Z069? LS7 in my C3
 

I posted this on the C3 Forum and thought I'd share here on CorvetteForum.

How is that for a project?

Well,
Most folks around know that I have been interested in an LS swap for my vette.
Final choice is a GM Crate LS7 plus a 4L75E transmission. Goal is to keep my 69 looking reasonably stock. Stuff an LS7 under the hood and play!

Lets go!
In my mind, the first step of the swap is to provide some whoa before adding all that go. Alan, here was kind enough to help me in what I need to refresh my brakes will a little more capability.

Early 2017 saw me putting new Cryo treated rotors, aggressive pads, and dumping all the rubber brake lines in my baby! She was also treated to a complete e-brake rebuild with stainless parts! Sadly mid install I was called to help my daughter replace an alternator in her Subaru. Doing the simplest mindless thing I popped my back! OMG! I walked her and her hubby through the reinstall of the alternator and almost had to crawl to my truck and drive it home. What a miserable ordeal. I was broken for almost a month! I now have great empathy for folks with back issues. That was my first and pray it was my last.

Sitting on the new quickJack
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...4_DSC_4678.JPG

Wheels off and new parts are in!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...4_DSC_4679.JPG

Old setup!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...4_DSC_4680.JPG

Removed calipers
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...4_DSC_4682.JPG

New pads, rotors, lines, and ebrake!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...5_IMG_0123.JPG

Spring 2017 finds me LS shopping. Oh how hard it is to decide on crate vs a used motor. My neighbor is a professional mechanic and is pressing hard to get me to buy a used motor from a wrecked vette. Even found a few. Price is tempting. Something in me kept saying don't do it. Just go crate. I was literally slowly driving myself crazy over the choice. My bride finally just told me to be honest with myself and what do you really want? Well, crate. Comes with a warranty, has been tested, and you know the entire history.

While deciding, my new baffled fuel tank and internal fuel pump have arrived and I installed!

I forgot to take pictures but here she is mid progress of fuel tank swap!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...3_IMG_0289.JPG

Pulling the trigger. It would seem GM has a monopoly on the LS7. Maybe price fixed? Who knows. Wherever I looked the price was the same. I even went to local dealers parts department and was shut down on price. No deals. Yikes. I assumed since paying cash SOMEONE would negotiate. Nope. Finally found a rebate on GM motors and pulled the trigger on a connect and cruise kit that included the tranny of my choice, LS7, wiring, and necessary computers.

Transmission is here!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...2_IMG_0529.JPG
then . . . . .
LS7 is here !!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...2_IMG_0527.JPG

September 2017
Time to sell the extremely reliable Ramjet I've had in my baby for years!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...6_IMG_0465.JPG

Craigslist wins again! First person to look made an offer for my motor, 2004R, radiator and fuel tank. Offer accepted. I drove my vette to his house. 4 hours later my car is stripped of the drivetrain.
Buyers garage
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/IMG_0488.JPG
Work done!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/IMG_0493.JPG


We dragged her up onto his car trailer and back home we went.
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...4_IMG_0274.JPG

October 2017
My son, neighbor and I pushed the car into the driveway since the engine hoist is to tall for my garage. We bolted the tranny and motor together and slipped the unit into my vette!!!

Note the clutch!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...2_IMG_0531.JPG
Now removed!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...2_IMG_0532.JPG

Engine and trany together!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...2_IMG_0534.JPG

Installing motor mount adapters!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...9_TKFE3700.JPG

Here we go!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...9_ICFP2768.JPG

Hmm, this isn't working . . . .
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...9_MEIA0215.JPG


Notice the much steeper angle now! Much better . . . .
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...9_YGZQ3817.JPG


Unfortunately the oil pan did not fit because of the steering. Dang. So she was to sit in my driveway on jack stands, motor and tranny blocked in place but neither mounted.

Surprise!!!! Doctor visit, surgery, and more downtime. Yes my baby sat in the driveway on stands. for over a month. She even saw snow. Covered. Yes. even set a SB hood on her to protect the motor from the elements.

So I ordered and received steeroids! Rack and pinion.
Another friend had pity on me. OR maybe it was the car.
Came over and said lets drop out your steering, mount the motor and tranny, and get that car in the garage! Yeah right! I can barely walk. Can't lift, and you'd end up doing all the work, thanks but I can wait. Well, that did not sit with my buddy and under the car he went. The day was nice and I became a tool gopher. Well the ones I could lift anyway. My bride assisted with others. Finally tie rods to rag joint were gone! Pushing the car back in the garage was done by my bride and buddy. I was still broken. FYI Try pushing a car 30 feet with nothing to keep the front wheels from turning! That is a trick! LOL! ( well I laugh now ) OH yeah it was pouring rain by then!

