My LS swap to date
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From: Carol Stream IL
My LS swap to date
I think I have been going at this for 10 months. I have never build a motor from the groud up so I use that as my excuse for taking so long. Lots of research and measuring. I found a turnkey complete LS2 for $2200. Took it apart had the block machined, honed, ect. I have a stock bottom end with a texas speed cam that I advanced 3.5 degrees in hopes of getting more low end power since it will be a daily driver. I spend most of my time punching it from 2 grand. The heads are L92's and I found an LS3 manifold. With any luck I will have engine compartment cleaned out and painted by next week and the motor in there shortly after. This is what I have so far.
1. I was wondering if anyone knew a website that offers brackets to relocate my alternator and a/c compressor?
2. I'm still trying to find some valve covers that look good. Something plain that looks like medium height sbc covers. I will mount the coils either on the fire wall or possibly the frame. Maybe down by the oil pan, haven't really found anything ideal yet.
1. I was wondering if anyone knew a website that offers brackets to relocate my alternator and a/c compressor?
2. I'm still trying to find some valve covers that look good. Something plain that looks like medium height sbc covers. I will mount the coils either on the fire wall or possibly the frame. Maybe down by the oil pan, haven't really found anything ideal yet.
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From: Carol Stream IL
Safety Car
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From: North Easton Mass
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From: Carol Stream IL
Just reading up on the different motor mount adapters, the speedhound style seems like people have been able to keep the alt down low. The would be the ideal situation. Trial an error I suppose.
Safety Car
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From: North Easton Mass
Holley has a lot of LS-engine parts now including a number of different motor mount adapters.
Rick B.
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From: Carol Stream IL
Definalty something I will look into. I am hoping to keep the trans in the stock postition and the alt down low. I really want to have a clean looking motor up top. I have a thing for simplicity. At the end of the day nothing will make me happier then driving it so there might be some compromises coming in the form of custom images corvettes relocation brackets.
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From: Carol Stream IL
I shopped around for nearly half a year and got lucky that the seller was in driving distance. The wiring harness I got was custom build and I would guess over $1000 so I feel super lucky about that. Every wire is tagged with the description and I have a complete build sheet with diagrams. It was a great deal. Look around you can get lucky too with patience. Haha I found a 79 L82 4sp with 30k miles all original for 8500. The car was mint. I talked her down to 7 grand. Again looked around for 6 or more months and found a girl in college who was willed the car in 93 when her father died. Just takes patience and a good eye.
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From: Carol Stream IL
More progress today,
The motor got some sensors, a belt, and the other head assyembled and installed. Pretty close to being ready to drop in.
The car got some progress too! The motor is just waiting on a hoist to pick it up. The wiring harness is in a grocery bag along with most of the vaccume lines. Pretty amazed how well the A/C came apart. Didn't break anything! The head lights are in the basement getting ready to be taken apart and painted. Once the engine is out I can start prepping the eng bay for paint.
The motor got some sensors, a belt, and the other head assyembled and installed. Pretty close to being ready to drop in.
The car got some progress too! The motor is just waiting on a hoist to pick it up. The wiring harness is in a grocery bag along with most of the vaccume lines. Pretty amazed how well the A/C came apart. Didn't break anything! The head lights are in the basement getting ready to be taken apart and painted. Once the engine is out I can start prepping the eng bay for paint.
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From: Carol Stream IL
Finished up one of the headlight assyemblies. Rebuild the actuator and cleaned up everything else. Also put in a projector headlight so I can finally see at night! Still haven't looked at a place to mount to converted box. I can hide it or leave it visible. It is polished aluminum and brand new so it looks nice. I'll proably hide it, that is more of my style.
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From: Carol Stream IL
Motor is out, eng bay is gutted. Finished sanding the other day so I rolled it into the driveway for washing. Tomorrow I start masking the car so I can paint the eng bay. I think everything will be satin black with the exception of the firewall getting gloss and clearcoat. The A/C lines will get a coat of silver and the blower motor and brake booster will get a silver hammer coating. Then I can start hiding the wiring harness. Pretty exciting times in the garage. The clouds left a nice reflection on the black paint.
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From: Carol Stream IL
I got the eng bay finished today, as far as black goes. Tomorrow it should be dry enough to mask around the brake booster and get a silver hammer finish on there. I have a few things to finish up on the heater box and that will be ready to put back in. I should also be able to put in the head lights and find a place to hide the HID converter boxes. Pretty soon I can start mocking up the motor. And I should stop procrastonating about the fuel system decide a diameter and pick up some tubing. I do have a job interview tomorrow so that might hinder my progress but it will certainly up my cash flow.
