Flem

I've got the LS 480 hot camed GMPP motor. The accessories are all GM parts but with CIC brackets. The pulleys are also CIC. The water pump has one tap on top, on on bottom. You can see the top where the throttle body bump (?) normally sits. I've rotated my throttle body 180 degrees. There's another on the bottom. Look for the shiny 90 degree fittings.

Here's another pic where you can see the alt bracket.



Interesting that the headers didn't fit on the drivers side. Same for me.

 

Baby steps in the right direction!

Dewitts radiator and electric fans installed. The fan slightly touched the driver-side a-arm and had to be clearanced.




Accessories going on


Waterpump dilemma sorted out




Headers will be here tomorrow so hopefully those go on with no issues! Been working with Steve and Nick at ARH to get these just right. As previously mentioned the passenger-side fit great but we've had a few issues on the driver-side. I am hoping this set will fix all of that as we get closer to firing this motor for the first time!

 

Does anyone reading this happen to have part numbers for the upper & lower radiator hoses using the DeWitts radiator with both outlets on the passenger side? Just trying to save time at the part store if possible.

Thanks!

 

Few more update photos

All accessories installed and belt on


Engine covers put in place. Required a little clearancing for the A/C bracket and the driverside is touching the firewall by the Hydroboost (did not do anything to this yet, may cut it a little as well.)





3rd round of Headers and we have something that now works - still tight on the driver-side but it works!


This is the clearance to the floor board right at the firewall on the driver-side. We can use a little leverage to make this gap bigger but there is a gap which did not exist before and that is all that matters! We can work with this! Hell, I'd rather them be super close than hanging down scraping the ground!


Passenger-side with new slip collector. Better clearance but then again, this side fit fine from the beginning!


Not a great photo but I like seeing this stuff!


Harness O2 plug is a good bit too short - just an FYI, no biggie.


Not sure it shows much but this is the driver-side header installed.


I still need radiator hose part numbers if anyone has them! I have passenger side in/out on the radiator. I will take some welding wire and go to the part store but I know someone out there keeps a meticulous log of parts installed and can help out....

 

You're doing what I'd probably be looking at doing with my project 70 if I wasn't so far along. Right now, my project has an all aluminum big block going into the car. I've already bought the bare block, heads, crank. The LS3 is very attractive..smaller size...plus underhood superchargers that readily bolt up to it can be bought.

 

That was my thought. While not aluminum, I already have a big block car that makes 700hp + nitrous so I have that road covered. I wanted something light and reliable that makes decent power and this fit the bill 100%. I already have the Magnuson sitting in the back of my mind.... but trying to resist even thinking about that right now

I love how it looks sitting in there too. I think the fuel rail/engine covers go a long way to making it look the part. It was either that or remove the coil packs and hide them along with upgraded valve covers. Not sure which way would have been cheaper as these Corvette covers were a bit ridiculously priced....

 

Fleming

Locks really good.

Can Dewitt supply you the part numbers? I can't help because I went with a different radiator. Have you considered flex lines that you custom fit. I did that on my C2.

Regarding the headers, I'm waiting for ARH to complete yours and then Gordon's before they attempt my 3rd set. My issue was also the driver side. I'm guessing your 3rd set would work for me but I'm waiting a few more weeks to see where G's car ends up.

 

Dream on! You will probably have to piece them together from separate hoses. A very useful resource is 'jagsthatrun' as they sell correctly sized metal tubing to connect radiator hoses.

 

Maybe it is wishful thinking but I thought I had seen a few LS swapped C3s with radiator hoses on the passenger side. I did a quick search tonight and most seem to be in the factory location with the inlet on the driverside.

Not opposed to piecing two together if needed, was just trying to avoid it if possible as that is just another possible failure point. I'll browse through the hoses at the part store and see what I can come up with.

 

I went to the parts store and got about a dozen different configurations of radiator hoses before I found a set that worked. Ended up with a truck for the lower.

 

So ….. part numbers for the uninformed? I reoriented my thermostat housing which made things pretty non-standard.

