versus the Billet Specialties system we have on our 350. The third absolute is the use of Hooker LS manifolds, so clean and simple. Beyond those three decisions, I've yet to decide weather we will keep the current FiTech system with the 700r4, swap to the FiTech Retro LS system, use the Delmo throttle body adapter on a carb manifold, or use the stock LS1 manifold and throttle body. Needless to say there is some decision making in our future. I really like the old school look of a carb, especially on an LS (I don't like the look of the intake tube) so that may be a major factor. We'll have to see where it goes... Anyway, you've got great momentum, keep up the great work!