Ok so still not much has happened. Its been busy busy since the baby came. I plan on getting some work done this weekend because I took time off from work just to get some truck time. I wanted to share something for any of you LS swap guys, or any efi motor for that matter. I wanted an in tank pump and the aeromotive phantom kit was the one I settled on. I was going to buy the 240 model for $550 on sale but I found amazon has the larger 340 model even more on sale. I snagged this $1100 set up for $460 shipped. Its sitting on my table now. If you are going EFI and want an easy install here is the link. Its such a good price I had to share. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A4B57I0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The only other updates is that I started on my motor. My so called "good" LS motor that has been sitting on my engine stand for a while is actually no good. The seller didn't tell me he left it outside so the rain went in the intake and filled the cylinders. Anyway, its all full of rust and I need to do a full rebuild on it but atleast I'll have a new motor now. My game plan this weekend is to finish putting the suspension on the frame and install my gas tank in the frame after I put in the aeromotive fuel pump. Maybe even start on the engine. I'll keep you all up to date now that work is about to begin again. I am thinking that now that I have the expensive parts I need I can get moving.
Good to see you posting again. Sorry about your trouble with the engine. What is the story on that 4L60E? Also, what brand of fuel tank are you using? I would like some pictures of the tank install, with measurements.
The transmission should be good. I got it from a reputable auto recycler and it only has 73,000 miles on it. You never know if its actually good until you drive but I am optimistic. I got the under bed steel tank from Brothers Trucks. http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SGT4753 I'll take some pictures and post them. The install should be easy enough. I could have saved money and got a stock tank from some vehicle and made mounts but in this case I wanted easy and good looking.
The last two days have been productive. I got the 5.3 tore down and ready to go to the machine shop. The #2 piston was stuck but I got it out. I will need to have it bored .030 over. There was so much carbon in there that all 16 lifters were stuck. They needed gentile tapping to come out but they were not moving. The cam looked good but I saw a small scratch on one of the rotating surfaces. It was a hairline scratch that I could barely feel with my finger nail. My dad says it will be fine but I am not sure. What do you guys think. Below are some pics of the engine tear down and some of the finished chassis. I got my suspension all back on the painted frame and my fuel tank mounted. I have the aeromotive phantom fuel system for the fuel pump but I didn't have the 3.25 inch hole saw so it has to wait. I will have to pull the front suspension back off when the truck is done because the springs will need trimmed but that can't happen until the full weight of the truck is there. You may also notice that I have a donut tire on the front. That's because I had two of my wheels outside and someone stole one. The donut is all I had.
Moving Right Along Looking pretty good there ! . Your engine is why I always make the deal for a specific price " if it turns freely ". Fairly often I find the engine I want lying in the mud in some corner of the junkyard and am not filthy so I always get the price first . If it's stuck / bound on a 1/2 turn when I go to pick it up either the price drops or I walk ~ not even true Hemi engines are rare enough to pay more than basic scrap value for old unknown engines . The 1964 292 i6 engine I bought was taken out running but had sat when I showed up to buy it I had gloves on and of course , it was stuck so I got it for less and a good thing too because it had been bored .060" over (always a bad thing) and it's easier & cheaper to find a good block than to bore or re sleeve it . I assume you'll bore all 8 cylinders ? . I'd scrap that cam shaft and use only NEW lifters ~ re ground rarely break in properly (" work hardened ") and are usually chewing up your cam in less than 40,000 miles . The frame looks very nice but kinda willowy ~ what will prevent it from twisting in normal driving ? . Bummer about the wheels ! I hate thieves .
Very nice. I hate thieves also. When you get that big hole saw, I would like a detailed picture post of your fuel pump install. Please.
Willowy? I have no idea what that means. The frame is plenty strong for regular driving with a stock 5.3. Its not going to be some high powered street machine. Its just going to be a driver for cruising. The engine spun fine when I bought it but then it sat in my garage another year with the water in the cylinders. I brought it home and put it on the stand not knowing it had water in there so it kept rusting. It was unfortunate but things happen some times. I gave only $300 for it with the harness and computer so I wasn't out much when you look at the price of those parts. I just have to build it which I wasn't expecting. I could have bought a new motor but this way I will have a like new one. I was just asking questions because I don't want to waste money by buying parts I don't need to. I've also never heard of someone only boring one cylinder but the machinist I have will do them all. Yes I can. Aeromotive has some great videos on youtube that show the install. You can check those out in the mean time.
