Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[glock35ipsc]

I know, right?! 'Cause it's like, we're in Colorado. And it snows year 'round!

My new helper, ready to....um, help:


It's back in!!! The connections are a little tight, but it'll work. I bent them up and toward center just a little. The bottom one in the pic will get either a 90° or 135° fitting so it can run up between the heater hoses and the rad hose, and the top on will get a 45° so it can come up and around the front side of the rad hose. The shroud is just sitting in there loose, it's not really that close to rad hose.:




Little did I know at the time, but the lines will easily clear the bracket I made for the MAF/air cleaner! I'll use a 90° fitting on the top so I can run it down and under the air cleaner:


I'm going to use all new lines, but I used the old stuff to mock it up so I could measure for the new lines:


Shop manual!


I cut both trans cooler lines off near the starter, then added the AN fittings and ran SS braided up to the radiator. The lines are now ran under the engine stand along the inside of the frame and completely out of the way of the compressor:


New fuel line (top), old fuel line (bottom):


I'll probably run to NAPA today and get the 90°, 135° and 45° fittings for the compressor end so I can see what is going to work the best. Once I figure that out, I'll have them crimp the 2 fittings on to about 4' of hose. Then I can figure out the best way to route them and mark the hoses where they need to be cut and the orientation of the fittings to be crimped on the other end.

[6772owner]

Looking good as always Bob, cant wait to see the truck again in July!

[glock35ipsc]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to July.

I got everything ordered for the AC just a little while ago. Hose, fittings, o-rings, sealing washers, solder.... all that jazz from Docs Blocks. About $52 for all that! Not bad. Also ordered a new aluminum line that runs from the evaporator to the condenser.

I also bought a crimp tool for the hose fittings. I'm sure I could take the hoses to someone to do the crimping, but I like doing this stuff myself. And I know it will see use again. My brother needs to put new hoses on his 72 soon, and the 69 my Dad is building will be getting AC also.

[D.FENS]

You are using an OE radiator, correct?

I swear this question was asked, and answered, in this thread someplace but I can't find it now. My crewcab needs a new radiator, bad, but if the stock one isn't swap-friendly I'll patch it up somehow for the time being.

I bought 1972supercheyenne's extra harness the other day. Even if I ain't in the game yet at least I'm AT the game.

[glock35ipsc]

Yes, the OEM radiator is very swap friendly. When you do get your engine, if it's not a super high mileage one, be sure to get the upper rad hose too. Since the donor truck's upper rad hose is in the same position as the OEM rad, it's a direct fit.

Pull up a seat and grab some beer. With all the GenIII swaps going on in here right now, it's a great game!

[STOCKISH]

I am totally loving all the Gen III swaps going on around here. Cant wait to see progress of youre D.FENS

[nlped]

Plus, whoever has the most tools wins...Right

[glock35ipsc]

Hehehe...

[Driveway Dreams]

And around here the WINNER is.......BOB!
Looks like good progress Bob. I see you were using your flash in those pictures, good plan. Oh, when it was up on the jack stands it almost looks like stock height.

[glock35ipsc]

I think that is about the old ride height! And Yeah, flash is good. Don't want any misinterpretations, or to scare anybody!

[qu1cks1lver56]

Hey Bob, I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere in here, but I'm too lazy to dig through 41 pages to find it lol.
What size tires you running and how far have you dropped it?

[glock35ipsc]

65 pages, but who's counting?

BFG 275/60-15 all around on 15x8 wheels. Cut one coil from the front, and removed the second leaf from the bottom in the rear. Front and rear springs are original as far as I know. I'll probably cut another 1/2 coil from the front here soon. It has right at 1-1/2" rake, which leaves almost equal space front and rear from the top of the tire to the edge of the wheel well. I want that gap in the front to be slightly lower than the rear.

[qu1cks1lver56]

Haha, 41 pages if you have 40 posts per page lol.

And thanks, that's close to the stance I've been thinking I want, but wasn't sure on exactly how much to lower or what tire size I'd need.

