My 1957 Chevy Truck "Journey"

[jjjmm56]

The problem with junk yard motors is most of them need to be rebuilt too.

[OrrieG]

Looks to me like that motor has been sitting for a little longer than a year. The short block out of mine that wall pulled over ten years ago has been sitting in the corner wrapped in plastic without the heads on it and does not have any rust in the cylinders. I wonder if yours had a blown head gasket??

[ambryatim]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Looks to me like that motor has been sitting for a little longer than a year. The short block out of mine that wall pulled over ten years ago has been sitting in the corner wrapped in plastic without the heads on it and does not have any rust in the cylinders. I wonder if yours had a blown head gasket??

Possible OrrieG....I have not pulled off the other head yet to see what it looks like. I was just so disappointed with what I found that I just put it back together and started weighing my options.

Still wondering if I could just get away with honing it and putting in new rings and bearings. No noticeable scoring marks on the cylinder walls.

[ambryatim]

Well, not much going on...finishing projects for my wife....but, I did pull my rod and main bearings and they all look almost new except one....so I have been looking at bearings (KING) and rings (Hastings)....Oh, and I got the engine to bar over this weekend so not a total loss.

I was also looking at cam's and was wondering what would be a good one to put in...I will never go to the track....and I might have to blast the person next to me on the freeway from time to time.

I was looking at these from comp cams.

Or what are you running in your 5.3l/323 LS based engine???

[Tri5Nerd]

Originally Posted by ambryatim

Well, not much going on...finishing projects for my wife....but, I did pull my rod and main bearings and they all look almost new except one....so I have been looking at bearings (KING) and rings (Hastings)....Oh, and I got the engine to bar over this weekend so not a total loss.

I was also looking at cam's and was wondering what would be a good one to put in...I will never go to the track....and I might have to blast the person next to me on the freeway from time to time.

I was looking at these from comp cams.

Or what are you running in your 5.3l/323 LS based engine???

I went with a 232/234 595/598 on a 112 lobe for my setup, look around, I got most of my info from the boys over LS1Tech forums.

Tri5

[OKGMC4]

I know I'll get a lot of slack for this but...I am planning on putting a stock LS1 cam in mine. It's the same cam that comes in the 6.0 HO and the 325hp 5.3HO GM crate engine. If you check, there is a 40hp difference between a 5.3 and 5.3ho crate, and 40hp difference between a 6.0 and a 6.0HO. That tells me that I can get 40hp from a cam I got for $25 that doesn't require serious tuning or valvetrain changes. The way I see it if I got a $350 Comp Cam it would have to give me 400 hp extra to be just as good a deal! I know you mentioned the budget thing. I'm in the same boat - wanted an LS1, got a 5.3. Wanted a Dana 44, got a Dana 36, so on and so forth. We just do what we can.

[ambryatim]

TriNerd....Thanks....I did read over at LS1Tech and alot of those people want more top end then anything. Me I want some top end but not as much as some....torque will get you moving faster, quicker and then you can ride the HP out on top...I will mostly be DD mine back and forth to work and just enjoying it.

OKGMC4.....got any more of those 25 dollar cams. I have thought about going that route too, but if I am going to have to change springs....might as well get something that will do well in most areas. Not knocking the LS1 cam...it is nice.

[LEEVON]

Good, popular, inexpensive and proven cam known as a "truck" or torque cam is Comp's XR265, 212/218 .522/529 on 114. You can pick them up lightly used for about $200-225 (ls1tech or performancetrucks.net) and use a set of LS6 springs ($50) and some hardened pushrods. No need for a radical converter either, stock or say 2600rpm will do nicely.

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by ambryatim

TriNerd....Thanks....I did read over at LS1Tech and alot of those people want more top end then anything. Me I want some top end but not as much as some....torque will get you moving faster, quicker and then you can ride the HP out on top...I will mostly be DD mine back and forth to work and just enjoying it.

