Getting ready for LS3 swap
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
One step forward! Slowly and surely...
The car is on the ground and rolling around again for the first time in months!
I am getting excited to have this car running again! I miss it
The car is on the ground and rolling around again for the first time in months!
I am getting excited to have this car running again! I miss it
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
Likes: 608
From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
Slow and steady. Every new step requires so much prep work to make things work/fit, it is crazy.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
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From: Catoosa Okla
Sweet! I've just started my LS swap as well. Picking engine up this evening. I'm VERY curious if you can get the 4L80e in without major mods. I took a few measurements and quickly decided to beef up a 4L60e. I have the Batwing pan I plan on using. My factory power steering is coming out and a Steeroids power rack is going in. I understand it should fit, but geez... this pan is HUGE!
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
Likes: 608
From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
I debated doing a batwing pan but have been told that the pan that came on my crate LS3 will clear with no issues (I'm using a Borgeson box though and not a rack.)
There have been so many things that keep eating up lots of time but the end product will be so much better.
The window channel had rust in all four corners - not as bad as some I have seen but it still took many hours to cut out the rust, create patch panels and/or use factory pieces, cut them to fit etc etc etc....
This was the window channel before any work was done. Looks to be mostly surface rust but it opened up a bit once we started prodding around.
Top right
Bottom right - this was the worst and unfortunately the most difficult to get to - thankfully there was a donor car that we could cut up to get a patch panel to fit.
Top left
Bottom left
Repairs
Bottom right with new patch panel in place (all 4 corners had rust cut out and new panels put in.)
If I am ever "forced" sell this car my for sale post will have two things; a price and a link to this thread
There have been so many things that keep eating up lots of time but the end product will be so much better.
The window channel had rust in all four corners - not as bad as some I have seen but it still took many hours to cut out the rust, create patch panels and/or use factory pieces, cut them to fit etc etc etc....
This was the window channel before any work was done. Looks to be mostly surface rust but it opened up a bit once we started prodding around.
Top right
Bottom right - this was the worst and unfortunately the most difficult to get to - thankfully there was a donor car that we could cut up to get a patch panel to fit.
Top left
Bottom left
Repairs
Bottom right with new patch panel in place (all 4 corners had rust cut out and new panels put in.)
If I am ever "forced" sell this car my for sale post will have two things; a price and a link to this thread
Last edited by fleming23; Mar 5, 2014 at 10:20 AM.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
I now laugh at how naive I was in thinking this was going to be a 2-3 month project....although I guess one could argue I haven't technically started the LS swap yet.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
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From: los altos hills california
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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I would be concerned about fitment with headers when doing the batwing pan anyway.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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Spent the past two days getting the ECM wired in the car and finally, for the first time in 9 months, the new motor saw the light of day!
Went ahead and pulled the intake off so the heat shield could be installed, also made lifting the motor easier.
Pretty crappy photos but the motor was sat down on the mounts! Too busy to take photos today!
Looks to be lots of room on both sides of the motor
Went ahead and pulled the intake off so the heat shield could be installed, also made lifting the motor easier.
Pretty crappy photos but the motor was sat down on the mounts! Too busy to take photos today!
Looks to be lots of room on both sides of the motor
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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Few more photos.
4L80 should start being "fitted" tomorrow. Hoping for no issues but I know this car and it just doesn't cooperate like that!
Parts starting to go on!
Waiting for the trans to be installed and on the mount before deciding what to do with the water pump fittings but don't expect it to be too difficult to make something work having seen all the different routes people have gone. It can't be ugly though!!
4L80 should start being "fitted" tomorrow. Hoping for no issues but I know this car and it just doesn't cooperate like that!
Parts starting to go on!
Waiting for the trans to be installed and on the mount before deciding what to do with the water pump fittings but don't expect it to be too difficult to make something work having seen all the different routes people have gone. It can't be ugly though!!
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,496
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From: springfield ohio
You have to smile when you look at that beautiful motor setting in the engine bay. It looks beautiful.
