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

[68 TT]

I was looking forward to the square body trailing arm conversion and the LS swap kit he talked about. Did he start another thread on either of these?

[Tx Firefighter]

Bob is on Facebook a lot. I think he's playing a lot of golf lately.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Bob is on Facebook a lot. I think he's playing a lot of golf lately.

Come on Kev, I play golf and fish a bunch too. No excuse not to hang here at least once in a while

[Palf70Step]

Yooooooo glock, How be Fred??

[glock35ipsc]

Hey Bill! Fred be good! Still the most dead solid reliable truck I think I've ever owned. The A/C needs worked on though, one of the R134 adapters has been leaking just ever so slightly and now it just cycles the compressor off and on. Otherwise, he's great!

Haven't done anything to him expect to drive him as much as possible. Will probably work on the A/C over the fall. Have been kicking around the idea of selling him next year and finish my 70 K10 by putting a 4.8 or 5.3 in it, A/C, clean up the interior and paint her. Selling Fred would get all that done. But it's just a though right now, nothing for sure.

In the mean time, my son is getting closer to driving age, and is really getting antsy to work on his 69 (in sig below). He has joined the forum too (brycerowdy), so hopefully he will be keeping me a little more active on here.

[truckzilla]

Yep, you can't let your son see you slackin' now can you? I'm sure he'll do great having had seen what all you've done on your many projects Bob. That's the right way to be an inspiration for the next generation.

Larry

[nlped]

Bob, you still happy with the 3.42 rearend or would a 3.73 have been a better choice? And I'm glad to hear its still doing great!
Posted via Mobile Device

[glock35ipsc]

Since the entire idea of the build going in was economy with performance, the 3.42's was the perfect choice. Since my drive to town is about 10 miles of interstate, the 3.42 keeps me in a good rpm range for the economy, but there is more than enough power on tap when I want it. I can still destroy ricers and newer muscle when called for, and they don't have a clue what had just happened.

[Low Elco]

Glad to see Fred still kickin'! Great build!

[Palf70Step]

[LEEVON]

Hey Bob, how's Fred? Does he know you want to sell him? Have you thought about his feelings? Nah, I understand it's just that I think you SHOULDN'T!!! lol

Back when you started this thread I was the owner of an '87 Silverado...let that one go for some reason after doing all the hard work but never got around to a 5.3L swap. Just last week I picked up another subject, a real clean '87 Sierra so I've brushed up on all the good threads, this one primarily. My immediate plans are just to take care of a couple of small things and drive 'er. The engine and trans are new and run great so there is no pressing need for the 5.3L swap (other than power and mileage) but I will begin collecting parts anyway! I gotta start looking for a lightly used crew cab rear seat, posi rear end, lowering...crap (deja vu) I already did that once and sold it!

When I get to the 5.3L I think I will use the Kwik Performance brackets after watching you do battle with the compressor, they're local here and good dudes.

Happy trucking.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

My immediate plans are just to take care of a couple of small things and drive 'er. The engine and trans are new and run great so there is no pressing need for the 5.3L swap (other than power and mileage) but I will begin collecting parts anyway!

Is there an echo in this thread??

That's great that Kwik Performance is so close, that will make that part go real smooth if any problems come up. I like that was able to keep the compressor in the OEM location, since it keeps together the idea of looking like the General put the 5.3 there. But if I ever installed one of these and had any plans whatsoever to make it look nice, I would use Kwik Performance in a heartbeat.

Good luck on the new ride man, it looks sweet! I keep going 'round and 'round on whether to sell Fred, or paint him, or keep him AND start working on my 70. Then my son reminds me that I had talked about finding an 80's crew cab and building a SWB 4x4 crew.



I suppose I won't know until one day I wake up and just do something crazy!

[LEEVON]

I hear you on the crew, in fact I looked around a bit but it seems like you need to find a highly optioned, well cared for dually and go from there. The CCSRW's are usually stripped down and abused. You need alot of space to dig into one of those...my main problem but you got that part covered it looks like!

[Low Elco]

Not to be a jerk,, but what do you figure you have into this conversion, ballpark? I'm seriously considering doing this to my 87 and am trying to put numbers together. I'd appreciate any info you could give, thanks!

