I am putting a LS1/4L60E from a 2000 Camaro into my 73. Did a trial fit this weekend. Some pics:

Dirty Dingo Mounts.


Batwing oil pan


going in


A tight squeeze between the frame mounts


Finally in


Passenger side fit


Driver's side fit


The original small block chevy was about 1-1/4" from the firewall. Not the best pic but the LS1 is about 1-1/2". The Dirty Dingo mounts put the engine right where I wanted it.


Plenty of room down below


Started putting on the accessories. This bolt touches the driver's side frame mount. an easy fix


Good clearance below the alternator


The passenger side exhaust manifold looks good


I am amazed at the fit. Looks like it is designed for it.


A shot from below on the driver's side. Good fit around the Jeep steering box.




All accessories installed


Cleaned up the remains of the factory crossmember. This WAS a 4-speed car



This is what worried me. The Bowtie Overdrive crossmember did not fit. The transmission tailshaft lays on the tube and it still has about 7/8" to drop to sit on the saddle




Spoke to Bowtie Overdrives today. They said I received the wrong crossmember and they are sending a new one. This is the crossmember I received


This is the crossmember they are sending to replace it


Working on this project is hit and miss. Want to mount the Vintage Air evap assy in the car this weekend and look at heater hose connections at the water pump.

 

Looks good! It wont be long until you are rolling.

 

Nice work. I used the same oil pan and exhaust maniofolds.
Btw Vetteworks has the collector/donut seal/flange for those manifolds.
http://www.vetteworksonline.net/cata...p3trosf5i8mlp0

 

I have seen those. Very nice but I have two other solutions:

1. cut my own in the Model Shop at work OR
2. I have three (3) sets of C5 h-pipes at the house.

I'll probably just rob a set of one of the h-pipes.

Forgot to mention there are more pics in my blog. Follow the link in my signature.

 

Nice to see another 73 ls swap, your making good progress.

 

Where did you get the Dirty Dingo mounts?

 

He and others sell on the bay or google the name.

 

E-bay. June 2011. $59 with shipping. Their web site is http://www.dirtydingo.com
They don't have the same mounts I bought listed but I bet if you called they would cut some for you.

 

Looking great so far, you seam to be having great policies with all the parts working together. Keep us posted on the progress of this great build.

Riggs.

 

I trial fit the Vintage Air evaporator assembly in the car. Ran into some issues but nothing I cannot overcome.

In the box


The Vintage Air instructions are not the best in the world. Being a working Engineer, I realize how difficult it is to author instructions. They ought to use more actual photos instead of illustrations.

I taped their templates to the OEM opening in the firewall. The template marks where to drill holes in the firewall.




After drilling the holes:


I was not careful while using a vice grip clamp the front of the evap assay in place while I worked on the engine side of the firewall. I cracked the windshield


Vintage Air designed this cover to seal the OEM opening. It mounts on the outside of the firewall:


I am going to mount this on the INSIDE. I plan on working on the firewall anyway. I will smooth the opening to the cover then. My template:


The fit:


Observations:

1. I trimmed the lower left-hand corner
2. Trimmed the upper right-hand edge
3. I need to remove the OEM fastener at the bottom right of the opening.
4. Notice the clearance notch in the blue circle? The notch is not centered over the OEM home. That hole is one of the key mounting point for the Vintage Air evaporator. When I mount the assy using that hole, the evap is too far to the left.

I am going to modify the Vintage Air rear bracket to shift the evap assay to the right. Should have taken more pics but I was bummed out after cracking the windshield.

 

Nice Job. Thanks for the pics, it's great when forum members keep us up to speed on projects. Looks like you have it under control....Vince

 

Saw this in the 73 Assembly Manual:



I am converting from 4-speed to 4L60E I could use a little more clearance in this area. Did factory automatic cars have this?