48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait

[RockinKees]

Doug, I was very quiet for a minute or two....

Trust me when I say I know what it is to be ill, so you've got to celebrate now and indeed NEVER give up!!
All I can say is a lot of healthy years for you and Cindy together (and ofcourse everyone else on the planet).

It must be feel good to be wrenching together in the shop again!!!

[Advanced Design]

Thank you Jim and thank you Kees! Kids are coming over today so we should get in some shop time after church. The grandsons race their skooters around and around.

I think I'll also install the outer fenders too before drilling the toe board for the inner fenders. The location of those holes...up, down, left, right....could have an impact on fender fit.

Iceburgh used an R and D radiator on his build and they are sponsers here so I wanted to check them out. Made in Georgia, has some nice features and I left them a message asking about depth from mounting flange to back end of fan motor. Trying to figure out room for accessory drive.

[Advanced Design]

Yep, installing the right outer fender positioned the inner fender where it needed to be for marking and drilling the toe board.

The left inner positioned well with the parking brake support bracket.

[Advanced Design]

Ok, there is only three inches between the radiator flange mount and the tip of the truck water pump. The Corvette is 1 9/16 inches shorter, yet will be too wide for the inner fenders.

Will be kicking some ideas around this week though I think this is heading toward moving the engine back. Yay....

Unless my friends here have other ideas?

[FarmerSid]

I'm in the middle of doing the same with front accessories. I have 3" in between the rad core and water pump snout. My right valve cover is about 3/8" from the valve cover. Some things I have found out is that if you run vette accessories brackets, you have to run the more expensive vette alt, ac pump etc. Truck parts will fit on 98-02 f body brackets which is in between truck and vette spacing. These front drive systems are $$$ used. I'm thinking of modifying my core support to move the rad ahead a bit to still use the truck accessories.

[FarmerSid]

Just sitting here thinking and should put some of my thoughts down before I forget. LOL! I've looked into the Holley brackets but the inner fenders will need to be notched as they are high and wide. Another thing to consider if you want to run ac, vintage air won't work with a vette or f body compressor. Need to buy a sanden and another bracket if you want to have the compressor down low. More money. I think with the f body brackets you use the truck alt too. Me, l'm leaning towards f body stuff so I can use the cheaper truck alt etc with the possibility of adding a LS6 intake in the future.

Do you have all the truck accessories and brackets?

[Root2812]

I got the Holley bracket that uses the corvette spacing. When it came down to it I decided I would rather modify the inner fenders a little bit to clear the alternator instead of recess the firewall. I am running without AC so only one side will have a clearance issue. I haven't gotten it all together yet so I don't have pictures or specifics yet.

The holley bracket will run the truck alternator (and i think the truck AC if you have it but I am not having it so I didn't look too hard) but you still need the vette PS pump, balancer, and water pump.

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by FarmerSid

Just sitting here thinking and should put some of my thoughts down before I forget. LOL! I've looked into the Holley brackets but the inner fenders will need to be notched as they are high and wide. Another thing to consider if you want to run ac, vintage air won't work with a vette or f body compressor. Need to buy a sanden and another bracket if you want to have the compressor down low. More money. I think with the f body brackets you use the truck alt too. Me, l'm leaning towards f body stuff so I can use the cheaper truck alt etc with the possibility of adding a LS6 intake in the future.

Do you have all the truck accessories and brackets?

What do you mean that Vintage Air won't work with a Vette or F body compressor?

[Advanced Design]

Sid, appreciate your ideas and research. Yes, I have all the truck accessories and I believe they are narrow enough to fit. And yes we will have Vintage Air so the Sanden compressor will have to go high on the right side. Do you have your radiator? I'll get the dimensions of the one I am looking at and determine if truck accessories will fit.

Root2812, you called it I think, either I go into the inner fenders for the Corvette set up or I possibly cut into the firewall a bit. Still have maybe an inch behind the engine. Will play around with it this week to see. Thanks for your thoughts.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by diceman50

What do you mean that Vintage Air won't work with a Vette or F body compressor?

Diceman, Vintage Air advises ( or use to advise) their system won't work with the stock GM compressor. Right now I am fuzzy on the reasons so I am researching it on their website.

[99 to Life]

Did you guys look into alex grove brackets? yeah vintage air told me same thing, here it the explanation "We do not recommend using the factory LS compressors because the majority of them are a variable displacement type compressor and our systems are designed to work with a fixed displacement type compressor." VA is so pricey, I'm sure quality is good but 1500 with kit and AC bracket for LS engines. I'm looking into maxi1 kit from southernrods. 819 for full kit.

Moving engine back has pros and cons. Pro is better handling, and more room up front, but more work esp if you gotta recess firewall.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by diceman50

What do you mean that Vintage Air won't work with a Vette or F body compressor?

Couldn't find it on their website so I asked a technician friend and Googled around. The Corvette and Camaro compressors are variable displacement and that doesn't work well with the Vintage Air system. Supposedly will lead to failure of the compressor. Their system needs a fixed displacement compressor.

And I want a more solid answer so will keep looking.

[diceman50]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Diceman, Vintage Air advises ( or use to advise) their system won't work with the stock GM compressor. Right now I am fuzzy on the reasons so I am researching it on their website.