What kind of measurements were you looking for? The Brother's tank is pretty big as you can see in the pics but it fits without messing with the rear cross member, its just really close to it. The mounting tabs are angled when it mounts to the frame so it places it in one spot because of the angle of the frame rail. I am pretty happy with the tank. On the passenger side there is a piece riveted to the frame that I think was to hold the brake line. I had to remove that but it was one rivet.
willowy... The way I would define "willowy" is as follows, something flimsy, flexable, as in the branches of a willow tree. Used to be great fun to find one, strip the small branches off and whip the you know what out of your brother or any other antagonist. Unfortunately, sometimes his size would trump my speed, and the result was not real good. In this case, I think Nate failed to notice you have boxed your frame, it is hard to see with all that shiny black paint. The measurements I was looking for are basically visible in your picture. The new fuel tank has enough room for the shock x-member. Mine measures 15" from the front of the x-member to the upper shock bolts. I'm also curious about how far it hangs down. I've been looking at a No Limit alum. tank, with provision for internal fuel pump. They run between $500-$600, however.
Willowy Thanx Steve ; Yes , I had enlarged the photos thinking maybe it was a boxed frame but couldn't tell . Boxing is great , forget I asked . Chassis punches make *much* cleaner and better holes in sheet metal than do hole saws , these days tools are so cheap I imagine you can get a nice properly sized chassis punch for the same cost as a hole saw . Mom didn't like to use Willow branches , we had some plant that had thorns on it.... . I guess she was really P.O.'d , huh ? . And folks always ask me why did I leave home when I was 8 Y.O. .
Well I have made no progress because I haven't been able to make it up to my Dad's house to work on the truck any more. The engine is at the machine shop now so I am waiting on parts to come back. In the mean time my dad's repair shop got slow so they drug my truck in and tore it down. When I go up there next time I still have to gut the cab but then it and the front clip can head to media blast. I won't be using this frame since I built the other one but this one is in great shape. I hope I can find someone in need of a good short bed frame. I'd hate to scrap it. Here are some pics. Lifts make it easy
I had to go up north for a wedding but was able to get in a few hours on my cab. I pulled the windshield and 3 rear windows. One of the corner glass was nice enough to keep but the other was badly scratched. My cab is in better shape than I thought. The floor has the typical rust, needs cab corners, and the passenger cowl is damaged. I was happy to find that my window channels were all solid, I expected the typical rust in the lower windshield corners but was presently surprised. Here are a few pics to accompany the post and I was able to get a picture of the carnage to the original engine. There are holes on both sides of the block but I only took a picture of the big hole. Other than that I have just been ordering parts.
That cab does look pretty good. No rust at all in the front fender mounting flange area. Did you get that fuel pump installed yet?
No the pump isn't installed yet. I didn't have the correct size hole saw when i wanted to install it and this weekend was the first time I have been able to get up there. Because of a wedding I barely had time to touch the truck so I just pulled the glass. I will let you know when it goes in.
So I have been really good at slacking on my project. I still have my truck stored at my fathers house 4 hours away because he has alot of tools I need that I don't have. Because of that I don't get alot of time to work on the truck. Once the motor, transmission, and cab are on the finished frame its coming home. I have the frame mostly done, I haven't put in the fuel system yet (sorry Steve still no pump installed, its on the shelf wating for me to do at home). the machine shop that had my motor went out of buisness and the owner said he would just finish it for me on the side. That took over 6 months. Then I took time off to work on it and my grand mother died. The next month I tried again and found that the machine shop had lost a main cap bolt and it was sunday... Well, This weekend I finally got someplace. I think one or two more trips up there and I can bring it home. A picture of the cab sitting back on the frame. Some engine progress. I wasn't going to cut corners so I got a new cam, new pistons, and new lifters.. Plus alot more. I am going to polish that front cover later when the truck is home. I didn't have the locating dowels so the heads aren't on yet. I'm pretty excited to see some progress.
It goes like that! Progress keeps us going! Man, that looks like a really nice start! (350, right?) Having your project nearby REALLY helps. Keep the pictures coming!
Thanks for the compliment. My engine is actually a 5.3L LS. It will look like an LS better when I get the LS6 intake on it.
I guess if I would have taken time to scroll up and read, I would have remembered that was the way you were going... Like I say, having it handy makes getting it done a tad easier. Well, that, and having the $$$ to throw at it. :/
Thanks for the update, Greg. Don't feel like your alone on the slow progress. You just have to enjoy the build. That cab of yours is amazing, especially for being a Minnesota truck. Are you going to start the body work with some sort of media blast? I just went ahead and painted my front cover. It will be hidden behind the water pump anyway. You can buy polished water pumps for "LS" engines, but, they are pricy. Your probably going to have to swap out your truck oil pan. I'm fixing to order a F-body pan for mine real soon. Nice fall picture. What is the story on the no top, rag top? Steve.
