Ol' Rusty, my 1968 C10 5.3/4L60E swap

[LS1Impala]

Well a few weeks ago I bought a 1968 C10 from an old friend of mine. He lives in the same town as my brother, so my brother willingly went and picked up the truck for me and stored it at his house. I have done a few LS swaps on various vehicles, so on this one I decided to do something a little different. My original plan was to haul a motor/trans to my brothers, swap the truck over the weekend, and then drive it home. (I live 5 hours from my brother) I had a buddy that was going to go with me to drive my daily driver home, but he ended up backing out on me so plans changed a little, but I still wanted to do the swap over the weekend. So last Friday I loaded up the 5.3 and 4L60E combo I had and took off. My grandpa and my son ended up joining me, we got to my brothers at 5pm and went to work. We stopped at around midnight with a lot of progress, as the 5.3/4L60E was already sitting in the truck before we called it quits for the day! We got a late start Saturday due to a parts store run early and a stop by my brothers friends house for a few other parts. We got back to his house about 11am and jumped back on the truck with a bed full of parts! By 6:00pm Saturday we were ready to hit the key and BAM she started right up! It was fun, although I couldnt have driven it home if I tried because the driveshaft I had didnt fit...so it is at the driveline shop getting 2" cut off of it! Anyhow, here is the truck and it was a blast doing the swap with family! My son is 5 so he doesnt really get to help[ all that much but he did jump under the truck several times!




I tore the motor down to inspect everything and clean it all up a bit.


I threw in an LS6 cam, so I went with the GM performance valve springs.


I had the motor assembled before I headed west


Thanks to PSI for the harness!


This is what it looked like when my brother picked it up for me. It was a roller so I didnt have to mess with pulling an engine either!


My brother had these wheels laying around, so I threw them on in the mean time until I can find something else. (Picture edited)


My grandpa checking everything out


Thats how it sat after the first evening!


Figuring some things out, wire harness ran through firewall


Coming around




This is how it sits right now, still on the trailer waiting on the driveshaft to be made! It runs, just needs some exhaust and Ill be ready to cruise it around! Will update when its on the road!

[KMC3420]

Nice clean truck and it looks like you did a great job with the install. I have an 01 LS6 cam in my 5.3 and the exact same blue springs on my heads. Post up a video of this thing running when you can. Did you run the stock truck oil pan?

[LS1Impala]

Thanks! No I went with a CTSV oilpan, it sits right above the crossmember! Ive got a video Ill post!

[Houston Ben]

I have an 01 LS6 cam in my 5.3 and the exact same blue springs on my heads

How is that cam in the 5.3? I'm looking to do this myself in a few months or so.

[LS1Impala]

Its a great cam, I know several people that have it as an upgrade from the stock cam! I haven't really gotton this one on the street just yet but I'm hoping it does good for me too!

[KMC3420]

Originally Posted by Houston Ben

How is that cam in the 5.3? I'm looking to do this myself in a few months or so.

Mine looks like pic #1 in this thread. I am waiting on a gasket kit to get it all slapped back together. I am a ways off from running it. I got the LS6 cam for cheap so I figured I would run it for now. I have seen a few YouTube videos of the cam in a c10 but it had home ported heads. Also waiting on the hot rod oil pan to arrive. Hopefully he will get a video up of this thing soon so we can know for sure.

[LS1Impala]

This is the startup video of mine...it is loud because of the exhaust coming straight out of the exhaust manifolds. When it gets exhaust installed I will add a video then as well!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO8kga_Slbo
This is my buddies truck, he had the ls6 cam in it...they sound stock but really add some good power!

[LS1Impala]

In addition, here are a few pics of my other LS swap'd rides.

1968 Camaro with LQ9/4L65E/T76 turbo





And my 1960 Impala with a LS1

[dec010974]

nice. keep up the good work.