Thanks, I was not aware of that. I was concerned because we hooked up my neighbors Vintage Air to a GM R4 compressor about a year ago, but I don't think it is a variable displacement unit.

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

Did you guys look into alex grove brackets? yeah vintage air told me same thing, here it the explanation "We do not recommend using the factory LS compressors because the majority of them are a variable displacement type compressor and our systems are designed to work with a fixed displacement type compressor." VA is so pricey, I'm sure quality is good but 1500 with kit and AC bracket for LS engines. I'm looking into maxi1 kit from southernrods. 819 for full kit.

Moving engine back has pros and cons. Pro is better handling, and more room up front, but more work esp if you gotta recess firewall.

Thanks 99. Appreciate the explanation. Iceburgh tried the Alan Grove ac low mount and it wouldn't fit.

[99 to Life]

noted on the lower bracket, AG make an upper as well see pic. also this guy, great build "marvin" used firebird brackets, they had to notch the frame pretty good for lower fitment of AC.

If you moch up the engine to sit up higher you can prolly gain more header clearance and also upper AC bracket clearance. but going too high has downside effects as well.

[Advanced Design]

Diceman, you are right, the R4 is fixed displacement.

99, Hmm...I didn't think about his high mount. Thank you. Good advice, if the engine was a bit higher and farther back it would help with exhaust and accessories. Marvin is an impressive build. That is quite a notch they put in the frame. I saw a truck at HRPT that Rad Rides by Troy built and the compressor was in the stock location. Owner said they did a small notch.

So many ideas to try...where are my minions?

[JJorgensen52]

I'm running a Kwik Performance high mount A/C with the truck accessories (http://www.kwikperf.com/lsx_high_mount.html) which is sold by VA as part of their LS line - the compressor clears the inner fender, but I am going to have to modify it slightly for clearance on the tensioner with this setup.

I have the R and D AD radiator in my swap, but to get the clearance I wanted for the accessories without recessing the firewall, I mounted it on the front of the core support using some simple angle iron standoff brackets:



Gave me enough space to tuck a 3-7/8" depth fan in there ahead of the truck water pump (looks a little tight from this angle, but I have about 4" clearance from the tip of the pump to the radiator, and the fan motor is above the water pump so it clears with about an inch to spare)


Just another idea to try!

[Advanced Design]

Great ideas JJ. Thanks!

[Advanced Design]

Nice tight packaging using the mini-Sanden. Will have to determine if that compressor will work for this vehicle. Going to check out Holley brackets too.

Thanks again JJ.

[lower50's]

Well it will be a very merry Christmas for you guys. That is some amazing news that your wife beat it and it could not be better timing. There aren't enough success story's. Wish you both the best!!

[youngrodder]

Doug please get a handle on the best LS bracket set up would you? I would like you to do all the hard work then I can come in a duplicate your set up.

Good stuff

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by lower50's

Well it will be a very merry Christmas for you guys. That is some amazing news that your wife beat it and it could not be better timing. There aren't enough success story's. Wish you both the best!!

Thank you Lower! The last year has been incredibly difficult and stressful, so I've spent a lot of time on here which helps. She spent the morning grocery shopping and all afternoon baking for our Christmas goodie plates we give away to friends and neighbors with Christmas music blasting. Awesome! God is good and we pray it stays away!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Doug please get a handle on the best LS bracket set up would you? I would like you to do all the hard work then I can come in a duplicate your set up.

Good stuff

Marc

Marc, I am off now until Jan 4 so am planning a lot of shop time. Figured on dragging my feet doing piddly stuff like hinge rebuilding and following your lead. Ha!
Ok, thanks to a lot of good input from our friends here I am thinking:
Using Corvette or Camaro accessories will put the alternator or ps pump (whichever is on top) into the left inner fender. Would have to make a cut out.
Using truck accessory I think will eliminate the problem on left side.
KWIK has an a/c bracket that pulls the mini sanden in pretty close and high so I think it will clear on the right side.
Stock a/c mount will need a heavy frame notch.
Holley has better looking high mount brackets than KWIK and I've asked them for dimensions from vertical centerline to outside edge of compressor.
Holley has a bracket for an R4 and a Sanden.
I have to determine if the Vintage Air I plan to run will work with an R4 or the mini Sanden.

So bottom line for me is...I think I want to run the truck accessories since I have them with what ever a/c will work. Still have to find some answers on A/C. And to do that I need to move my engine back and up. Figured I can stand around and stare at it with a measuring stick for a few hours or just move the darn thing in a few hours.

Here is the high mount Holley bracket.

[youngrodder]

Man you have been doing your research...That Holley bracket does look nice.
Thanks for sharing (as usual)

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Man you have been doing your research...That Holley bracket does look nice.
Thanks for sharing (as usual)

Marc

Very welcome Marc. Right now I have a bunch of theory and conjecture with little practical experimentation. I "think" the Camaro system will put the ps pump into the left inner fender though I am not positive. Seems I remember that from builds on here. I need to look around for some...or go to the shop and move my engine back some.

And the pic below is the F car which looks pretty tight.

Here is a pretty good info source though it is a bit dated. http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/transmi...ve-swap-guide/