Hooker Blackheart 1967-72 C10 Truck LS/LT Swap System Info Thread

[72MARIO]

Just a FYI the exhaust system will not work with suburbans. I should have looked closer at my truck. I know it was not specified to fit suburbans. I bought it hoping it would work out
The pick up box floor is raised 3" above the frame behind the trailing arm crossmember. The suburban floor stays flat and the mufflers hit the floor. Between the missing hanger from the exhaust kit and hours on the phone trying to get the missing hanger I am going to have a ton of hours into this system.

What solution did your team come up with for the parking brake cable ?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Just a FYI the exhaust system will not work with suburbans. I should have looked closer at my truck. I know it was not specified to fit suburbans. I bought it hoping it would work out
The pick up box floor is raised 3" above the frame behind the trailing arm crossmember. The suburban floor stays flat and the mufflers hit the floor. Between the missing hanger from the exhaust kit and hours on the phone trying to get the missing hanger I am going to have a ton of hours into this system.

What solution did your team come up with for the parking brake cable ?

Hello 72Mario. Yeah, the exhaust systems were developed to specifically fit the short bed coil spring equipped pick-ups only, which is why the long-bed trucks and Suburbans are not included in the application listing for them. The parking brake cables will need to be reconfigured with aftermarket parts made for such purposes, or with parts custom made by the user. I came across a couple of different aftermarket cable systems during my support research for the exhaust systems, but I don’t remember the brand names of those components off the top of my head. A google search should net someone similar results to what I came across.

[Nickelndime]

Any update on the engine stands for a 67 with wide upper frame rails?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Nickelndime

Any update on the engine stands for a 67 with wide upper frame rails?

They have evidently made it onto our shelves and are awaiting a press release to be sent out to be listed on the Holley website. I would guess they will become visible by the end of the week.

[Nickelndime]

Originally Posted by toddoky

They have evidently made it onto our shelves and are awaiting a press release to be sent out to be listed on the Holley website. I would guess they will become visible by the end of the week.

Sounds great, thank you!

[Nickelndime]

Wow the side exit blackheart system has increased over $200 in price during the couple of months that I've been waiting on the release of early frame stands.

[Pythonater]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/member.php?u=157703, we're considering the 3" Blackheart Exhaust system for a 68 SWB we're building, however there are very few good pictures of the rear exit version of this system. Even the installation instructions on your website show only side exits in the pictures. We would like to see some more pics, specific to the 3" rear exit as we are using an aftermarket panhard bar and coilover conversion that will require modifying your tailpipe locations and we'd really appreciate a good look to help us determine how much modding it may take. Cheers

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Nickelndime

Wow the side exit blackheart system has increased over $200 in price during the couple of months that I've been waiting on the release of early frame stands.

Make sure you are comparing the price based on the same type of material. The exhaust systems are available both in 409SS and 304SS and there certainly is a cost/price difference between those material choices.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Pythonater

toddoky, we're considering the 3" Blackheart Exhaust system for a 68 SWB we're building, however there are very few good pictures of the rear exit version of this system. Even the installation instructions on your website show only side exits in the pictures. We would like to see some more pics, specific to the 3" rear exit as we are using an aftermarket panhard bar and coilover conversion that will require modifying your tailpipe locations and we'd really appreciate a good look to help us determine how much modding it may take. Cheers

I'll post a couple of images of the prototype tips of the rear exit system as I don't have any installed shots of production parts at this time. The over-axle tube assemblies are the same for the side exit and rear exit systems.

[Fraud]

Originally Posted by toddoky

You're in luck with the fitment of the 4L80 transmission in your truck mario72; it fit in our development truck without requiring the use of the high-hump floor...

I know this is an old post but I'm curious if this is still the case - the installation instructions do still say that a high hump is needed for a 4l80... Am I right in thinking that it probably does fit, but with tolerances too tight to officially guarantee for a user installed part?

[72MARIO]

Originally Posted by Fraud

I know this is an old post but I'm curious if this is still the case - the installation instructions do still say that a high hump is needed for a 4l80... Am I right in thinking that it probably does fit, but with tolerances too tight to officially guarantee for a user installed part?

My 4l80 fit in a low hump. I just didn't get there planned engine angle. I think if I remember right my engine sits at 4.5 relative to the frame. So I just matched my pinion angle and got a shaft slope of 3 degrees and equal operating angles of 1.5.

[Fraud]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

My 4l80 fit in a low hump. I just didn't get there planned engine angle. I think if I remember right my engine sits at 4.5 relative to the frame. So I just matched my pinion angle and got a shaft slope of 3 degrees and equal operating angles of 1.5.

Thank you!

[Nickelndime]

Originally Posted by toddoky

Make sure you are comparing the price based on the same type of material. The exhaust systems are available both in 409SS and 304SS and there certainly is a cost/price difference between those material choices.

No I'm comparing the same 409SS material. A few weeks back the rear exit and side exit systems were priced the same. The side exit system has increased significantly in price while the rear exit has remained the same. I really like the system (side exit preferbly) and felt it was fairly priced, perhaps I'll go for the rear exit before a price increase.

[toddoky]

For those who have been waiting for the Hooker Blackheart engine mounting brackets for the 1963-67 wide frame rails, they have been released and posted on the Holley website along with the new Hooker Blackheart trailing arm crossmember for lowered trucks.

[1971Stepside]

I purchased this kit (2.5") and wanted to give my thoughts for those thinking about it. My set up is a little different than all of the Holley parts recommended as they were not available when I was installing everything. I have a 6.0 sitting on POL stands. 4L80e trans with Dirty Dingo cross member. Speed Engineering Long Tube headers. I had already cut the holes in my trail arm cross member and they are not exactly where Holley have theirs as mine sit closer to the frame rails, but are 4" holes.

