norms 55 chevy pu build

[dsraven]

here is a site or two that sell wiring for ls swaps.

https://www.wiringspecialties.com/ls-swap-kits-parts/

https://www.psiconversion.com/

https://www.lsxmag.com/tech-stories/...rness-dilemma/

[dsraven]

here is an ls swap kit for the firebird chassis. anything look familiar? seems like a swap kit like this should solve the engine mount problem as long as it doesn't place the engine too far forward or back. you need space for a fan and clearance for the heads on the firewall. or notch the firewall i guess. anyway, just curious what your engine mount kit looks like in comparison.

http://www.brphotrods.com/products/2...cts/index.html

[dsraven]

if you scroll to the bottom and check the pics, an adapter like pic 10 seems easy enough to fab up.

[washington blue]

Well, well, well, seems that good things happen with a little education. Thanks to a Utube video of a guy restomodding a 77 camaro I learned that my engine mounts were indeed backwards. I took the AC pump off along with it's mount and flipped the engine mounts 180 degrees, also a touch of grinding here and there and suddenly everything almost fits. Here is a pic of the pass. side mount in backwards.

[washington blue]

And here is a pic of the same mount done the right way.

[washington blue]

Now the engine is further back, I can lower it down, I was even able to put a motor mount bolt in the driver side. I could not get the bolt in the pass. side as the oil pan is hitting the 80 firebird crossmember a little bit. The green tape shows where the pan is touching the crossmember so I will be researching pans next. You can see in the pic the engine only has to come down about 1/2 inch to get the bolt through the black mount and through the gold mount too. Question, do I need 2 special bolts here or can I use a regular bolts?

[washington blue]

Now that the engine is starting to fit better I see that the power steering pump will fit nicely in the 2005 stock engine location. Here is a pic of the pump and it's pulley nicely clearing the steering gearbox - - - soo cool! I have no idea what to do about the 2 hoses for the power steering, you guys reading this, have you done a nice hose adaption, I'm open to suggestions, thanks ahead. I will have to relocate the AC pump so more research is needed, nice that that is the only thing I must move. I have left the stock belt driven fan on for now to represent an electric fan and the space it would take up, - - I can now install the stock 55 radiator and have about 1/2 inch between it and the fan blades. You can see the bolt I put in the motor mount on this side, it's just a regular bolt, at least for now.

[washington blue]

I have not put the cab on yet so I am not sure about the clearances there. My measurements crude that they are show it might not hit the firewall. A small hump in the transmission cover will be needed tho. Another reason I have to get a new oil pan is the amount the pan is below the crossmember - - about 3 1/2 - - 3 3/4 inches. I have the tape measure touching the crossmember in this photo. Thanks for looking, Norm

[dsraven]

same reason I changed the pan on mine. the camaro pan was about the same height as the cross member when done. also about the same height as the trans pan. really, the pan shouldn't be below the cross member by much or it becomes the low point

it seems like the general consensus on the camaro LS swap sites for your era of front clip donor car that the GM oil pan from the 98-02 LS1 camaro fits the best

GM part numbers 12558762, 12598151, 12628771

https://www.amazon.com/GM-Performanc...ZPGG0XH3M932DS

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...e,oil+pan,5562

you will likely need most or all of this stuff. some places sell a kit. you may be able to source some used stuff if you look around.

-oil pan
-oil filter
-oil
-brake cleaner or other cleaning solvent
-gasket
-sealer
-oil windage tray
-block off plate unless you can re-use the old one you have. some guys drill that plate and tap it for an oil pressure gauge fitting
-block off plate gasket
-oil pump pick up tube
-O ring for oil pump pick up tube
-dipstick to match the new pan depth
-dipstick tube
-oil level sensor, unless you can re-use the old one
-there is a new fangled oil pump pick up tube plate that allows 2 bolts to be used instead of a single where it bolts to the oil pump. not required but that O ring is a source of leakage on these engines

hope that helps

[dsraven]

https://nastyz28.com/threads/lsx-swa...-bodys.171139/

[dsraven]

kinda looks like the camaro pan has an indentation in about the right spot to clear the cross member.
when doing the floor bump try to make a smooth transition if possible. it helps with carpet fitment if you are doing that.
p/s pump looks like it will fit for sure. it will be even better when the pass side angles down over the mounts correctly.

