My '53 "LS-10" 6.0/4l80

[TimE]

Well guys, I'm new to this side of the board but not to the site. Used to spend ALOT of time on the 60-66 side but with life happening my '64 project was lost in the shuffle and mothballed. Still have it, just no progress.

Anyway, on to the current moneypit with a little back ground. I bought a '53 project a couple of years ago from a guy in Oklahoma. It was already mounted on an S10 chassis with functional brakes. I picked it up with the idea of throwing it together in just a few weeks as a driver and then begin working on my '55 sedan (yea, yea, I know...too many projects, not enough time). I had stated on the '55 and it needed WAY more sheetmetal work than I thought prior to having it blasted. I realized it was gonna be a long time before I could get it together so the '53 made sense as a "quick" project to enjoy while I built my '55.

I got it home and threw a 454/th350 setup in it and thought I was on my way--until I tried to spin the big block over. It had locked up on me while it had been sitting. Got a little discouraged and didn't mess with it for a while. When I went back to it I removed the stock 454/th350 and installed an old 454/th400 that I rebuilt back in the '90's that had been removed from my '55. Dropped it in and busted it off--Woo Hoo!! I took a promotion at work and my spare time was mostly gone. Spent the entire summer last year, with what time I did have, building a small shop behind my house. It's still not completely finished inside or painted outside but it was time to get back on my truck. Well, once I decided this, there were cut backs at work and since I had accepted a salary position 6 months prior and was junior person, I was let go. Sooooooo...the job search was on and all projects were dead!!

Found another job, got some spare time again and a little motivation to get back on the truck. I wasn't really liking the idea of a cammed/stalled big block in the truck as I wanted more of a fun driver that could be used as a daily if I wanted to. Well, I had a 6.0 that I had picked up to have as a spare for my '01 Z28(bought new, daily driver since '04). The Z has 165K on it so I was planning to upgrade when the time came. I had also picked up a good 4l80 over the last couple of years. Wanted to do a turbo 5.3/4l80 in the '55. The wheels started turning and I decided to remove the big block and use the 6.0/4l80 in my truck. I pulled the cab, removed the motor/trans and dropped the LS setup in this morning. Need to sit the cab back on and see how it fits, either today or tomorrow.

The cab had already been modified with a trans tunnel but I decided to cut it out and redo it. The previous owner was going the rat rod route and had used an old sign for the floor. It looked pretty cool but it had been placed over some of the old, rusty metal. Here in the deep south, this would rust out and cause more grief in a few years so it would just be easier to handle it now. I have already cut out the tunnel that was there so once the cab is back on I can decide how it needs to be modified and move forward from there. Once the cab is on and I get everything lined up, I plan to remove the cab, level the motor and install a tranny brace(doesn't have one now). From there the motor assembly will be removed and everything will be cleaned.

My current plan is to get the truck together where it will yard drive and then decide, for certain, what path to follow. I am leaning towards a flat color with decent interior but no definitive path at the moment. Just trying to piece it together, make it dependable/fun to drive and then use it like a truck for a while. Who knows, I may not even worry about any color at all for a while and run it like it is.

Hope to stay on this one long enough to get it going and then move on to something else.

I know you guys love pics as much as I do but I don't have any on this PC. I will get some up when I get a chance.

I apologize for the long post but just wanted to pull everything together as to how it came about. Now it's back outside to sit the cab on the chassis...

[TimE]

Pics as promised!


Here's how I drug it home from Oklahoma...




Here it is 2 days later with the, unknown at that time, locked up 454...




Last summer moving stuff into my new shop...




And now to the present!!

The 6.0/4l80 mocked up...




Moving the cab back to the frame...




The cab mated to the frame for fitment...




Transmission tunnel cutout with a view of the tranny...




And my next obstacle to overcome...




I have a few different style manifolds that I will test to see if they have any better clearance. Otherwise, I guess I will modify the header tube to make it all work. Of course everything will have to be pressure washed and detailed before final assembly but I'm a little ways from that point right now.

No more time today. Going to spend the rest of the day with family Christmas-ing!!

[iowaboynca]

Looks like a good start.

[Sim6]

Welcome to the older side of things. Good looking truck.

[TimE]

Thanks guys!

I forgot to mention that this truck was supposedly an "Old Navy" truck. I have no reason to doubt it because the body is in way worse shape than most of the older stuff I've looked at from the Oklahoma area.

