New guy from the northwest 1949 project

[LS1plus4]

I picked up a truck with a nice start but there are a lot of parts missing so this forum is a lot of help getting information. Does anyone out there know what year truck has the longest engine compartment firewall to radiator length?

[nickp51chevy]

Hey buddy. to the board from Arlington WA! I'm not sure about the answer to you question though.

[LS1plus4]

Thanks i guess when the car and truck shows start in the northwest i can take a ruler with me and see what has the biggest engine compartment. I don't think this LS1 plus will fit in my 49.......

[nickp51chevy]

sure it will. You can fit a big block in there if you want to; it might be a little tight, but it'd fit. Plus I've seen guys on here that have done it before.

[LS1plus4]

The block is 28 inches long i don't have the cab on. but it only looks like i have about 36 inches from cab to radiator............I guess i should have put some info with the pictures this is 2 LS1 engines cut and welded into a V-12. I am getting ideas how to shoehorn it into my 49 chevy pickup but i have a 350 i could put in it. I was just wondering if there is a truck with a bigger engine compartment i like trucks. Some suggest putting it in a car out of the 70s they had bigger engine compartments. Thanks for any ideas..............

[nickp51chevy]

Damn! I still think you can do it. It's just going to take some engineering. I've seen rads in the bed before, so that is an option, or you could push the rad forward pretty far and use an electric water pump and fan. You can do it.

[Tchia65]

What is that?

[whid]

Originally Posted by Tchia65

What is that?

freakin awesome is what it would be......I want a ride in it when you get it shoehorned in there...........whid

[lpguy]

There are dealers that sell a 4" setback firewall. More info in the motor please very ibterested.
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[raycow]

GMC engines are longer than Chevys, so on GMCs the radiator is mounted (I am guessing here) about 2" farther forward. I sure hope you get that engine into something, because it definitely deserves to be seen.

Ray

[DG Racing]

LS1PLUS4 do you have made the crank for that block ??

[LS1plus4]

Everything for this engine is custom made this is the 4th or 5th engine. The first one is running around in a suburban that was at the SEMA show in las vegas 3 or 4 years ago.

[solidaxel]

This build is on the top of my list!!!!!
Welcome from So. Arizona

[MrDude_1]

Originally Posted by LS1plus4

Everything for this engine is custom made this is the 4th or 5th engine. The first one is running around in a suburban that was at the SEMA show in las vegas 3 or 4 years ago.

yea, i have cell phone pics of that one.. it was just sitting in a corner with no one looking at it.

id like to know alot more about this engine if you can share...
is it still 2 blocks welded together, or a complete casting?
any pics of the crank and cam?
if i only had a block, crank and cam, i know i could build the rest of this.... lol

[LS1plus4]

It is 2 blocks welded together. I should of took a picture of the crank i heat treated one a few weeks ago. And a cam for another engine is being made now it should be in soon for carburizing i will take a picture when it comes in. I don't think it is going to fit in my 49 chevy pickup i might have to go to plan B but not sure what that is now.

[Spackle100]

Originally Posted by LS1plus4

It is 2 blocks welded together. I should of took a picture of the crank i heat treated one a few weeks ago. And a cam for another engine is being made now it should be in soon for carburizing i will take a picture when it comes in. I don't think it is going to fit in my 49 chevy pickup i might have to go to plan B but not sure what that is now.

Just make a big ass tunnel in the firewall and through the cab you'll be good to go

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by Spackle100

Just make a big ass tunnel in the firewall and through the cab you'll be good to go

That is true. I have heard of that being done before.

[MrDude_1]

Originally Posted by LS1plus4

It is 2 blocks welded together. I should of took a picture of the crank i heat treated one a few weeks ago. And a cam for another engine is being made now it should be in soon for carburizing i will take a picture when it comes in. I don't think it is going to fit in my 49 chevy pickup i might have to go to plan B but not sure what that is now.

thats awesome. do you have any pictures of how you welded the blocks together? anything you have of that, no matter how bad the pic, would be great to see. even though i cant logically justify doing it, its just one of those things thats just so cool that it mesmerizes me. id like to know details,

as far as a truck goes...really, i see 2 choices on that.
you take a older truck like your 49, and you do some minor firewall mods to make it fit (all the work is minor in these trucks.. theres nothing to them. thats what makes them so great to work on.)

OR

you take a modern truck, leave the firewall, but stretch the frame, fenders, front suspension and hood forward to make enough room.

either way, its going to be a cool truck.

or if you didnt want a truck, you could make a "viper-vette".. they normally have a very long engine... although i think the 49 would be a cooler project.

[TwoFiftyShifter]

I had a good laugh.... was wondering what you were worrying about with sticking an LS1 into a 49 chevy, thats no problem.... also kinda wondered what LS1 plus meant.... then I saw it, and subscribed to this build. That is neat.

[LS1plus4]

Glad i could give you a laugh. The engine is a blessing and a curse. I am considering putting this engine in a roadster well not that partial to cars maybe a truckster would be better. I will go to some shows and get some ideas. I really don't want to cut my 49 up to make it fit.

[LS1plus4]

Thought i would put a picture of my 49 it looked good on the outside. But as you can see from the frame pictures this was not the way they should have welded it in.

[OrrieG]

Maybe you can take a page from BBEEP's ambulance build and use big truck fenders to get the extra length. I think he had to cut them shorter to graft on the 1/2 ton parts to fit the grille. That welding is scary, someone did not know their limitations.

[hotrodrookie]

Wow, what an undertaking. Kudos for thinking outside the box or (block) lol. I would imagine that tunneling the firewall and cab would give you the room ie. 2 bucket seats and a center console to cover. Or you could ditch the shortbed, make it a long bed and make it mid engined with the block in the bed, haha...

[LS1plus4]

I didn't like the thin metal they used or the welding or lack of welding so i used ship channel it is a lot thicker. I think it will be a lot stronger this way.

[hotrodrookie]

That looks like a good fix, are you leaving the rest of that front suspension setup? Im sure the same guy who welded in those notches also welded in the crossmember. I wouldn't trust it.