[TypeSL2]

I wish I had all the parts to get mine done that quick. Seems like I get a bunch done and then get held up by the smallest part. I should be getting close to having mine running. It's funny. I have a C10 that I am swapping, and my wife has a '62 Impala that we will be swapping for an LS2 later. Funny that you have also swapped a C10 and Impala, albeit different years. That Camaro looks nasty. I bet it was a handful.

James

[KMC3420]

Wow. All your swaps look great. That camaro looks mean. Bet it's fun to drive. What exhaust you gonna run on the truck? Also did you use the stock pushrods in the truck?

[LS1Impala]

Thanks! The Camaro is fun to drive for sure, but I do plan on getting equal comments from a LS swapped truck! These things are awesome, I love being on this board with like minded people! I'm going to use stock exhaust with a cutout, so it'll be quiet most of the time! I'll be taking this truck on the Hot Rod Power Tour next year so I like a mild to wild exhaust for long trips! Stock pushrods are perfect for this cam, that's one of the benefits of it!

[ls1nova71]

I've been through this thread a couple of times now and still can't find the 'ol rusty' truck? That truck looks pretty clean to me. Oh, and I'm digging the '60 Impala 4 door, that thing is bad a$$!

[KMC3420]

Originally Posted by LS1Impala

Thanks! The Camaro is fun to drive for sure, but I do plan on getting equal comments from a LS swapped truck! These things are awesome, I love being on this board with like minded people! I'm going to use stock exhaust with a cutout, so it'll be quiet most of the time! I'll be taking this truck on the Hot Rod Power Tour next year so I like a mild to wild exhaust for long trips! Stock pushrods are perfect for this cam, that's one of the benefits of it!

The more I listen to the exhaust the more I like it. Sounds pretty tough. I wouldn't mellow it out too much from where it is, buts that me. To each their own. Last question I promise, did you mess with the timing any with this cam?

[69trk]

watching this

[Low Elco]

Nice stuff! That's virgin sheetmetal for around here!

[Hart_Rod]

Nice truck.

[LS1Impala]

Thanks everyone! Its got some rust on the rocker panels (surprise, surprise) and a few other small spots but it is pretty clean besides those places! Im back to on the fence with the exhaust...its going to have to have some rumble at idle or Ill feel like I didn't do it justice. Ill still have the cutout for when me and my 5 year old go cruising, but the wife just doesn't appreciate the tone of an open exhaust! The truck sits way low, Im still debating raising it back up a little so I can use it for more like a truck, but that is farther down the line.

[LS1Impala]

Well Ive got a little more work on truck taken care of! I got all the stuff in for the grill and headlights...here is a before and after


I wetsanded and then used my DA on the paint, it shined up pretty good!



I got the engine running better, turns out I had a coil not firing, and took it on a little drive! So far it is way fun to cruise! I had to bleed the brakes and get it stopping good, which also included a new master cylinder!


Then I took it to the exhaust shop and let them put some e-cutouts on it with stock mufflers. Its got a nice tone at idle, not too loud but not real quiet, and then the cutouts just go to crazy loud! This is also a good look at how the CTSV pan sits in comparasion to the crossmember!


Thanks for looking and I will keep updating!

[oldman3]

Nice update, paint looks great since your refresh...Jim

[LS1Impala]

Well figured Id give an update...Ive been working on the truck and getting a few things done slowly. My plan is to take this truck on the Power Tour next year but I want to get some seat time in before the tour so hopefully itll make a few good trips before then! I put Ride Techs "Coolride" on the rear so I could get it up off the frame, installed the vintage air kit, and got my BOSS 338's put on!

[oldman3]

Looks great...Jim

[ksbrktracer]

Nice lookin truck .... The wheels go very well with the color too .... !

[Clyde65]

Im with Ls1Nova! I love that Impala!!!

I too wish I could do these swaps faster like you, actually wish I had the time to finish any damn thing actually!

[NorCalAnthony]

Sweet project! Your truck is the same year, color, and setup that I want to do once I finish up my LS swapped K5. Keep up the good work and post plenty of pictures