What are you doing for the trans cooling lines? I used an6 braided lines with a 90 fitting off the trans and out to the cooler. There is not much room in the trans tunnel for having steel lines bent, the radious is to long to fit in the tunnel to the transmission, unless you can get a really sharp bend on the steel line.
It doesn't look like you have much room between the water pump and the upper control arm, I'm not sure you will get any fitting to fit in that tight space, it looks tighter than most for some reason. You might have to drill and tap the under side of the pump, but if the material in the water pump is to thin, you might have to weld the fitting into place. I had my AN fittings welded in because I had trouble getting them to seal. Not to mention, you can hide them under the pump for a much cleaner look. I'm sure you will come up with something base on how nice everything looks at this point.
Terry
What are you doing for the trans cooling lines? I used an6 braided lines with a 90 fitting off the trans and out to the cooler. There is not much room in the trans tunnel for having steel lines bent, the radious is to long to fit in the tunnel to the transmission, unless you can get a really sharp bend on the steel line.
It doesn't look like you have much room between the water pump and the upper control arm, I'm not sure you will get any fitting to fit in that tight space, it looks tighter than most for some reason. You might have to drill and tap the under side of the pump, but if the material in the water pump is to thin, you might have to weld the fitting into place. I had my AN fittings welded in because I had trouble getting them to seal. Not to mention, you can hide them under the pump for a much cleaner look. I'm sure you will come up with something base on how nice everything looks at this point.
Terry
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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It has been a while since I have last looked at my 4L80 but I believe I already have a 90 degree fitting on the trans from when it was in my Chevelle. Hopefully nothing too difficult. Also, not sure on the water pump fittings but that is why we are waiting until the transmission is installed and the motor angle is more permanent. Even if we have to tap the pump, shouldn't be a huge deal I think.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
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From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
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Did they tap both fittings of the waterpump on the bottom side? Do you have any better, close-up photos?
I have the GMPP power steering & alternator set up with the correct smaller Dorman pulley so I am hoping I have that aspect covered.
I have the GMPP power steering & alternator set up with the correct smaller Dorman pulley so I am hoping I have that aspect covered.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,797
Likes: 608
From: Dallas Georgia
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (track prepared)
C3 of Year Winner (track prepared) 2019
The 4L80 fit like a glove!!! Much better than it fit in my 70 Chevelle!! Super excited about that!
Also today was header day. 1/2 good news there - the passenger side fit perfect but the driverside was much too close to the floor pan to even get the bolts started at the flange. As I posted in the AmericanRachingHeaders adds an "LS..... thread, Steve was fantastic about correcting this situation extremely fast and I already have a new header on its way to me right now! I was ready to return both when I called him early today (not because of the issue but because of our now super tight deadline) to tell him they didn't fit but he was super quick to rectify the situation. As I said in the ARH thread, thanks again Steve!! Looking forward to getting the new header installed as the driver-side looks very nice!
Most photos are of passenger side
Where the floorpan kicks up is what allows the passenger side to clear but this does not exist on the driver side so it hits.
Driver-side. The collector can not go any higher due to floor pan so I believe Steve is going to bring the collector closer to the front. Will be interested to see what the new header looks like!
Also today was header day. 1/2 good news there - the passenger side fit perfect but the driverside was much too close to the floor pan to even get the bolts started at the flange. As I posted in the AmericanRachingHeaders adds an "LS..... thread, Steve was fantastic about correcting this situation extremely fast and I already have a new header on its way to me right now! I was ready to return both when I called him early today (not because of the issue but because of our now super tight deadline) to tell him they didn't fit but he was super quick to rectify the situation. As I said in the ARH thread, thanks again Steve!! Looking forward to getting the new header installed as the driver-side looks very nice!
Most photos are of passenger side
Where the floorpan kicks up is what allows the passenger side to clear but this does not exist on the driver side so it hits.
Driver-side. The collector can not go any higher due to floor pan so I believe Steve is going to bring the collector closer to the front. Will be interested to see what the new header looks like!