Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[glock35ipsc]

^^^ THAT'S what I wanted the burb rear end for! Which is why I was excited at first to think the burb rear end was wider. Then bummed to see my tape measure had lied.

[bigbadjohn84]

well.. goodluck on finding a 88-98 in that gear. I am having issues myself. they want an arm and two legs for a rear with the G80 5lug and 3.73! go figure .. the nerve..

[glock35ipsc]

I'm finding a bunch with 3.42's, just not anywhere near me. I may have to take a trip to the yard this Saturday to see what's close by.

[bigbadjohn84]

yea. the most popular availiable in my area seem to be 3.08 single trac. looks like I am gonna be stuck saving the funds and finding a GOOD shop to set up a new rear diff and ring and pinion. seems like all the street cars I have seen done my most shops end up with a whine after supposed set with a dial indicator. if I could do it, or at least had the tools, Id do it myself and save paying some jerkoff to set it up wrong lol

[nlped]

They were only about a 1/4" different per side. I can tell you that the 18x9.5 Boss 338 that I have for "Bob" fit beautifully with this rear. I actually replaced the u joint...twice...before I came to the realization that the stock one would have fit .

^^^ I did put the new Eaton in myself with new bearing and all, but I took about a dozen measurements with a dial indicator before I removed the stock carrier.

[HuggerCST]

Have you tried car-part.com? I see several in Colorado.

[glock35ipsc]

I did look there Wynne. The ones with prices start at $250. The local yard sells complete rear ends for $100 without drums, $150 with, but it's u-pull. I have a small portable hot wrench that will make that job easy.

Scored on eBay this morning, which required that I sign up again for Paypal. Guess I should change my signature?! I picked up a complete gauge cluster from a 90 Blazer for the electric speedo for $45. I sniped it in the last 20 seconds, and a guy put in his first bid in at the exact time as mine, but for $0.42 less than me!

I'll probably swap the entire cluster instead of just the speedo, except I like the original fuel gauge better. It says E, 1/2, F instead of the empty black circle, half white half black circle, and white circle. And it has a trip odometer too!

The lower left gauge spot is empty, so I will see if I can install my Autometer fuel pressure gauge there. That way won't have to mount it under the dash.

[menace121978]

THAT WAS YOU!!??







J/K! nice score Bob. i'm going to go w/ the autometer gauges that fit in the stock bezel. that should eliminate any problems with the font matching. i'll just need an electric speedo and the rest manual gauges like the stock ones?.

[glock35ipsc]

The stock gauges should be electric already (temp, oil psi). Even if not, I would go with all electric gauges.

[menace121978]

oh okay... the only thing that is manual in the stock dash is the speedo which is going to change to electric. duh!!!!!!

[glock35ipsc]

[nlped]

I'm gonna build my own bezel out of aluminum and mount all my Autometer Phantom guages in it. I'm gonna relocate the radio, A/C controls and the left lower A/C vent at the same time too.

Not really relocate as much as move around. I have drawn it up a few different ways on Autocad at a friends machine shop, but that is the extent of it so far.

[glock35ipsc]

Sounds cool, but......






be careful when you say you are just going to "move around" a few things on your dash



Ask me how I know that this can turn bad!

[nlped]

Yeah, I have already seen pics of the other truck. I don't have the skills to do that much modification. I do, however, have a huge drawer full of hammers from very small to a genuine BFH

[glock35ipsc]

All metal fabrication starts with a hammer!!!


And sometimes it ends with one too, depending on how the original hammer work turned out!

[glock35ipsc]

Captian's log, star date August 29, 2009. As the life fluid slowly drains from Fred, so begins the tedious transition towards a new life.



.

[menace121978]

right on schedule! GOOD TIMES MAN!!

[glock35ipsc]

Yeah buddy! Lunch break now, then let the nuts and bolts fly!!

I had to do an oil change in my car first, then I somewhat put the burb rear end back together (less gears) so I could get it to roll again. Then I welded it to the leaf springs! Well, I kind of HAD to, since I cut the u-bolts to get it out!

[nlped]

Awesome!!!

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by glock35ipsc

Captian's log, star date August 29, 2009. As the life fluid slowly drains from Fred, so begins the tedious transition towards a new life.



.

What happened to drive it a while?

I am just as bad.

Glad to see the transition starting and can't wait to see all the neato stuff in its rebirth.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

What happened to drive it a while?

Um, yeah, what did happen there? Actually, my wife seems to be impressed that I drove it as long as I did! I put about 3000 mile on him at least.

Well, his old heart is on the floor. Had to take miscellaneous breaks here and there for different stuff.... my daughters ATV ran out of gas, so I had to stop and go rescue her. My brother stopped by to chat for a while. But it's out, and I'll get the trans out either tomorrow or.... whenever.

Now starts the clean up, picking apart the wiring to get all the stuff that runs to the ECM out, etc. I did find one problem with the engine plates though. The right side interferes with the AC compressor bracket to the point where I thought I would have to make new engine mount plates that set back 1", which would move the engine forward 1".

I got to thinking about it while I was in the shower, and I'm going to see if I can move the right engine stand on the truck back 1", then fab a new engine mount for the engine side. If it works, I'll make a jig so I can reproduce them since there are a few more of use doing this same swap.

[Palf70Step]

Poor Fred, He lost his heart.




But the quadruple-bypass will make him forget ll about it.

Showers are always great places to formulate the days work and hash out the next criteria.

[glock35ipsc]

LOL, I get some of my best ideas while in the shower. And the dash for the 68? I dreamed that up while I was in the, um, well.. "back" office.

Here's my problem:





Instead of moving the entire stand, I think I can weld a gusseted plate to the back side of the stand, then re-drill new holes and move the rubber mount back. I think that will be fairly easy. Then I can clearance the AC mount just enough to clear the upper front bolt and an 1/8" piece of plate, then fab a mount that sets back 1'.

[Manbearpig]

If you wanna get rid of that TH350 shift indicator out of the cluster, I'm your guy.

[glock35ipsc]

Sorry man, my cluster has a 4 speed indicator, and so does the new one I just got off of eBay.