Back in the full little garage. Still wet. Still SB hood. Still sitting.
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/2...3_IMG_0230.JPG

More waiting while my body healed.
Ah Finally the OK to do things.

Put my car back on jack stands nice and high so I can work in her.

Installed the steeroids! Yes!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/IMG_0661.JPG

installed accessories!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/IMG_0651.jpg


My radiator with dual fans has arrived!
Just waiting for the radiator support rubber gaskets to arrive to put the radiator in!
http://captainscottsailing.com/LS7/IMG_0659.JPG


Still a long ways to go but I am getting close!



Scott

Great progress and a really good story.... except for the back and surgery part. Glad you've recovered and are back at it. :cheers:

Cool build!

I like it.......what are your plans for the air intake? Did you have any of the usual clearance issues with the water heater hose connections and power steering pump pulley? Enjoy and hope you're healing up well.

I'm in the back half of my ls3/4l70 swap on my 79.

Thank you CA-LEGAL-VETTE and TintBox!

BlueGTP,
Have not even looked at the air intake yet. I have a C6 in the garage also and was thinking if trying parts from that for fit purposes.

Other clearance issues? Yes. The heater hoses are very close but I can get them on and hope they do not rub. I have yet to hook up any hoses yet. The thermostat housing needs to be changed.

The power steering pulley is definitely an issue. I have a smaller tension pulley in the system and am going to trial fit it instead of the pulley that came with. Maybe swap them if I can. If it fits I was thinking of just getting another of the smaller size and get a new belt. I have yet to see there.

Scott

Maybe a stupid question, but why is there oil coming out of the flywheel bolt hole?

The GM LS flywheel bolt holes are open to the crank case.
The bolts require sealant when re installed!

Since this motor is a crate and is tested at the factory it had oil in the motor.
I also was surprised and had to look it up!

Scott

:withstupid:
I was going to ask the same thing.. :eek: never knew that about the LS..

That 69 is going to be fun!! Looking forward to more of the story!!:flag:

Thanks! I didn't know that about LS motors.

That thing is going to be an absolute beast! Nice work!

nice car and great choice.
best of luck.

I too was wondering about that oil leak ,

here's a straight thermostat outlet , depending on how high your engine sits , this will interfere with a strut brace if you already have one on . Might have to re-do it or just custom fit one .Totally worth the effort to have one .

https://www.spectreperformance.com/s...aspx?prod=4932

those exhaust headers look like they are made for C3 swaps.

glad to hear your back troubles are gone , its a terrible thing ,even when you recover you still have to be mindful of the potential to do it again.

Thank you for the link! I'll visually inspect and confirm a straight housing will work and order it!


FYI the headers are factory exhaust and heat shield on a 2013 Z06. They came with the crate motor.

They do indeed fit perfectly minus shielding hitting the factory steering box on my 69. Steeroids resolved that also.

Scott

So you get to keep the shields , nice . I love the LS swaps that look like the factory put them there . I used as much oem stuff as I could when I did mine .No cheesy blingy braid under the hood !!!!

Awesome build. Can't wait to see it finished. I have been on the fence for some time to swap or not to swap...... I think swap is winning.

LOL! I considered the bling.
Spoke to my older brother as well as my son about it.
Neither seemed to think the bling would make my car faster or drive better! :rofl:

So , out went the bling!


Also I noticed some binding on my steeroids so I'll have to get another body to help me adjust the uJoint system.

Scott

Save the bling stuff for the next project .

I had troubles with my R&P as well , It started off with 3 uni's which wouldn't let the steering wheel come back to centre , I got it down to 2 uni's and now it's fine , but a lot of work and trial fits etc. My neighbours got used to me driving around and around and around the block :lol: With mine , it was too much angle which wouldn't let them work . It actually doesn't take much of a bind to stop the wheels from coming back ,at slow speeds. This is without talking wheel alignment specs and condition of wheel bearings as well.

Great project and thanks for the pics!

GMPP crate motors are the way to go, IMO. Did mine with my son last year and had a blast. Now I just turn the key and go...He’ll never forget the experience.

Thanks for sharing and lift with your legs, not your back - LOL!

Those exhaust headers are not from a Z06 Corvette. That crate motor was used in a Z28 Camaro.

Have you given any thoughts to the dry sump tank purchase and placement yet?

Hmm, no arguments on the headers as I am no expert! Just echoing what I thought my docs said! Lol!

Dry sump you ask,
Yes


Open to ideas, if you have them, please share!
Scott