OKGMC4.....got any more of those 25 dollar cams. I have thought about going that route too, but if I am going to have to change springs....might as well get something that will do well in most areas. Not knocking the LS1 cam...it is nice.

Maybe I missed something, are your springs bad? It's my understanding that the stock LS1 cam drops in with no spring or pushrod changes. The LS6 cam requires both of those and new rockers as well so I avoided that. Most aftermarket cams suggest the same changes. The difference in lift is very small from stock, but the LS1 camshaft has a good measure of extra duration, especially on the exhaust side, and it makes a difference.

[ambryatim]

No, my springs are fine....I was thinking of the LS6 cam sorry...not the LS1 you are correct should be a direct swap.....Still looking.

Thanks...LEEVON.....some were saying that a 222/224 duration cam would be good too....any ideas about those??

[ambryatim]

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day!!!

Well, I was bound and determined to get the engine and tranny mocked in this weekend and I got pretty far, but one thing after another kept me from getting all that I wanted too done.

Here are some pic's along with some questions.....I am using the cross-member from the donor (78 TA) and I am having some issues ( I think) with clearance. So, For those who have done this swap with a camaro/TA front clip please let me know what you think. I will post more details tomorrow, just want to get this up before I go to bed.

Thanks Everyone


Ok the P/S pulley is actually behind the gear box just a little.


Here is the clearance that I have...


And another of the clearance...


Trans Cross-member...


Tunnel Clearance


And another


Ok, this is one issue....one of the trans cooler line fittings is really close to the tunnel....what to do???


Same area different angle.


As is sits....no mounts.


Front to Rear angle.



Side to Side.


Here is one with the "hood down".....checking centerline from water pump pulley with the centerline of the hood...


Ok and this one I am trying to draw an imaginary line from the center of the cowl area (there is a hole in the cab where the cowl goes looks to be centered on the cab) to the water pump pulley....

So, My questions are do I need to lower the cross member and then try to fit the engine/trans, or do I need to shim up the cab...or other???

Also, if I use the TA trans cross member then the trans/engine is not centered between the frame rails....Measuring for the inside of the frame on the passenger side to the middle of the output shaft on the trans I get 16-1/4" and then on the drivers side I get 17-1/4"....so it is over an inch further to the passenger side....does that sound right??

Or do I need to center the trans between the frame rails and then do everything??? Any help/comments are much appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

[ambryatim]

And I should mention that I am trying to use the cross-member that came with my clip....I also tried to rotate it 180 and it is still off....I am Open to suggestions...Thanks

[JML55]

The clearances you have are almost identical to my swap so I'm using polyurethane mounts that will reduce movements. So i think you should be OK.

[ambryatim]

Originally Posted by JML55

The clearances you have are almost identical to my swap so I'm using polyurethane mounts that will reduce movements. So i think you should be OK.

Thanks JML55....I was studying your photos and I was compairing the trans in the tunnel.

Mine looks to be a little more to the right (passenger side) than yours....also my top trans cooler line is close to/is hitting the fire wall, yours looks to be below it and your engine a little further back, did you center your trans between the frame rails??? Or is it more to one side than the other?? Oh, and how much clearance do you have on the firewall on the passenger side??

Thanks Alot!!!
Tim

[JML55]

Originally Posted by ambryatim

Thanks JML55....I was studying your photos and I was compairing the trans in the tunnel.

Mine looks to be a little more to the right (passenger side) than yours....also my top trans cooler line is close to/is hitting the fire wall, yours looks to be below it and your engine a little further back, did you center your trans between the frame rails??? Or is it more to one side than the other?? Oh, and how much clearance do you have on the firewall on the passenger side??

Thanks Alot!!!
Tim

Tranny is dead center in the frame rail as is the engine. I have about 3/4" clearance at the firewall and pass valve cover but i cutoff the last coil stud closest to the firewall. I'm using the 4 speed tranny floor cover it has the hump in it and clears the top of the tranny very well. The other cover is flat and will need to be modified to clear the tranny. What oil pan are you going to use? The truck oil pan hangs pretty low.