There is a large amount of bondo in the cab and bed that will need to be addressed, eventually. The previous owner had already replaced the dash and some other items. Not gonna stress over the body too much now, gonna try to focus on getting it driveable and go from there.

I sold my Silverado about 2 years ago and haven't had a truck since. When I need to haul something I have to either borrow my dads truck or hook the trailer up to my wife's suburban. Either way, it's a pain... That's just more motivation to get this one useable on a pretty thin budget.

I hope to get some things done mid week, after that I'm on shift until Christmas.

[Cuttin up]

I find with time life gets in way occasionally but our projects keep us grounded in an almost therapeutic kinda way. Man that was deep, ha ha. Looks like to be cool build.

[TimE]

Haven't done a lot to it since the previous posts but I have been accumulating more stuff. I now have a computer and repinned factory harness that I picked up from "68 Four on the Floor". Can't wait to get to the point of needing to install it!

Spent the day at a local junkyard today and picked up a starter with starter bolts, transmission dipstick and tube, oil dipstick and tube and a '98 Mark VIII electric fan. The funny thing about the fan is the fact that it is as big as the radiator. Should be fine, though, with some modification to the shroud and then sealing it to the radiator.

Been trying to decide on a plan of attack for the fuel system. There is a Tanks Inc. universal tank already installed in the chassis. I was planning to modify the top of it and install a factory style pump (the type with the " cup") from a Suburban/Silverado. I have also considered the Tanks Inc conversion pump.

I have been researching on the net and found that some guys were using Walbro corner pickups. Here's a link the the actual pucks... http://www.summitracing.com/parts/vpn-mp13

And here's one link to a discussion of them... http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237189

The threads I ran across the guys were using an external pump. I would prefer to run an in-tank setup for longevity purposes. I plan to pull the fuel pickup that is in the tank now and see if I can modify it to work with the pucks and an in tank pump.

Needless to say, I'm still researching and feeling out my options at this point. This has to be done on a fairly tight budget but it has to be dependable too. I intend to use the truck as a semi-daily driver once it is together.

Anyway, that's all for now. Gotta work the next 6 out of 7 so no upcoming truck time for Tim...

[White knuckle Garage]

tim i will be following the build

[TimE]

Well, FINALLY, an update...

I was struggling with how I wanted to do the fuel pump. I knew I didn't want an external as I hate the buzzing noise they make. I wanted something that would be easy to acess and replace if I were stranded in the middle of nowhere too. Below is what I came up with...





It's not attached to the tank yet but it is a (CHEAP) replacement pump for a 2001 2500 HD (didn't want to spen too much $$$ on a pump I was gonna hack up, in case it didn't work out). I shortened the stands on it so it would fit in my short tank. I used a base ring from an old '03 Silverao tank that I had laying around. I tacked that to a plate and then dropped the pump in, not taking into account that the stock tank had the mounting ring sunk into the plastic. I made a gasket to sit below the pump and another thin one for above the pump so the lock ring would go on and hold the pump snug, as it should. This should be fine but time will tell...

Then i moved on to the transmission mount. I ended up using a mount that I had picked up at the pull a part from an S10(Blazer I think...). Used a hole that was already in the frame and then drilled another on each side, mounted a piece of angle and then sat the mount on that. I think it turned out well...




The motor is now sitting at roughly 3*...





Will update more later. Wanted to get this posted up before taking the wife and kids to a movie. Kinda stoke on it again...

[White knuckle Garage]

any updates to the truck lately

[White knuckle Garage]

any updates?

[TimE]

Originally Posted by White knuckle Garage

any updates to the truck lately

That pic looks familiar...

Unfortunately, no. The transmission in my daily ('01 Z28) crapped out at 166k so I had the bright idea of freshening the motor and some other things while I was at it. Of course, that has snowballed into a 408, etc, etc. I'm on the downhill side of that now so hopefully there will be something to post in the not too distant future. Vacation is next week, so nothing then. Heading back to OK again this year. Haven't been in 2-3 years. I like it out there.

Did you ever get the '56 BA together?

[White knuckle Garage]

thanks tim for the update on the truck . yes i did finish the belair new motor and trans , a little interior work and rewired the whole car then sold it to my brothers father in law and he hasnt done much with it since. took it home and put it the garage and drives it every now and then. i now a 65 chevy short bed truck that i am about half way through the rebuild, all new components on the frame, rust repair , ls engine and vintage air . im on the 60-66 forum here. keep me updated for i would like to see it going .