79 K20 Custom Deluxe - Goldy LS1

[Greenlee]

Goldy turned out great! The videos are awesome as usual. I’m glad you made it a tow rig. It looks too clean for a rock crawler! Do you still have the white flatbed for towing?

I’m interested in how you like the LS with the TH400. I have the same transmission. Maybe some day I’ll do an LS swap!

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

Goldy turned out great! The videos are awesome as usual. I’m glad you made it a tow rig. It looks too clean for a rock crawler! Do you still have the white flatbed for towing?

I’m interested in how you like the LS with the TH400. I have the same transmission. Maybe some day I’ll do an LS swap!

Thanks brother! I do have the flat bed, but it's just sitting around. I don't mind the TH400, I can roll 70-75 with no problems. In fact I've never had overdrive with one of my swaps.

[drmatera]

sub'd. I've been watching your youtube videos now for a couple of months. Just came across this post.

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by drmatera

sub'd. I've been watching your youtube videos now for a couple of months. Just came across this post.

Awesome, thanks brother!

[whitels1]

Can't believe the paint actually buffed out!

You Tube

[COS399]

Great work Dave! Thanks for another great video and sharing it with us.

[Zoomad75]

I didn't realize you were on here Dave. Good to see it towed the jeep well! Might look cooler if it was towing the K10 Crawler, but I'll give you a pass. Wheeling is wheeling. It's just cooler in a squarebody!

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by COS399

Great work Dave! Thanks for another great video and sharing it with us.

Thanks brother!

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

I didn't realize you were on here Dave. Good to see it towed the jeep well! Might look cooler if it was towing the K10 Crawler, but I'll give you a pass. Wheeling is wheeling. It's just cooler in a squarebody!

I'm everywhere Jeep wheels better!

[whitels1]

I got Goldy, wired up with a brake control, and charge line, borrowed my buddies trailer and hit the road. I was very happy with the way the K20 handled towing the Jeep.

You Tube

[Greenlee]

Originally Posted by whitels1

I got Goldy, wired up with a brake control, and charge line, borrowed my buddies trailer and hit the road. I was very happy with the way the K20 handled towing the Jeep.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezN0Nae7B9Y

Sweet video! Looks like your boy had a good time! Not many people have a tow vehicle that’s 40 years older than their rock crawler. You still got the k10 crawler?

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

Sweet video! Looks like your boy had a good time! Not many people have a tow vehicle that’s 40 years older than their rock crawler. You still got the k10 crawler?

Thanks Greenlee, the boy loves the old truck, and crawling around in the Jeep, I wish we could do it more! I love to do things backwards, if you didn't know I still have the K10, I told the boy it's his and when I feel like he is ready we will start building on it, we have lots to do so he can learn along the way. I gotta teach him right so he can work on my stuff when I'm old and tired!

[drmatera]

whitels1, Did you keep the original TH400 when swapping to the LS engine? If the 305 in my '81 K10 is no good I'm thinking of dropping a 5.3 in there but don't want to disturb the transmission/transfer case and driveshafts.

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by drmatera

whitels1, Did you keep the original TH400 when swapping to the LS engine? If the 305 in my '81 K10 is no good I'm thinking of dropping a 5.3 in there but don't want to disturb the transmission/transfer case and driveshafts.

It's not the original, but you should be able to drop in an LS without moving any of that stuff.

[whitels1]

Making some progress on sound deadening, used a product called Noico, decent price and worked well. I talk about it a bunch in the video, but they recommend to use Noico closed cell foam over top, and wow is it making a difference and keeping things cooler in the cab.

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[drmatera]

I watched the sound deadening videos and will be going that route for sure.. Thanks for all the good content.

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by drmatera

I watched the sound deadening videos and will be going that route for sure.. Thanks for all the good content.

Thanks for watching! It has made a big difference, I'm especially happy with the roof, the foam is not having a problem sticking to the roof of the cab, even though it's been 110 degrees. The noise, and especially the temperature has been reduced a lot. I'm waiting for more material so I can take care of the doors.

[whitels1]

Goldy made the 1000mi round trip to Moab Utah, towing the Jeep. I was very happy, and all of the work definitely paid off. Still lots to do, and sometimes I was wishing for about 200 more Horsepower, because on a few of the grades I was WOT, doing 30mph in 2nd gear, but towing 7k LB, I'm ok with that. There was some very long grades, on the I70, one of grades was so long, that I literally used 1/4 of a tank of gas lol. Here is some video of the trip.

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[drmatera]

Dave, sounds like you need a nice little turbo on Goldy....

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by drmatera

Dave, sounds like you need a nice little turbo on Goldy....

That couldn't hurt, and I'm kind of looking into it....

[drmatera]

Originally Posted by whitels1

That couldn't hurt, and I'm kind of looking into it....

This is me https://racepartsolutions.com/ if you need anything let me know.

[whitels1]

Originally Posted by drmatera

This is me https://racepartsolutions.com/ if you need anything let me know.

Thanks brother!

[drmatera]

Any time

[whitels1]

Installed a Huge Trans cooler right before my Moab trip, and it was just what I needed for towing. Some of the time it would sit right at 100, and the most I could get climbing a 9k foot grade was 180, towing 7k lbs. The cooler used was a Tru-Cool LPD47391. Video of the install below.

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[COS399]

Thanks for sharing. I should probably do the same thing to my 86 K20. It has the 5.3/TH400/4.10 gears.