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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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About the time the Bell Tech package showed up, I stumbled across the C10 suspension components that Detroit Speed has developed and are producing. In my automotive hiatus, I missed what Kyle had been up to. Wow, talk about being like a kid looking at the Sears Christmas Wish book! For those of us old enough to remember, you know the feeling.
I looked at, studied, evaluated and dreamed about those parts. Bottom line, as cool as they are, I determined this build and intended purpose couldn’t justify the expense of the full DSE package. However, low and behold I had ordered the wrong drop spindles from Bell Tech and I needed to send them back. And I wanted bigger front brakes than stock, which the DSE spindles would provide using factory Silverado calipers with the DSE rotors. And I needed drop spindles anyway, Holley was having 30% off sales, so….. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
So are the DSE spindles considered a drop spindle?
Or are they a 2019+ aftermarket drop spindle from another company? |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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A few posts ago, I mentioned the original control arms were coated with a combination of tar and concrete. That changed my plans of rebuilding the factory control arms into just ordering new control arms.
I splurged and ordered the upper and lowers from RideTech. Wow are they nice! Our goal was to have a roller by end of this week and we pretty well made it. The powder coat business was struggling with lack of help and they didn’t cover the threads for the upper control arm mounts. They coated them and we cleaned them up. Front assembled nicely. RideTech parts were excellent and instructions were good. Our front shop rollers using Garth’s wheels and new Walmart tires weren’t installed yet as the lug nuts we have wouldn’t work. Still, a day in the shop with a sore old body beats any day I ever had in the office. It was a good week. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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https://www.detroitspeed.com/product...parts/032090DS |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
That's sure some disappointing instructions from belltech..even though it's not a technical deal to install,coming from them, you woulda thought they would be crystal clear
That's sure a good looking front setup.. and the brake upgrade....wow!!!! |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Very cool upgrades!
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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So, I can’t say enough positive about Mrs. Advanced Design being an awesome build partner on this one.
I’ve mentioned previously she organizes the myriad of parts and is good with a wrench. She has a work area set up where she has been detailing all the small parts and fasteners we are using, paints all the small parts and quickly dives in to help tighten fasteners or what ever is needing done. A fabulous partner really helps on a build! |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Not only will it fix your bolt problem,… it will also stand the shock more vertical so it works better. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
That shock mount is a issue..I was gonna say move the mount, but what Keith showed would work just as good if not better
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Keith knows drops for sure!
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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And I struggled a bit figuring out which way the Holley LS swap mounts installed. Their instructions were general in nature and had zero pictures. Again my struggle was due to my lack of experience (or just lack of clear thinking)……
So I called Holley help line. The rep there referred me to an outside website from someone doing a C10 swap using Holley mounts. That guy was selling a book on building a C10. Maybe I should buy it! Anyway the mounts are in. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Brake lines are in. The lines were in excellent condition, so we just cleaned them up and re-used them. I remember spending a LOT of time bending lines for the 48 truck (avatar pic) and the 56 Bel Air. I have yet to have anyone say…”Hey man, nice lines!” So I decided not to sweat these too much. Actually they look decent.
Before I torqued the castle nut on the ball joints I thought I better double check with Detroit Speed. The spindles came with zero instructions. It didn’t feel right to crank the castle nut down on that nice aluminum. Glad I did. Detroit Speed includes hardened washers, in the bigger kits, for placement under the castle nut. So I picked up some grade 8 washers from Fastenal and have them in place. Borgenson got the call for one of their power steering gear boxes. Back when Gary Mullins owned the gear box portion of that business (he sold to Borgensen Universal joint company), I had one of his gear boxes in a 55 Chevy I built. Bought one from Borgenson for the 56 Bel Air and I’ve been very happy with it! The center link and new steering parts received their new paint from Mrs AD. Who doesn’t enjoy bolting clean new parts together? |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Doug, coming along nicely...Jim
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
That chassis is looking great Doug. Making short work of it.
Marc |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Interesting that the outer tie rod bolts in from the bottom side.
Can the bolt on spindle arms be swapped to the other side and then the tie rods could bolt on from the top like stock spindles? |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
("Interesting that the outer tie rod bolts in from the bottom side")
i was wondering the same thing Keith.. so i went google searching...all the pics i saw of dse installed spindles are "upsidedown" like Dougs are |
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The spindle arms could probably be swapped left for right. I would guess the spindle arm mounting surface, going against the aluminum, was machined smooth for a more consistent and stable mating surface. And the exposed surface on the opposite side isn’t. Just theorizing on my part.
The interesting question is why did DSE develop and produce them this way, with the tie rod ends pointing up? Maybe something to do with keeping the tie rod in the same plane of the center link at typical vehicle weight and dropped ride height? Or more likely it has to do with their Speed Max system that is complete from their own designed suspension crossmember, through a steering rack and out to the brake rotors. |
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Definitely makes more sense after seeing the spindle arm location in relation to the hub centerline.
Thanks for the pics. Looks like top quality parts there. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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I ended up going this route for rear shock mounting.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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It was almost funny how I struggled loading the pads into the clips on the calipers.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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An hour later I was still struggling though not as frustrated.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Changing to the retention clips that came with the pads solved the interference issue I was fighting.
Detroit speed provided the GM part numbers for the calipers and the brake hoses for use with their spindle and brake rotor. Also helpful are the suggestions for tire and wheel size. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Very nice so far!! Wow the chassis looks like it is brand new. I might just have to use ridetec in my next build.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Doug, just now catching up, looks super...Jim
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Wow, we lost a couple weeks or so on the build as we took a vacation to Dallas to visit friends and family. It was good to see Wayne and Dee, who I met through this forum. Just one more item on the DSE spindles and big Silverado brakes. The DSE suggested factory hose part numbers work perfectly and attach to the original brake line location. Not shown here are the DSE hose brackets which secures the hose to the top of the spindle. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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To better match up with the new cam specifications, we picked up a 3,600 stall converter from Circle D. It looks really nice.
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With the transmission on the stand, it was a good time to drain fluid and replace the filter. Went back together and of course I forgot the washer magnet.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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The table for the transmission and the gantry crane chain hoist hooked to the Mac tie downs engine sling simplified connecting engine and transmission together.
Mrs A.D. was holding her own in getting it done. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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The Holley engine and transmission mounts are nice pieces too. I remember their development engineer use to post his progress on this forum periodically.
While the pieces are nice, the supplied transmission mount spacer and fasteners were not right for this application. The fasteners were too short for the transmission mount spacer and the spacer provided is not thick enough for this transmission. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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While we were getting ready for the install, a young car buddy stopped by and helped out. Much appreciated!
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Looking good as a roller once again Doug.
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I’ve been looking for dry ice blasting alternative for the bottom and am thinking I am going to have to buckle down and clean this the old fashioned way with tons of elbow grease….not looking forward to that.
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Ordering another part tomorrow from a local business……
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Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
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Made some stud mounts to weld to the firewall for HVAC mounting and drilled the holes large enough for decent surface area for plug welding.
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And we had fun today, bolting parts back on the engine! Good times….
The ps return tube contacted the frame and a little downward bending resolved the interference. Mrs A.D. handled the coil and bracket refurbishment. She remounted those and the intake, torquing the bolts to spec. The AC bracket came with the VA Sure Fit….not a fan of the looks of either, so we will be going a different route on both of those components….. The sure fit items on the firewall and the ac bracket. Replacement throttle body is on the “gotta order” list too. |
Re: 2wd 1977 Blazer LS swap, mild drop….escalating
Awesome build! Cool to see another truck from the Land of Lincoln.
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