[Fullauto05]

I'm new to this forum, but have been very impressed with the efforts of everyone performing an LS swap into their trucks. I too am swapping a 5.3L into my son's 85 Chevy 4 X 4 Stepside. We actually met a gentleman who lost interest in swapping the LS into his Jeep and traded us for the 305 that was in my son's truck, straight across. We have the engine in the truck, and it looks great. Question is what lower radiator hose you all have been using for the conversion. Autozone has been very tolerant of me running back and forth trying to get a hose that fits, and I've combed thru all 75 pages of posts, but haven't seen (Or missed it) any info on the lower radiator hose. We are running the factory style 4 core, non-diesel radiator. Thanks for any info.

Francis

[Fullauto05]

My son's truck

[glock35ipsc]

Well guys, another build thread comes to an end. Due to some upcoming, really freaking expensive medical expenses we will incur from my wife's upcoming jaw surgery, I opted to sell Fred to get some cash in our pocket to help cover what insurance won't.

While it is bittersweet, because of who I sold it to, I am excited for what he will soon become. Most of you probably know Mike Curtis from Overhaulin' and American Hot Rod. Fred's new owner is Mike's father, Randy. I worked for Randy back in the very early 90's when Mike was a little turd, and Randy is one of the better known hot rod/muscle car guys in this area, and a huge lover of the square body trucks. He's built many squares for guys in this area, and has an awesome black short bed 4x4 shop truck. Some of the parts I used on Fred's swap came from him too. His plans are to build it to haul his jet boat. I can't wait to see what he does with it. Whatever it is, it is sure to be bad ass!

Sorry for not getting in here to answer questions. I haven't been getting notifications of replies, and don't check in a lot any more. But shoot me a PM, and I'll help out if I can.

Hopefully between this thread, and Dennis's "Silver" thread, there will continue to be a lot of good info to use.

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Not to be a jerk,, but what do you figure you have into this conversion, ballpark? I'm seriously considering doing this to my 87 and am trying to put numbers together. I'd appreciate any info you could give, thanks!

I don't remember the exact number for sure, but I think it was in the neighborhood of $4000. Somewhere there is a post in this thread from shortly after I finished the swap where I mentioned the total cost.

Originally Posted by Fullauto05

Question is what lower radiator hose you all have been using for the conversion.
Francis

That is a sweet looking truck Fullauto! If I remember correctly, I used the original lower hose off the 85 as I used the 85's radiator, and the upper hose off the donor truck.

[Low84]

Wishing you all the best with the surgery. Between Dennis and your thread I built up enough confidence to do an ls swap on my 78. Still working on it but it will get done. Thanks for a very informative and detailed thread.

[mcbassin]

Sorry to hear about you having to sell Fred. I hope you got to enjoy it since you finished the engine install. I do remember Mike Curtis. He did the same kind of computer programming and CNC work as me when he worked at Boyd Coddington. I assume he does the same still. I know the truck is in good hands.
Hope all goes well with your wife's surgery.

[truckzilla]

Sorry you're having to sell Fred. I will be praying that your wife's jaw surgery goes exceedingly well and the results are excellent! Having done it with Fred, I'm sure, should the desire strike, you'll be able to do it again since you've kicked the learning curve in the backside!

And I remember Mike. I remember him working for a competitor (Foose) while he was still being paid by Coddington!

Geeze! There is a saying that goes, "What some peoples kids will do!"

Thanks again for all the help you've been to this forum and to us doing the LS conversion!

All the best and we'll be waiting patiently on the next project!

[LEEVON]

Well, that's not all bad news...at least its going to a worthy owner and you won't have to see it slogging around town with mud up to the windows! I'm guessing said new owner is not a computer guy, but if by chance he is please ask him to stop in with some updates.

I feel you on the medical bills, we got to pay for my wife's back surgery this year. Not near as exciting as trucks, but at least she can get out of bed in the morning!

[HuggerCST]

I hate to see it go too, but life is all about family. When I saw that you were selling it I seriously considered buying it back, but it wasn't in the cards. Good luck with your wife's surgery.

[JohnC]

Sorry to see it go, but it was a fun and informative ride!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by JohnC

If we wait it can be a community tool. We can just use it and then ship it to the next guy, and so on , and so on!

OLD THREAD......................... but where is the community tool when you need one ??
Is there one out there that needs to be used, you know wipe the dust from it!!

I have 2 doors that need adjusting on my 78.

[nlped]

I don't know the current situation on the "tool", but I can tell you that after seeing Bob's tool, I got one of my own...& it worked perfectly!

Does that sound as squirrelly as I'm thinkin... :\