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no worries guys, it's all big block related so it's all good...the more we share and the more we get this knowledge out there, the less people will fear doing this conversion. it really isn't all that bad!
it's nice to know the hookers are at least a close fit. i may have to try to find a pair on the cheap and modify as nessesary.
i think it's a good general guess that the stock radiator is pretty insufficient for the job at hand. since i eliminated the AC i have to radically modify the shroud. the radiator will sit as afr forward in the shroud as possible and the top/bottom modified to fit and bolt-in as stock. at least that's the plan anyways...
i've completed relocation of the oil pressure sender/switch and extension of related wiring. spicer joints installed in driveshaft and shaft is reinstalled. torches are being refilled tomorrow i believe so i can make small progress over the rest of the week regarding C-Beam.
my stock shift cable is toast. it was an unfortunate biproduct of not double-checking everything before engine removal. **** happens i guess? oh well, gives me a good excuse to install a ratchet shifter.
still have yet to locate suitable PS brackets for SWP. anyone know where i can get a set? or just casually keep an eye out and notify me of any for sale...cause then you'd be my hero...
and i think that's about it for today. local shop is basically giving me 95 bucks to blow when i want, so it's time to come up with a list of miscellaneous stuff and cash in on the freebies. score!
Be careful in moving your radiator too far forward. I have a pretty good sized intercooler that sits right in front of my radiator which of course does not help. All I'm saying is that be sure that the air entering from underneath the car into the rad. plenum does not have to take a sharp turn into the rad. That is absolutely the case with my car. I am 99% sure that as soon as I install the front bumper "ram air" vent it will provide a dramatic resuilt since it will point directly at the intercooler. I still think I needed the rear rad though as I couldn't get it to idle cool in weather above 70 degrees or so. Now with the rear rad. it idles cool as can be in any temp. Plus, I must admit it looks cool along with the fabbed scoops that fit under the car to direct air upward toward the rear radiator at speed. The rear scoops helped at lot even at speed... but if I want to run my A/C I need more air across the rad. which should be accomplished with the addition of the front bumper vent.
the radiator os only going as far forward as the stock shroud will allow as that's all the clearance i need...maybe 1.5" or so...which isn't enough to dramatically affect it. actually i could put it stock if i used a very slim fan setup...
At $6100.00 the 4L80E looked like a bit much ,now that I have run through $3300.00 for a monster trans,$1300.00 for a shift kit for a stock trans,another $1200.00 for hard parts for 700r4's.
I think the 4L80E would have been a better investment from Raptor trans.
You may want to considder a holley 950 HP series. My closed chamber L-88 loves it. My dyno pull started at 2000 without bog or loss of throttle response. I use it in a 67 coupe for auto-x and have taken some FTD's but recently retires due to scarce castings for replacement. The only diff between the 850 I had and this is a more pronounced pull from 4500 up.
Best of luck to you and carefully plan your oiling system.
BTW I have 3 spare GM 427 cranks, 2 x L-88 and 1 x L89...
i have a melling HV pump and hardened shaft. rest is stock and no external cooler yet. i should be able to plumb in my old temp sensor so i have a rough idea of how healthy things are. if it gets too hairy an external cooler will be plumbed.
the 4L80's have gotten alot cheaper, even from raptor...but it's still just under 3k which is too much to swallow. a TH400 however can be built rock rock solid for under 1k. the loss of OD sucks but the most cost effective way to bulletproof the car is go TH400/GV OD. this could be done for about the same amount of cash all the way around, especially if you plan on using some sort of TCM to run the 4L80 instead of the full manual unit raptor sells.
if i could snag a retardedly good deal on a 4L80, i'd be all over that like a fat kid on cake.
that is very good to know the 950 system can properly supply an L88 like motor. i had my doubts at first. someday, i do see the car going back to some sort of injection but for right now, cost and performance wise, the 850 should be a better fit for me.
no i haven't died, but taken a few steps back to ponder...and good thing i did
today was finishing up all power/ground connections and verifying accessories functions...i gots power locks and windows still, the hatch release works, and the gauges still glow. the volts reading is correct...eh...i dunno about the oil pressure yet as i can't crank it, BUT when i do turn the motor over there is no fuel pumping yet so either it's bunked OR it's not seeing 5lbs yet...
the radiator and shrouds and such are back in. stuff just fits. had to trim the lower legs of the stock fan to get it to fit...that's how close the steering rack is to it. Oh, i thinks the wiring for the fan is fuxored somewhere because if i wire directly the thing works great off straight 12v and ground. will not work through the relay if i ground the one sensor wire that normally would run to the cylinder head on passenger side...also will not work if i bypass the relay and go terminal A to D or straight 12V to A (fan+ wire)...oh well it won't matter since with new fans come new sensors and switches...
as it stands, i still don't have power steering brackets for a SWP engine. can anyone hook me up with a set? zoops and summit want 100+ for brackets and that's just for the PS...i already have the ALT mounted and the billet cog drive alone will be another 340ish dollars. the PS brackets don't have to be special, they just have to work.
other than that not much else goin on...just tidying up stuff as i go along.
my 1/4" C-Beam steel sandwich is finally complete. integrated the rails for the nuts on top like the actual beam plates. was built in multiple pieces to hug the beam and seems to have as much load on it as the beam with suspension and drivetrain loaded...which means i did a good job. i don't think it's gonna flex or move. it's pretty beefy. 1/4" x 3" plate the entire length of C-Beam top and bottom. mmmmmm....
C-Beam clearances checked. beam is torqued and ready to go. aside from furl lines, trans cooler lines, and misc stuff...i shouldn't have to be getting underneath the car too much now. drivetrain is complete!
there is a guy in germany that dropped a New 572 crate from GM into a ZR1. He said everything bolted right up. Using a l98 bellhousing, Black tag ZF trans. He has NO AC and is using a carb.
ZR1's have alot of the additional clearances needed already built into the car...with the exception of the crossmember and steering rack...crossmember is a non-negotiable mod and the steering rack depends on that accessory drive you run...
if you can dig them up...it'd be much appreciated!
those pics are very sweet...thanks alot! i see he relocated the battery and used it for a external filter setup...makes changes a breeze!
i thought about relocating the battery and using that location for ignition and other stuff, but i already got that figured out. battery for now is staying put. cruise control is gone however...
He making a custom oil pan right now. He said it was hanging to low and thought about going with a dry sump system but couldn't figure out where to put the pump. I guess the pump has to be on the engine or close to it.
Do you know of any aftermarket oil pans that aren't so deep but maybe wider?
i am running a standard 6.5qt hamburger style racing pan. it clears with the notch in the crossmember, is clearanced for 4.25 stroke, and doesn't hang all that low really...unless his car is lowered or he's driving it someplace he shouldn't be
that would be awesome...the more the merrier...plus it's all great knownedge for anyone looking to try this. it's not bad if you have even the most basic of skills...
maybe after im done i'll tidy it up and see if we can make it a tech thing or walkthrough of some sort...that would be nice