A '54 named Busty

[Gregski]

this proved much more difficult then it appears, I had to keep trimming the rubber hose 1/4 inch at a time until it cleared the suspension upper arm knuckle thingie

[Gregski]

the power steering hoses were next, usually I unscrew the high pressure hard line from the back and screw in one of my old square body nipples in there, but today I felt like making some spaghetti

[Gregski]

so with the engine and transmission mounted in place it was time to give the ol' stock exhaust manifolds a trial fit, and no dice, Houston we have a problem!

[Gregski]

the thought of cutting off the three bolt flanges and re clocking them did cross my mind (as these are cast steel and not cast iron) however I decided to throw money at the problem instead, especially since Summit sales copy cat Hooker two bolt flange manifolds for half price $170, score!) and no, no headers for me I'm much too old for that rodeo

I also picked up some Hooker down pipes as they had the O2 bugs already in them and a matching two bold flange, winning

Note: I am running the Hooker 2.5" manifolds on my '74 LS Swap and I will tell you that they ain't 2.5" at all they are more restrictive than stock - very dissapointing!

[Gregski]

So here is our LS Swap - Progress Report Card - LSS-PRC

1. Mount the engine - Done!

2. Mount the transmission - Done!

3. Install Heater Bypass - Done!

4. Plumb the Power Steering - Done!

5. Plumb the transmission fluid lines - Done!

6. Install shifter cable

7. Install and plumb fuel system

8. Plumb the water pump

9. Install exhaust manifolds and down pipes - awaiting parts

10. Install drive by wire throttle pedal

11. Install engine wiring harness

12. Get the drive shaft shortened 3"

13. Install the cold air intake

[joedoh]

if you know your center to center u joint distance, you can usually find a driveshaft that is exact or close. if I had to guess from your engine placement you will need a 53" center to center? reg cab short bed s10 is 53", the slip yoke will fit your trans and the rear u joint should bolt to whatever is in back.


if you are going to order one make sure you measure center to center with weight on wheels, and leave 1-2" stickout on the slip joint.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by joedoh

if you know your center to center u joint distance, you can usually find a driveshaft that is exact or close. if I had to guess from your engine placement you will need a 53" center to center? reg cab short bed s10 is 53", the slip yoke will fit your trans and the rear u joint should bolt to whatever is in back.

if you are going to order one make sure you measure center to center with weight on wheels, and leave 1-2" stickout on the slip joint.

yup you're close the stock Camaro one was 57 1/2" center to center of U joint the one I need needs to be exactly three inches shorter so 54 1/2"

I like to run 3/4 to 1" stick out on my yoke in the transmission, so 54 1/2" gives me 1" exactly, so I'm afraid the s10 will be too short

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Gregski

yup you're close the stock Camaro one was 57 1/2" center to center of U joint the one I need needs to be exactly three inches shorter so 54 1/2"

I like to run 3/4 to 1" stick out on my yoke in the transmission, so 54 1/2" gives me 1" exactly, so I'm afraid the s10 will be too short

g body overdrive is 54"? that gets you closer.

it looks like your passenger head is tucked right against the firewall, thats usually a 53" for mine when its like that, not based on the engine but the trans bellhousing of the 4l60e. interesting, is all. thats on 118" wheelbase too, yours is presumably still 116.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by joedoh

g body overdrive is 54"? that gets you closer.

it looks like your passenger head is tucked right against the firewall, thats usually a 53" for mine when its like that, not based on the engine but the trans bellhousing of the 4l60e. interesting, is all. thats on 118" wheelbase too, yours is presumably still 116.

thanks for all your help, in my neck of the woods it is impossible to find an undamaged driveshaft at the local Pick N Pulls since they use huge fork lifts to move the cars around and all of the torque sticks get damaged, they could be making $100 bucks a stick if they were more careful

and here's a better look at my passenger side cylinder head, seems almost even with the firewall, I know pics can be misleading because of the perception angles

[joedoh]

here they pull the driveshafts first, and poke holes in the gas tanks its always cheaper for me to find a shaft, $30-40 at a salvage vs $130 to shorten one at ITP. and if I start with an ext cab, I have to buy a new one piece anyway.

[8man]

Nice work on the LS swap, and the to do list is getting shorter.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by 8man

Nice work on the LS swap, and the to do list is getting shorter.

thank you appreciate it, so want to go work on the truck but it's hot as hewk up here, went to Ace Hardware and they were shutting the doors at 5:30 PM today, John the owner knows me by name (cause I buy all my hardware one nut and bolt at a time from him, ha ha) says I couldn't let you in without a mask anyway, new law, the Governor just signed it!

[Gregski]

so I got this idea from the OG skymangs aka Ole Sarge 49 ls1 build

[Gregski]

tunnels must we make for the injector wiring harness to run under the intake hidden like

[Gregski]

forgetting to block off the brake booster vacuum port on the back of the intake is guaranteed to make a spectacular vacuum leak

soon we shall upgrade to power brakes for now this is just to ensure proper startability

[Gregski]

Progress not perfection!

reluctantly I had to notch the upper radiator frame to move the radiator up a little bit for the upper rad hose to clear the top of the fan

[Gregski]

I gotta admit I am in full on Git 'er done! mode

[Gregski]

I got some mystery lower radiator hose to work absolutely perfectly after trimming it a bit and installing the swivel thermostat housing/neck

[Gregski]

can you believe this jazz? as if I could hate California even more than I already do!

[joedoh]

I think the heat is getting to you, the upper hose shouldnt be plumbed to the oil fill, unless you are steam cleaning the inside.




your random lower hose looks a lot like the one I use on my swaps, same bends.


you can ship that intake to me and I PROMISE to forward it on.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I think the heat is getting to you, the upper hose shouldnt be plumbed to the oil fill, unless you are steam cleaning the inside.

OMG, it does look like that, that's hillarious!

Originally Posted by joedoh

you can ship that intake to me and I PROMISE to forward it on.

I bet!

[Gregski]

well since my Summit exhaust manifolds aint supposed to ship till middle of next month, I decided to take matters into my own hands and resurrect this ol' project from my other LS Swap

[Gregski]

then it was time to manhandle the driver side exhaust manifold

[Gregski]

took to it with such surgical precision that would make a German engineer cringe

[Gregski]

Part Numbers? we don't need no stinkin' part numbers!