First Love revisited...

[GraybealGarage]

Background. I purchased this truck in 1995 at the ripe old age of 15. It was my first truck and hence the name "first love." This was a high school build that took about 4 years, completed my senior year. My dad and myself performed the frame off, and did all the work except the paint.

Originally the truck had a built 327, and some 15" cragars and a 5/7 drop. I didnt drive the truck much during college and made a few updates to the truck during that time, including a nice 427 and some 20's. That is how the truck currently sits and has been driven 10-15 times a year since then by my wife and myself. Currently I am building a 50 chevy truck that has taken most of my time for the last 2 years, and also got me bit on the LS and air ride bug. I decided to take a quick break on the 50 for the next few weeks and prepare "Blue" for the summer ahead. I had posted a Poll a couple weeks ago about which route to go... Dropmember and LS swap... Dropmember with 427... LS only... Leave it as is.... Well, most of the response was leave it alone. Well that didnt quite fit my personality, take something perfectly good and make it better . However, I decided not to go the DM route(since the truck is finished).

So here we are and these are the plans to be completed in the next few weeks:

Swap 427 for 6.0L LS motor
C Notch, air bags, shock relocaters out back
Suicide Doors tubular a-arms, bags, shock relocaters up front
basic air management system



Motor:
2004 GM LQ4 6.0 with 60K
Rebuild with new rings/seals
Mill stock heads .040 (increase comp from 9.4:1 to 10.25:1)
Patriot springs/titanium retainers (good to .660" lift)
7.4 Hardend pushrods
Good cam( its a secret...)
Stock truck intake for now
80mm cable trottle body
Fuel injection and tuned by me with HPTuners
TH350, 2500 stall
Looking for 500hp at the flywheel and 425 at the rear wheels

Motor is done and ready to drop in... still waiting on the a-arms...

How about some pics... Current dirty pics...

[GraybealGarage]

427 is pulled... and ECE mounts are set in for mock up... Motor is done and ready to go in.

[GraybealGarage]

GMC pauls dual Fan kit and Doug thorley LS swap headers...

Motor should go in tonight...

Still waiting for:
Fuel Pump
Front air bags
a-arms
harness

[*Dylan]

The build is looking great. Have any numbers on the 427 by any chance? What are your plans with the motor now that it's pulled?

[STOCKISH]

Super nice. I love it. Wanna sell that BBC?

[GraybealGarage]

The 427 is not an original 427. It is a 454 w/ a 396 crank. 11:1, oval ports, and cam that is about 1 step higher than the original 425HP 427 GM cam. I guess it pushes about 450hp at the flywheel. I am going to sell it, so PM me if interested.

Jason

[OARNGESI]

That trucks looked great before are you gona do the bags later

[GraybealGarage]

I will do the arms and bags, whn they ever decide to show up. Still waiting on those. However, this may allow me to get this thing driving first.

Jason

[STOCKISH]

Any updates?

[nuke1]

That is one nice truck there, i agree with you, do what you want with the truck, it is yours. I believe that motor is gonna haul, i also have my first truck, HAVOC. so i know how you feel.

[GraybealGarage]

Well I have accomplished a few things... Motor is in, fuel system is done, wiring is finished for the motor, radiator is in and full. Still have to hook up exhaust, and guages. It should start tonight. I had a snag with the stock transmission crossmember being right in line with the headers, so I am fabbing a new one tonight. Once these things arer done I will start tuning. It will start with the stock tune but wont run real well, but i'll fix that!

Still waiting on a-arms from SD, but Jason says about another week or 2. I did complete the rear c-notch, bags, shock relocaters and new shocks. However, the camera went dead on me so no pics of that...yet. Also the exhaust is limiting the travel to about 1" below the c-notch bumper, and I am about 1" from the bed floor. So I may dump it in front of the axle or move it... havent decided on that yet.

Here are a couple pics with motor in... more pics to follow tomorrow, and maybe a little start video!!

Jason

[Hart_Rod]

Looks sweet! What radiator did you use? What wiring harness are you running? Are you doing the Tune yourself? If so, what programmer are you using? Thanks,

R/

[texanidiot25]

That's one purty machine

[GraybealGarage]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Looks sweet! What radiator did you use? What wiring harness are you running? Are you doing the Tune yourself? If so, what programmer are you using? Thanks,

R/

Hey rob!

The radiator is the stock radiator with the gmcpauls dual fan kit. I can modify the stock harness but I use a guy who makes them with computer for about 4 bills, which is worth my time, since I can sell off the original and recoup some of the money. I am doing the tune myself, and I use HPTuners.

BTW, the burb is looking great!

Jason

[GraybealGarage]

Originally Posted by texanidiot25

That's one purty machine

Thanks Tex! I get a little frustrated with all the little scratches/chips/etc. form 10 years of use, but overall it is a prety nice truck, so thats why I figured a little update and I will drive it/enjoy it more.

Once its done I can drive it and get back to the 50.

Jason