[Black93GT]

Originally Posted by dsraven

https://www.amazon.com/GM-Performanc...dp/B00BZR4ZW6/

I tried the GM LS swap pan and it was terrible. In honesty it’s a truck SUV pan.. the 6.0 I built for my 67 Camaro was from an Escalade and it had the exact same pan. Waste of money.... it hangs so low you might as well paint a target on it.

The Holley swap pan fit much better. Fit great and was tucked up nicely. No longer the lowest point on the vehicle.

[dsraven]

Motion racing has a decent article on the steam ports and why you need them. Some will say route them to the water pump housing but that simply returns air back into the system. You dont really want that. Air equals a bubble which can mean pressure build up since air is compressible and expands when heated causing more bubbles. Air also doesnt absorb heat like coolant does so there is a chance that bubbles can cause hot spots around cyl heads which can cause detonation and other things that can cause catastrophic failures. If coolant cant touch metal it cant absorb the heat. Air bubbles take up real estate that the coolant needs. Best to vent all 4 corners of the engine if possible to get rid of bubbles. Some intake manifolds are pretty tight to the valley so that makes it hard to accomplish. Also, vent the steam lines in a "always uphill" run if possible ending in the rad near the rad cap so steam and pressure from the steam venting can get out past the rad cap. Just dont connect to the rad cap vent line, lol. Some rads have a hose connection near the cap and some dont, if you are buying a new rad.

[dsraven]

http://www.billavista.com/tech/Artic...ble/index.html

Have you seen this? Pretty informative.

[washington blue]

Just learned a whole lot about steam tubes, thanks for the links.

[dsraven]

Yep, lots of good info out there.

[washington blue]

Thanks, the article says that if the engine is tilted back only front steam ports are needed. This engine has just front steam ports. I plan to have the tail shaft coming out of the transmission tilted down about 5 degrees to match the 5 degree upward tilt of the pinion gear. Is 5 degrees enough to use just 2 front steam ports? Also 5 degrees is with no load on the front springs.

[washington blue]

Went to Excessive Autosports today and spent time talking to them about oil pans and exhaust. I've known them forever and they are experts in custom car stuff. Also they are only about a half hour away from me. https://www.excessiveautosports.com/. I also got a pair of 2010 camaro exhaust manifolds to try and see if they fit. they fit like a glove. Only problem I see is the frame brace directly below them.

[dsraven]

some ls manifolds are stainless so they can be cut and welded if the flange is not right for you.

[washington blue]

Yeah, I wish the flanges were angled back a little like the engine in your picture.

[dsraven]

Those are also camaro manifolds. Earlier model that all. They have those extra connections on the sides for emissions or whatever. They fit well between the rails though and allowed the stock camaro mounts.

[washington blue]

I ordered a Holley oil pan for this thing, while I wait for that I decided to test fit the cab to see how bad it fits. Turns out not too bad at all, the engine will still come down half an inch or so and it looks like I will have to move it forward half an inch or so. The transmission dipstick tube hits the firewall, wish I could bend it and get it closer to the block.

[dsraven]

I think there is a trans dipstick tube out there that is flexible. Looks like a steel braided line. If not maybe you could make something like it. You could use some speedo cable for the dipstick so it is also flexible, like some newer cars use.
Just a thought.

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by dsraven

I think there is a trans dipstick tube out there that is flexible. Looks like a steel braided line. If not maybe you could make something like it. You could use some speedo cable for the dipstick so it is also flexible, like some newer cars use.
Just a thought.

Yep, Lokar makes one.

[dsraven]

If moving engine forward make sure to measure and leave room for a fan of some sort. I think lots of guys move the rad to the front side of the rad support to glean a little more room so some dimensional checks now could save you a headache later.