 

I try to post up what I find that works later this week. Not quite to that point yet but hoping to have it running by next Saturday so the interior can go back in.

 

Just a few photos of the progress. Car should be running this week and I really hope driving by the weekend!

Vetteworks tank & pump was very nice. One thing I did not notice or thought worked but turned out not to work was the F-body sender. We wired the f-body sender to the Autometer gauge but it did not operate correctly. Unfortunately that means we need to put the factory pickup back in which we already eliminated.



Here is what we ended up doing with the radiator hoses. Unfortunately it took a number of different hoses to make but we ended up with a pretty neat looking piece I think, that incorporates the steam hose.



I installed LED halo rings in both the tail lights and wired the center parking lights to illuminate with the outer. This shows them on along with the LED back-up lights. I did not mask the inner side of the halo so a little bleeds into the clear lens so I'll have to decide if I want to do anything about that. The outer ring looks good though, in my opinion!



Fiero leather seats are in place, but not entirely secured (or driver-side is still missing a bolt anyway.) They lean in a little but I think that is normal I believe based on the shape of the cabin.





Brightstar Audio box installed - this was a PITA!!! I had to remove the window tray and obviously lost my rear storage light. I am still hopeful, based on the things I read here that the t-tops will still somehow manage to fit!

Photo is horrible, but preliminary reviews of the sound is 100 times better than before!!! Even the shallow 12" MB Quart sounds better than I anticipated! Really looking forward to getting this thing on the open road and blasting the music!!



I have opted to scrap the Accusump idea for the time being.... A 2 quart would probably have fit but the 3qt was certainly too long to fit like I wanted in the inner fender area!

Instead I picked up a late 70s expansion tank which mounted perfectly!



Exhaust is going on and would have been installed today had the x-pipe fit better. Ordered a new X that should hopefully fit better!



One last photo as I left it tonight.

 

Good photo's. Make sure your highest point on the cooling system is the fill cap or you will never get the air out your system. I had a similar issue. Wish I had gone with a different radiator set up. Good luck getting T tops to fit but its worth it for better stereo. Are you mounting your seat direct to floor or using sliders?

 

As far as the part #'s for hoses.. I'm not using a dewitts Rad but if the connections are the same.. Look at the picture. I'm using a straight thermostat housing. for the bottom hose I'm using 2001 Dodge 1500 upper hose cutting to part off that's not needed. still working on my upper but we are using different water pumps.

 

Donnie,

Pretty sure we were able to get the air out. The picture probably makes the angle look more dramatic but the radiator fill neck is at or near the highest point.

Currently the seats are mounted on the factory tracks with the adapter plates mounted to the floor. I sat in the car and it did not feel unnaturally high, although I didn't really pay attention to headroom - mainly because the tops were not in. I agree on sound though, I'll make sacrifices for better sound!

Tim thanks for the info on the hoses. I think we have something that works well.

 

Your welcome

You are much further ahead then where I'm at... I'm pulling the body off one more time..

You are close to driving it down the road.. I hope by end of summer or early next year.

 

Today we got the tune to the point where the car would idle on it's own. I even drove it down the road at the business park where the speed shop is located to try to get an alignment.

Tomorrow it should go on the dyno to get tuned!'

New windshield is in



Intake tube made & painted with MAF installed


Found a good place to mount the oil separator! Secured to radiator support just beside radiator just need to finish hoses



All gauges wired and working, just need to program speedo! Auto meter tach instructions were completely wrong and required an arrangement of dip switches not included in the instructions.




Still haven't decided if I'm keeping the middle LED halos or changing to the same style in all 4. The reflectors I'm the center lens refracts some of the light and makes the ring less defined.

 

juke box hero...got stars in his eyes....yeah !!!!

car looks great...very clean install...doing similar now...

 

Very nice! You are ahead of me at this point. Looking forward to your driving impressions. I like your oil separator mount. Looking to mount mine soon. Hopefully have mine home this week.