55.2-59 Ol' Blue

[dsraven]

nice work.
I use garnet in my blast cabinet because it doesn't powder up so badly
keep on posting, great work so far

[8man]

Thanks Raven.

[8man]

Ok, I got the engine, a 5.3L from a 2011 truck with 111,000 miles on it. I thought a lot about that, and while they are supposed to be good for more miles, I wanted to delete the DOD/AFM on it, so,
IMG_1739 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
Yes, I started stripping it down.
IMG_1743 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
Yes, that is a 2011 5.3 with cast iron block and flat top pistons. The heads are the 243's with the cantedral port.
I'm sending the block out to be cleaned, checked out by some pros and then honed. They will rebuild the heads, as well.

I'm deleting the DOD, so I will need different lifters and pushrods, as well as a number of other parts. I've searched some YouTubes and scouted around what some of the folks around here are using, and I think I'm going with the Brian Tooley Racing kit. I am even planning on using their "Truck Norris" cam.

I didn't mention it, but I've been looking at parts to make it look like an old school small block. I've already picked up the old Mallory distributor to run the wires from the "hidden" coil packs up through the distributor and out to the plugs. I saw this on a YouTube where he used some Lokar parts, but some of them got a little pricy, but I think it'll be fun if I can camaflouge it so that people ask, "is that a small block Chevy"?

Next update I hope to have the frame painted with the Mastercoat stuff, but "the best laid plans" as we all know...

[Tempest67]

I know very little about LS Swaps, other than they are very popular and don't get rid of the donor vehicle until the swap is complete, and for me, the electronics is beyond my comfort zone, so I don't think I would ever try one.

HOWEVER,...... have you ever considered a Carb on an LS motor? I would think that would simplify things? just wondering?

I like following your projects as you always do great work, and thanks for sharing

[8man]

Thank you for the nice words.

I have a 350 block with LS heads and a carb in the 48. I had forgotten how I "loved" starting a carbed engine! Once it fires off, it runs great, but then the gas mileage is only about 11mpg.

Also, I agree with you that the electronics are beyond my limited electrical knowledge, but I put an LS in the 79 Cherokee Chief and have not had a problem with the electrical part once it ran. The harness was bought from a harness builder, and it plugged right in and played. If I have problems with it, I'll take it to a shop that works on LS engines. But it starts right up and has about as much power as my built 350, it's stock and gets almost double the gas mileage.

The LS I'm putting in the Cameo should have more horsepower than either, and if I'm successful, it'll look like a mid-50's small block Chevy. At least that's the plan.

[Tempest67]

I guess fuel mileage would be the biggest drawback of a carbed LS ? but I would think the power would still be there? Yes?


I tip my hat to you, as the electronics of those motors scare the hell out of me.

I have heard people say, "just tune it on your laptop" ya right? not for me.

Good Luck with it, and thanks for sharing (I wish I had the knowledge)

[8man]

Tempest, thanks again.

I will try to document and post up my progress and include a PIA factor for anyone who would like to know how bad I find the process.

[Tempest67]

hey, Thank you for sharing your build

[8man]

HCB3200 helped identify the engine as a LMG. So, as Forest would say, "one less thing".

I hope to get it off to the machine shop later this week.

[8man]

Well haven't been too busy, life has been in the way. However, I have gotten some things done.

IMG_1748 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
IMG_1749 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
IMG_1750 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
IMG_1761 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

Engine is going to the machine shop tomorrow. I will ask them when it will be done when I drop it off, but I'm hoping it's soon. I can't see much cross hatching in the cylinders, but it really looks clean other than that. The shop will hopefully only hone the cylinders, replace the cam bearings, check the pistons, install new rings, and check the crank. If that is all they have to do it may be pretty quick. So I need to get moving on this thing.

IMG_1759 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr
Yes, the engine will be Chevy orange.

The frame and other "hidden" parts will be a matt black, from MasterCoat.

IMG_1760 by Robert Moorman, on Flickr

[dsraven]

they're gonna dip the engine too, right? get the cooling jacket and oil galleries etc all cleaned out? replace frost plugs and cam bearings, oil gallery plugs etc?

[8man]

Yes sir. They are going to do all that.

This will be my first engine build, and I was talked into it by a restoration shop manager who volunteered his time to oversee my worki and what I'm doing. So, maybe I won't screw it up!

[8man]

I have a ZR2 rear axle, and I've started rebuilding it. The lugs on the rear don't match the ones on the front hubs I got from TCI. After talking to TCI and having the axles out of the tubes, I decided TCI was right it was going to be easier to replace the rear metric lug bolts with 7/16 x 20. I measured the knurl and got some from Summit that are the right size. I have measured the knurl for size, and it is .557", so my measurement agreed with Dorman.

Now, I need to drill the hubs out, but I'm not sure what size drill bit to use, I'm thinking 15/32, although a 14mm might work. I need it to be tight enough to hold the lug bolts tight enough, so they don't move.

I talked to an axle shop today and they said the real problem was centering the new hole. I thought I could just use a drill press, and the right size drill bit would follow the original hole and be centered. Am I missing something?

Thanks.