A '54 named Busty - LS Swap !!!
Knock, knock...
Update: PHASE I Step 1. Get her running.PHASE II Step 1. Remove the ol' 350 SBC and the TH400 transmission.TABLE OF CONTENTS by Thread Number (since your page numbers can vary) 70 - original steering wheel |
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I'll bite, who's there?
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I'm no expert but this must be the base model, cause I don't see any USB ports
... and act now if you want dibs on that authentic 4" steering wheel cause it won't last long |
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no distributor is a clear sign this must be the LR4 4.8L with the 4L60e automagic gearmission - note the beltless power steering setup (truly ahead of it's time)
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the original leaf spring front end in the bed is a clear sign somebody grafted a second gen camaro front end, hence the five lug conversion with a matching 10 bolt pumpkin in the rear, probly a one wheel peel though?
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Nice start, what with all those upgrades already. I'm in for the build.
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New truck and a sense of humor....what could go wrong...
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man dat long distance relationship just wasn't working out, so just waitin' on My Bae to arrive
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and here she be, and she lookin' a'ight, turns out she's got a 350 SBC as advertised, but she sports a TH400 instead of the dime a dozen TH350, we'll call that "Wining" !
Yes that rad has to go as it doesn't have trans cooler in it, same goes for that decapitator mechanical fan - we like our fingers! |
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them Vortecian rocker shafts might be just fine for a fire up, took the sparkulators out and shot some WD-40 down them holes and then chased it with some 10W-30 than she spun around smoothly like a hot knife through butter
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the madness comences
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after fartin' around with the old style power steering pump I decided to ditch the old bracketry and go with the Vortec serpentine belt pulley system since that's what this engine is anyway and I had all the brackets already laying around from a 1999 Suburban
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one of the first things that caught my eye was this engine came with a small 6" harmonica balancer and the 1999 setup has an 8" one
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aint that sexy
Update: that stupid timing tab sticks out too far, once I pressed on the Vortec 8" harmonic balancer the teeth on this thing stick out in front of it, must cut it and modify it, it's these pesky little things that are getting annoying, I thought this was going to be an easy fire up, not mad or anything just sharing what I am going through and what you may be going through with your projects from time to time, it's the two steps forward one step back phase |
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honestly this truck came with everything and was only missing a couple things, the fuel pump being one of them, so I splurged $17 bucks on a pump for a second gen camaro
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progress was slow but steady today, got the harmonic balancer and crank pulley on, got the alternator bracket on, as well as the power steering bracket, and the AC delete pulley
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then it was time to ditch the radiator mechanical fan in favor of an electric one, this is dictated by the lack of space
I didn't have a belt so I had to improvise |
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got one valve cover on and got my 600 CFM Holley carburetor on, I thought only the AC compressor got in the way of the driver side valve cover but I was wrong it's actually the bracket itself, epic fail GM epic fail
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I believe I have a Second Gen Camaro front clip so I thought let's order up a TH400 transmission cross member and it should bolt right up, since I was missing a transmission bracket/cross member
well this bracket don't fit it wants to bolt up 3" too much forward of the mounting holes on the transmission tail shaft, what to do what to do? I should have know better, after all no one in their right mind would cut up a First Gen Camaro to do this frame swap |
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OK so the TH400 rubber mount showed up today, and as soon as it cools down 99*F still in September here in Cali I will mount it to that cross member which will help me center the transmission tailshaft and then I will go to work on fabricating extensions for that cross member to make it work as it is too narrow in it's current state of affairs
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I don't know about you, but when I hit a snag during my build / project I like to spend money on shinny things to make me feel better
had to limit myself to 15x7 rims because I needed the least backspacing possible and I think these run only 3 3/4" otherwise the tires rub against the emergency parking brake cables FYI these aint steelies they are actually mags, tomato tomatoe |
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I also bought these 1/2"-20 to -6AN hose adapters for the radiator transmission cooler lines as I will be making my own steel braided lines and ditching the impossible to bend a second time OEM hard lines, which was not meant to fit late 90s Vortec enjin into a '54 no how anyway
so got a brand new aluminum radiator and do to space constraints will run an electric fan as well, not a huge fan of electric fans but we do what we have to do to git her on the dirt road, know what I'm sayin' fellars? |
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looking good! you could maybe keep that mechanical fan if you moved that motor back a little or a lot.
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been chassin' exhaust manifold threads like a Boss last night
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got the modified C10 4x4 transmission crossmember on for the final time
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"Gregster"
Looking good, strong work, good flow, fun to follow!!!!!!!! Nutz |
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so this is embarrasing but although I have built a small block Chevy or two in my lifetime I did not realize there is a special tool to put on the harmonic balancer, now I knew there is a tool aka a pulley to take one off but not to put one on
so this is how I stripped the harmonic balancer 7/16-20 fine thread bolt, the darn starter got stuck in the flex plate and as I was tightening down the harmonic balancer I thought the engine would eventually turn over and nothing bad would happen to that bolt |
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yup, seen that before. some guys will also hammer it on. whaddya think that does to the thrust bearing?
I have some threaded rod that I screw in and then use a stack of lubed flat washers for that fancy pants bearing with a nut on the rod to pull the balancer in. the end of the rod is beat up from the special tool (vice grips) I use to remove the rod after. works like a charm. it was a home made late at night tool. |
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I never knew that either, I did a timing chain on a 98 and just used the bolt!
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so this is how I spun the engine over to ensure it still rotates freelie
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and than the dance began - no matter how many taps and dies I have you never have the one you need, and this being a rare fine thread, we had to go shopping
Top Tip: a magnetic tip screw driver really helps extract the metal shavings |
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nice
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and here's how I kept it real for the rest of the day, removing rivetes to install a proper battery tray
some I even had to drill out a little center hole to releave 70 years of pressure, man they sure built things to last back then Fun Level = 0 |
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I know this thread is really boring right now, I promise it will pick up, here I was shortening that timing tab, it's the little things on a project that exhaust you
I know that thing was chromed so I sanded it off and tried to tach weld it but my welds didn't stick and I had to be gentle as not to burn through it, so I went the rivet way and Bob's your Uncle Top Tip: I drill a hole on the 0 mark as on some tabs it's hard to see / find the zero |
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Nice tip.
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yep. I need a drawer for all the taps I needed just once. :lol: |
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