Well, lets see. I spent a week in Utah exploring with my friends and sleeping in the camper every night.
You can read about the fun here:
Desert trip 20
Within a couple of days back I proceeded to rip my truck apart.
Reason for the sudden pull of the 5.3 was financial. I had a guy that found me from CK5 and Instagram that also has a K5 with a FWC camper make me an offer I couldn't turn down. His K5 is still running a carbureted small block and the heat of his hometown in Phoenix not making it very driveable. The proceeds of the sale of my 5.3 and 700r4 would jumpstart my 8.1L/nv4500 swap.
Brought the truck back to my place to swap out the auto brake pedal for a Hydro clutch/hydroboost brake pedal setup.
Meanwhile over at Larry's Bigassgas Garage, the 8.1 was getting prepped.
I ordered a load of parts to facilitate the swappage. Including fresh Centerforce Clutch, ORD engine cross member, Howell EFI harness and PCM, Hydraulic clutch parts for the factory integrated slave/throwout assembly, Hydrobooster and 1 ton master cylinder along with a ton of other little items needed for this job.
Larry fogged the block and heads with VHT Chevy orange and the intake, oil pan and timing cover with VHT cast aluminum. I spent a day sanding the valve covers to expose the aluminum ribs and sealed them in with VHT clear. The engine has been prelubed and resealed completely from intake to oil pan, rear main to front cover and crank seal.
I think the engine is coming out awesome.
While Larry's been tinkering on the engine I've gutted the front part of the interior to remove the rubber flooring so we can perform the needed floor surgery to allow the shifter for the nv4500 to poke up through the center. I put one seat back in to allow me to sit up there to get the truck on and off the trailer.
That's where it sits right now. Sunday it's getting loaded back on a trailer for a ride to Larry's place for the final assembly. I might be able to squeeze in a fall color run late in the season for a maiden voyage.