[americanmuscle]

truck looks great, I have to say I will be using alot of info from this build. Its nice to have someone to learn from but I wish there was something I could find that hasent been done before.

[bigdnew]

Originally Posted by americanmuscle

truck looks great, I have to say I will be using alot of info from this build. Its nice to have someone to learn from but I wish there was something I could find that hasent been done before.

I see it totally different. I am rejoicing in the hundreds of dollars I'll save by having someone like Bob and others who has been there, done that. Show individualism in paint or in your choice of wheels. Hats off to ya Bob.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by americanmuscle

truck looks great, I have to say I will be using alot of info from this build. Its nice to have someone to learn from but I wish there was something I could find that hasent been done before.

I think it's kind of the same thing when building any hot rod.... a lot of good ideas have already been done, but take something you like and put your own spin on it. Just like you did with the truck intake you smoothed out. That was the first one I had seen. Didn't you smooth out and polish the rocker covers too?

Originally Posted by 54Caddy

where did you get that a/c line crimp tool at and where can you order your own hoses for the a/c??

I ordered all the AC hose and fittings from http://www.docsblocks.com/. I found the crimp tool on their site, but then I searched around the net to find the best price, which happen to be Amazon.com of all places. I also ordered a new evap line (the aluminum line that runs from the evaporator to the condenser) off of Amazon.com for about $20 less than anywhere else.

Originally Posted by bigdnew

I see it totally different. I am rejoicing in the hundreds of dollars I'll save by having someone like Bob and others who has been there, done that. Show individualism in paint or in your choice of wheels. Hats off to ya Bob.

Thanks man! My whole life has revolved around finding the best deals and saving money. It's almost a game to me! I'm just happy we have a place like this to share the info.

[54Caddy]

where did you get that a/c line crimp tool at and where can you order your own hoses for the a/c??

[54Caddy]

thanks man when you use the tool please post it up with detail how you ordered all the right fittings and all that. Because i want to change to a serpatine system on my truck and dont want to pay to get the lines done.

[glock35ipsc]

Honestly, if your lines are in good condition (soft and pliable, not hard and un-flexible) doing what you want to do would move the compressor from the drivers side to the passenger side, correct? All you would probably have to do is cut the hoses to the right length, and have two fittings crimped on. In your case you would be using the same compressor (most likely). You would cut the aluminum lines at the compressor manifold leaving an inch or two. Then you would solder these on to the aluminum lines:



That would solder on to the aluminum lines at the manifold, then install the hoses and crimp. I would bet you could find a local hydraulic shop that would crimp them for next to nothing, if not free.

Which is what I am doing with the large line that runs off of the accumulator. I'll cut it, solder on one of those ^^^ on, then crimp on the hose that runs to the compressor.

[54Caddy]

actually my truck has the larger style compressor and the serp system that im going to use takes the smaller version and does move it to the passenger side. I will be using a serp system off of a 94 chevy pickup. I also wanted to see if they had steel braided ac lines.

[menace121978]

great info once again. THANKS BOB!

[fpjr0]

hey guys, I read on another forum of guys having problems with the russell quick connect fitting coming off, which I thought they were ,and after driving my truck for a least 1500 miles since the swap I didnt think was going to happend to me,,,, but it happened... one block away from the house
its snapped off,,,

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by fpjr0

hey guys, I read on another forum of guys having problems with the russell quick connect fitting coming off, which I thought they were ,and after driving my truck for a least 1500 miles since the swap I didnt think was going to happend to me,,,, but it happened... one block away from the house
its snapped off,,,

What do you think caused it? Could it be the weight of the fuel hose hanging off the end of it, pulling it down and bouncing around until it's stressed too much? Did it just pop off, or break off?

I thought about this when I was hooking it back up last weekend after swapping to the braided hose. That's quite a bit of weight hanging there. I might make a little bracket of some sort to support the weight that's being put on that fitting.

[menace121978]

the one on the fuel rail?

[fpjr0]

yeap... that one... kind of sucked being watch by 1/2 the neighbors lol