The kit fits amazingly well from the rear bumper to the h-pipe. The quality of the kit and the brackets are top notch. I highly recommend the kit over having a shop build you a stainless system.

The downside, if you want to call it that, is hooking up the H-pipe section to the headers. The headers sit lower than what the pipe is. I ended up having a local shop fabricate up some pipe to make the connection. I wasn't too bad to have done, but I could not find a local shop that could do mandrel bends, so I had to go with the old press bends. At some point I will put cut-outs in and have mandrel bends installed.

If anyone wants pics of my install let me know.

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

I purchased this kit (2.5") and wanted to give my thoughts for those thinking about it. My set up is a little different than all of the Holley parts recommended as they were not available when I was installing everything. I have a 6.0 sitting on POL stands. 4L80e trans with Dirty Dingo cross member. Speed Engineering Long Tube headers. I had already cut the holes in my trail arm cross member and they are not exactly where Holley have theirs as mine sit closer to the frame rails, but are 4" holes.

The kit fits amazingly well from the rear bumper to the h-pipe. The quality of the kit and the brackets are top notch. I highly recommend the kit over having a shop build you a stainless system.

The downside, if you want to call it that, is hooking up the H-pipe section to the headers. The headers sit lower than what the pipe is. I ended up having a local shop fabricate up some pipe to make the connection. I wasn't too bad to have done, but I could not find a local shop that could do mandrel bends, so I had to go with the old press bends. At some point I will put cut-outs in and have mandrel bends installed.

If anyone wants pics of my install let me know.

Feel free to post up all the pics you want of your exhaust system here in this thread as your photos may be as valuable as your written feedback to some other C10 owners.

[1971Stepside]

I'll post up some pics after it is all tightened down and adjusted. I did discover today that my kit is missing the 2.25" band clamp for the H-pipe. That will be a pain to take it all apart again for that clamp. I have a strap clamp I will use until Holley sends me the replacement.

[toddoky]

Those of you needing LS or LT engine mounting brackets for a 1967 model year truck with wide frame rails can now find them on the Holley website as part number BHS538. Here is an image of these mounting brackets installed on our 1964 C10 development truck (they work on all 1963-66 trucks and 1967 trucks with wide frame rails.). The brackets shown are pre-production samples, production parts are black powder coated.

[72MARIO]

Do you offer a rubber engine mount ? I bought the holley poly and think there transfering some unwanted engine harmonic vibiration thru the suburban.

[toddoky]

At this point we don’t offer rubber inserts, but if you want to run rubber mounts, you can use stock replacement motor mounts for a 1998-2002 LS1 equipped Camaro with the Hooker Blackheart mounting brackets. I would advise however that you use the mounts that GM sources and offers as many of the aftermarket versions we’ve come across are poor quality and will fail quickly when used on any engine with a power output that is greater than what a stock LM7 5.3L truck engine puts out.

[greencaravan1]

Originally Posted by toddoky

The 2.5" 409SS versions of these exhaust systems have also been released and listed on the Holley website.

The only header back exhaust I was able to locate on the Holley site for the 67-72 C10 was the Flow master American Thunder, do you have a part number for the Hooker set-up, the 300 SS series but if the 400 SS is all you have that will be fine. Update- I Googled the Hooker Blackheart 67-72 C10 and it took me to the page on the Holley site

[DaHos]

Originally Posted by toddoky

Those of you needing LS or LT engine mounting brackets for a 1967 model year truck with wide frame rails can now find them on the Holley website as part number BHS538. Here is an image of these mounting brackets installed on our 1964 C10 development truck (they work on all 1963-66 trucks and 1967 trucks with wide frame rails.). The brackets shown are pre-production samples, production parts are black powder coated.

Has there been any header/manifold fitment done for the 63-72 wide frames using the BHS538 mounts?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by DaHos

Has there been any header/manifold fitment done for the 63-72 wide frames using the BHS538 mounts?

Yes, there is a set of headers that were prototyped specifically for use on that application (they haven't been released yet) and the Hooker cast iron exhaust manifolds fit as well as shown in these attached images. As far as stock exhaust manifolds are concerned, I can't say as it wasn't one of my projects.

[Mbeef61]

I am looking for info on the Holley trans crossmembers for 71 c10. I was looking into the new TREMEC TKX transmission. They are based on the TKO. I don’t see the TKO mentioned in any of the c10 trans crossmembers. Another company says theirs will work that modeled for 700r4. Any advice for the Holley system?

[toddoky]

Originally Posted by Mbeef61

I am looking for info on the Holley trans crossmembers for 71 c10. I was looking into the new TREMEC TKX transmission. They are based on the TKO. I don’t see the TKO mentioned in any of the c10 trans crossmembers. Another company says theirs will work that modeled for 700r4. Any advice for the Holley system?

We have not yet gotten a TKX transmission in here to be able to validate its fitment geometry, but if published reports of its mounting geometry being the same as the TKO are true, I can give you some guidance on what to expect.

The mount bolt holes/mating plane location on the TKO transmission is 1/4" further rearward than it is on a 700R4 and is 5/8" closer to the output shaft center line.

In theory, that means you could use a 700R4 crossmember with a 5/8" spacer under whatever mount the crossmember was designed to use to mount a 700R4 transmission. In practice however, this working out heavily depends on the design geometry of the crossmember in question as the mount pad on the TKO is located right up against the belly of the rear case and so may cause interference with some crossmembers, even though they fit fine with a 700R4.

The only way you are going to be certain is to roll the dice and try it, which is what I'll eventually have to do here with the crossmembers in the Hooker Blackheart swap systems. If the geometry of the current designs do not offer optimized installation geometry, then I will have to develop new specific crossmembers that will.