Glock's new project: "Fred" w/ 5.3L LS swap info

[glock35ipsc]

My old race car, an 81 Monza. 12.0's at altitude.

[menace121978]

ive never done that! yet... i figure low 13's with a 5.3, small cam, and supercharger in a square body.

the goat ran a 13.6 stock and driving like a granny. about 350hp to the tires at 3925#'s with me in him.
a 5.3 w/ a small cam is around 300hp to the tires... 13's are totally do able w/ a sc if you can hook up...

man i cant wait to get this truck together! ive been kinda shining on my gto buddies since ive been working on silver saying the whole time "just wait, im going to have something for you guys to deal with! you better keep modding!! unless you wanna see the rear of an old truck tapping its brake lights! down the 1/4"

[menace121978]

thats cool! looks like you guys were really into it. 12's up there is definitely F-A-S-T!

[glock35ipsc]

Hmmm, glad I haven't had time to take the cats to the guy in Greeley yet that buys them. There is not a muffler shop in town that will do a system WITHOUT putting cats on, even though the area I live in does not require anything.

The guy that has done my exhaust systems for at least 20 years said that he can no longer do it like that either, and if there were cats originally, he has to put them back on. So I can either do the system myself without the cats, or put the OEM's back on and have him do it the rest from the cats back.

Decisions, decisions. I may just keep the cats in the shed for future emissions law emergencies, and get an LMC or CaptKaos kit and do it myself.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by menace121978

thats cool! looks like you guys were really into it. 12's up there is definitely F-A-S-T!

LOL, we were! We raced it a few times at the track in Julesburg in N.E. Colorado, and the elevation there is 3400'-3500', a lot lower than Bandimere! The car had a 355 roller, a 1.82 low gear Powerglide, trans brake, and a turbo-shaft with a 9" TH350 converter. With the trans brake set and the rev limiter chip set to 5200 rpm, it would pull the front tires about 1.5' in the air for about 20 feet! That, and it would run 11.70's-11.80's there. At Bandimere, it would only pop them up about 6" off the ground and set right back down.

But those red shirts.... a friend of ours took a pic I had of it launching at Julesburg and did a line drawing of it, and I had that silk screened on the back real big, and a smaller on on the left breast. They were cool!

[menace121978]

thats awesome!! i couldnt even imagine driving something like that...

[glock35ipsc]

OK, so here is my total spent so far:

Engine and transmission - $2,200.00
Fuel filter, switch valve, pumps - $293.00
Paint - $15.00
PCM tune & harness rework - $360.00
Engine mounts - $44.00
Spent so far - $2912.00

I had about $450 left to go (without figuring in the E85 kit), BUT......

The rear end housing from the burb is junk. The PO of the burb was an idiot to say the least! I am guessing the left carrier bearing race was spinning, so they removed the carrier and took a hammer and punch to the cap and housing and dimpled the snot out of them to grab the race.

So, I have a few choices:

* The gears are actually in great shape, so I could put them in the Fred's rearend. But I really was wanting the extra 1.5" of width from the burb housing.

* I have a 12 bolt housing that I could build up, but that's more $$$.

* Another member has possibly hooked me up with a 12 bolt rearend complete minus brakes and gears.

* It just hit me this morning in the shower that I have an extra 68 4x4 frame that I am pretty sure has 3.73's. This might be my best bet. Either get new axles or have these re-drilled for 5 lug.

Decisions, decisions.......

[menace121978]

the burb rearends are 1.5" longer?

Bob, i'd either build the 12 bolt if the funds are available if not i'd go the cheapest route for now to get the gearing you want until you can build the 12 bolt. put the suburbans gears in Fred.


thats pretty much what i'm doing. i have the gears i want (in a burb housing) that will last at least until i'm done with everything and have the money to put into a full rear end 12 bolt build. i was looking into having a 12 bolt built even w/ parts from a member here and w/ everything i wanted it was right around a grand. just too much for now. you could do it for less im sure but i'm holding off...

[glock35ipsc]

This one measures ~1.5" wider than what is in Fred now.

I may lean toward the rearend that's in the 68 frame for now. Cheaper to swap, even with drilling the axles. I don't have a preference for a 10 or 12 bolt, either will hold up just fine. I ran a lot of power through my 81 with a 10 bolt with 4.56's. I think for the most part, for what most people are building for street and the amount of grunt they are actually putting to the ground, the whole 10 bolt vs 12 bolt thing is way overrated.

[menace121978]

does the '68 have the leaf spring perches? if it will swap right in with just redrilling/ or swaping the axles then sounds like you have a winner.

and if its got 3.73's Freds going to get up and move out quicker!

[glock35ipsc]

Now that I think about it, the Monza still had the stock Monza V-8 rear end!

Yup, it's a 4x4. I will probably have to swap shock brackets, but that's no biggie. I am sure it has 3.73's, but I'll find out for sure sometime this week.

[menace121978]

reading the edit!

if the rear end in the monza held on while the slicks were trying to flip it over i'm not going to worry about my piece together 10 bolt anymore!

though i have always had bad luck w/ rearends... all started back with my monte ss.

i didnt know the burb rears were wider. wish i would have measured when i swapped them out. i guess thats a good thing it being wider?

[glock35ipsc]

It is for me at least. The total width of the front is much wider than the rear. Not only looks weird, but I think it's part of the reason these things tend to dart around sometimes.

[mcbassin]

Bob,
You may have already answered this, but what about the indicator on the column? Won't your new tranny be a 4 speed? Just curious how you are doing this on yours. Also, I would think you could pick up a burb rear end pretty easy at a a pull a part? Cheaper than doing the rebuild? good luck!

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Also, I would think you could pick up a burb rear end pretty easy at a a pull a part? Cheaper than doing the rebuild? good luck!

I'm going to call some of the yards around here today if I get a chance.

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Bob,
You may have already answered this, but what about the indicator on the column? Won't your new tranny be a 4 speed? Just curious how you are doing this on yours.

Look closely, it's out of an 87:

[mcbassin]

looks like you have it ALL covered! I hope to do this swap some day on a couple of our projects. Now, I'm even thinking about going with a 6.0 in our Camaro!

[glock35ipsc]

I think after I am done with this one, I will put a 5.3 in my 70 K10, along with a 700R4/NP208.

[nlped]

I didn't even think about the shifter selector/column hickie doo, but I have an '87 so it wouldn't have mattered . I'm learnin so much.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

looks like you have it ALL covered!

I sure hope so!!

[glock35ipsc]

8/25/2009 5:45:00 AM OUT FOR DELIVERY

Harness and PCM will be here today

[menace121978]

RIGHT ON!! perfect timing... your monthly budget will be replenished in just a few more days

[glock35ipsc]

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by menace121978

RIGHT ON!! perfect timing... your monthly budget will be replenished in just a few more days

Must be rough to have a monthly budget for your toys! I guess if I didn't have such a fishing addiction, I would have more budget for trucks.

[glock35ipsc]

EVERYTHING we do is in the budget. My $$$ knows were it's going before I ever get it.

I don't necessarily have a spot in the budget every month for toys, but the engine swap is written in for the next three months.

[bigbadjohn84]

budget? whats that? I squeeze it in when I can. that is when i can get a little on the side that my dear sweet Uncle Sam doesnt know about hehe