[ambryatim]

Ok, I think I will have to modify the cross-member, because it is not dead center.....How are you checking that the engine is dead center????

As for the oil pan...I am trying to find an LS1 or Cadillac CTS-V pan.....no luck yet.

Might have to modify my pan if I cannot find what I am looking for.

[ambryatim]

What is your cross-member to oil pan clearance??? Right now I am at 1-1/4"...or at least that is how thick the wood is that I have holding the engine up, right now. I thought I saw a 3/4" piece of plywood under yours???

So I might need to come down some to be able to get everything to move back just a little and to clear the trans oil cooler line at the top....

[JML55]

Originally Posted by ambryatim

Ok, I think I will have to modify the cross-member, because it is not dead center.....How are you checking that the engine is dead center????

As for the oil pan...I am trying to find an LS1 or Cadillac CTS-V pan.....no luck yet.

Might have to modify my pan if I cannot find what I am looking for.

I measure the side of the engine bloc to the upper control arm mounts, using the smae location on both side worked good. I got my oil pan from ebay but it took a while to get one at a decent price.

[Tri5Nerd]

Here's how I did my motor mounts that worked out pretty good, I had 2 issues after doing it this way.
I made my mounts based on the stock LS1 motor mounts and reuse the stock bushing. The motor sits up a little higher that using the adapter plates method and that gave me some clearance around the PS box and allow me to hang PaceSetter long tube headers without issues.
The problem areas for me was the cross member had to be notched in order for the AC compressor to clear.

The other issue I think I'm going to have is the tranny tunnel, it looks just like yours but I do have clearance for the cooler tubes.

Remember that you need a 2 to 3* angle from engine/tranny to driveshaft.

Tri5

[ambryatim]

Thanks for the info guys.

Looks good Tri-Nerd....that was an option on the mounts before but not now....I already have the kit.

I am probably going to have to modify the crossmember. On the engine mounts I have a few options...I can use the kit I have (Just like yours JML55) or I can use the clam shell type, like the camaros came with. What are your oil pan to crossmember clearances??? Right now mine is around 1-1/4" might be a little to much???

JML55....did you remove the shims from the upper control arm mounts to get a more accurate reading on centering the engine?? Or did you just not worry about it??

Also, is the crank pulley centered with the skid pad on the clip??

Tim

[JML55]

My oil pan clearance is about 1" see picture. Crank pulley is pretty well center to the crossmember plate. I think i measured from the control arm mounts.

[ambryatim]

Originally Posted by JML55

My oil pan clearance is about 1" see picture. Crank pulley is pretty well center to the crossmember plate. I think i measured from the control arm mounts.

Ok, thanks....I will have to check and see what I have on mine.....If I center my engine with the "skid plate" on the clip, engine looks to far to the right....driver side....I am making a new cross-member at work today and will see how it looks this evening.

Ok, I was thinking of the mounting bolts that hold the arm on....so, you are talking about the part that is welded to the clip? I will measure from there. Again thinks for all you input. Really appreciate the help.

[JML55]

Originally Posted by ambryatim

Ok, thanks....I will have to check and see what I have on mine.....If I center my engine with the "skid plate" on the clip, engine looks to far to the right....driver side....I am making a new cross-member at work today and will see how it looks this evening.

Ok, I was thinking of the mounting bolts that hold the arm on....so, you are talking about the part that is welded to the clip? I will measure from there. Again thinks for all you input. Really appreciate the help.

You are very welcome.

[ambryatim]

Ok, I just finished building my new cross-member....








I made it out of some 1-1/2" square tubing that we had around our shop...so, it only cost me about an hour of labor. I am pleased with how it came out, just need to paint it and test fit to make sure that the angle for the drive line is going to be ok....and that it is centered in the frame. I will post some pics of it installed this weekend.

Tim

[Kim57]

It looks good. Very simple and clean.
Kim