Project: LS1ick68

[68Stepbed]

Ask away, Brian! BTW, you weren't bugging me. I enjoyed our conversation.

[RRC]

Just picked up a LS1,thanks for the inspiration ! Truck looks great!
Posted via Mobile Device

[cjohnson6772]

I hope you don't mind me bugging you with a few questions, but hey that is what you get for having such a clean install . I've got a LQ4/4L80e that I'm going to put in my '72. I am planning on copying your setup with regards to your engine mounts and probably your headers. I was wondering if you are still satisfied with your mounting/fitment or if you would do something differently if you had it to do over again.

BTW: absolutely amazing truck. When I get into my swap I might make a drive up to Sevierville to see the '68 in person if you wouldn't mind.

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by RRC

Just picked up a LS1,thanks for the inspiration ! Truck looks great!
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks!

Originally Posted by cjohnson6772

I hope you don't mind me bugging you with a few questions, but hey that is what you get for having such a clean install . I've got a LQ4/4L80e that I'm going to put in my '72. I am planning on copying your setup with regards to your engine mounts and probably your headers. I was wondering if you are still satisfied with your mounting/fitment or if you would do something differently if you had it to do over again.

BTW: absolutely amazing truck. When I get into my swap I might make a drive up to Sevierville to see the '68 in person if you wouldn't mind.

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks to you as well. Ask me any questions you need to know. So far, I'm very satisfied with all the parts I used except for the TransDapt adapter plates. I wish I had went with the Dirty Dingo mounts. I really like my headers and have no complaints with them, but I kinda wish I'd went with a long tube design. But for the money spent, there's no reason to complain.

Come on over to Sevierville any time. PM me if you want my contact info.

[68Stepbed]

The final step(at least a major one) is finally complete. The 4.11's and Eaton Posi are installed.

New Eaton posi(limited slip)



factory 4.11 r&p set, new crush sleeve, bolts and threadlock ready to go.


Tear down.


Out with the 3.07 gears and modified Gov-Lock.




The guy installing the gears was supposed to do everything on Thursday, Jan 3rd. He went back to his shop to remove the bearings off the old carrier since they were practically new. One of them messed up in the process, so he looked in his attic for another set. In the process, he fell out of the attic and broke two ribs!! He said he needed to wait and come back on Friday to finish. As you can see from the pics, the rearend was almost completley out anyway, so I decided to finish pulling it out to make it easier on him.



Everything installed and ready to get oil and cover and be reinstalled!


I got it all put back in and bolted up by Friday evening, but had no one to help bleed the brakes until Saturday evening. My wife came out and helped me get that done so I took a test drive. The lower gearing made a HUGE difference!!!!

Now I need to figure out how to get traction.

[gringoloco]

What a roller-coaster! Gears are the single best upgrade you can make, IMO. Enjoy!

[68Stepbed]

I finally made an idle video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqrdI...ature=youtu.be

[cericd]

Sweet! Let's see some of it rolling.

[68Stepbed]

I'll try to get a video of it in action soon. I'm going next Saturday to get another issue sorted out with the trans. After that, it will be in better condition for a video.

[C10_ustacould]

Sound AWESOME Matt!

[solidaxel]

Question back on the TBSS and Camaro manifolds, is this a problem with clearance on a 4L60E?
How much meat did you have to take off the transmission to make them fit?
Did the exhaust shop have to make a different down pipe?.
What else am I missing with the stock manifold in a 78 1/2 ton.
Your build was very well "built" sorry to hear about all the hot rod problems in the end to get it all working
NICE WORK !!

[68Stepbed]

Well, I'm running a 700R4, not a 4L60E. The 4l60E shouldn't have any problems with any of the stock manifolds, since that trans is what most came with. The only clearnce issues I had with the manifolds was with the stock engine mount towers. Your 78 will have the "clam shell" style mounts and flat style towers, so you shouldn't have any clearance issues.

My major issue was with the particular headers I bought. They did interfere with the converter cover mounting "ears", which I had to trim. They wouldn't be an issue with the 4L60E as they don't have those ears.

[solidaxel]

That 4:10 gear and 1st gear in your 700R must be a stump puller for about 60'!
How do you like everything now that you are driving your truck?

[68Stepbed]

I love it!! I still have some fine tuning to do with the carb and timing, and I've been stalling on getting the steam lines redone. I'm taking it back to the transmission guy next saturday to get the kickdown issue sorted out. Right now, the trans won't shift down(we're thinking a stuck throttle valve) which is also keeping it from letting the rpms rev up higher, so it's changing gears too quick.

So far, though, it's ALOT of fun with the 4.11s!!!

[BigDan3131]

I just got my new issue of Super Chevy and they said that Trick Flow has a -4 kit out for the steam lines.

[Hart_Rod]

Your truck is looking and sounding great! Here's a link to the steam line kit:

http://www.trickflow.com/egnsearch.a...6&autoview=sku
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[68Stepbed]

Thanks for the link, Rob.

[jae]

Your truck is amazing. I'm getting ready to start a 5.3L swap into my '71 using an almost identical setup and you've given me some great ideas on how to keep it clean. (I love your spark plug wire conduit solution!)

I'm going to be using the TH350 that's already in the truck, and it looks like it's quite possible it has those same "ears" that yours did and I'm getting a little worried about header clearance, since I was thinking of using the same ones you did. Once you had the tubular engine mounts in, did the Camaro manifolds clear everything ok, or was there still a clearance issue somewhere?

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by jae

Your truck is amazing. I'm getting ready to start a 5.3L swap into my '71 using an almost identical setup and you've given me some great ideas on how to keep it clean. (I love your spark plug wire conduit solution!)

I'm going to be using the TH350 that's already in the truck, and it looks like it's quite possible it has those same "ears" that yours did and I'm getting a little worried about header clearance, since I was thinking of using the same ones you did. Once you had the tubular engine mounts in, did the Camaro manifolds clear everything ok, or was there still a clearance issue somewhere?

Thanks! About the wire looms, though. They're in the way of being able to use a dipstick. I used a Lokar dipstick, but had to shorten it, and I really can't get it out to check the oil.

The Camaro manifolds actually would have worked well with the tubular mounts. I just went with headers since they were inexpensive enough. Another option is the Hooker manifolds if you wanted to go in that direction.

[boomz55]

sick build man!! job well done

[dec010974]

hello to all. hey 68 stepbed, where did you ge those fuel line clamps? ive been searching the web for 3 days.

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by dec010974

hello to all. hey 68 stepbed, where did you ge those fuel line clamps? ive been searching the web for 3 days.

Got your PM and replied to it.

[68Stepbed]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered the -4AN stuff to build my steam lines correctly. This crap is stinking expen$ive!! I have well over $120 in this setup.

Sorry for a craptastic cell phone pic. I'll try to get some better shots in the future.

[elf w/capital T]

dude that engine looks good!! wow super clean!

[68Stepbed]

Thanks, elf! Since you revived the thread, I've made a couple small changes.