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Man, you're just moving right along!! :eek2:
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Well..... The car had a small block Chevy installed in it some time in it's past....When the frame mounts were welded in at that time it, ended up that the engine was off-center about 3/8" towards the drivers side......
Fast forward...
After installing the #605 box and grinding some clearance on it to clear the exhaust manifolds (seemed like a good idea and a simple fix at the time)
Anyhow...
After moving on from that point, I noticed some fluid on the floor below the steering box but I wasn't too concerned at the time because after cutting the brake lines in that same area after removing the old braking system I thought it was brake fluid...
Wrong.... Darn..... So, after removing the box and looking closely at it I seen where the leak was coming from.... Ground a little too much off the box..... Double Darn !!!!
So we get back to basics...
LOL..... I'm making some new mounts (Pic's to follow) to correct that issue which will remove the steering box clearance issue and center the engine...
This car stuff is hard sometimes...
Should have this corrected tomorrow Also.... The Rick's Tank showed up today.... They built it for this conversion as a passenger style tank as we requested and I will have to remove the spare tire well in the wagon to allow for it's installation...
More Fun...
LOL...
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...C67947B766.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...7721D36032.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...2EB310D63C.jpgGot the old tank out...https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8C1A3D004A.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...2546B5C958.jpg
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Damn Ken! If it’s any consolation, we appreciate the drama. I also appreciate your willingness to post the good, bad, and ugly. Is the box salvageable?
Thanks for taking the time to share, Jason |
I haven’t commented yet - just enjoying the build. Ken - you always do such a great job!
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New box ordered... . Don't want to take a chance... If it leaks.....Well..... https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...4ED2717E19.jpg |
Made new mounts and welded them in...
The engine is now about 3/16 towards the passenger side, so I picked up a good 1/2" of clearance on the drivers side..... The new steering box (ordered) will have plenty of room without any clearance issues
. I also leveled the engine as it was down about 1/4" on the drivers side...
Now I can sleep at night.... LOL...
Still waiting for parts to complete the final needs of the engine compartment...
Time to get rid of the spare tire well and get the new Gas Tank installed
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...80DA8D81B0.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...5EE50BE551.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...593882BD0D.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...61069ED0D3.jpg |
Continuing with the process..... Not gonna miss some of this old sheet metalhttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...6DDF3D94_1.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...251845EB63.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...C58FB8507B.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...B906655E54.jpg
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Started the day with a big hole in the floor where the spare tire well was....Got the rear mounts for the Rick's tank installed..... and got the tank installed..... And I have to make some new side mounts for the tank to get that part of the build finished up...
. https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...C53977390E.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...107F138AB9.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...E4E15DC8F1.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...F077DCC151.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8FB4B8BB41.jpg
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When we are finished we will fabricate a storage compartment above the gas tank...
.. Also the power steering pump came in today so I got that all finished up along with the belt installation...
. I also got the front tank mounts fabricated..... Tomorrows project is to get them installed...
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...309076BD84.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9FC816318B.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...09292AEA74.jpg
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You've been BUSY.
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Got the forward mounts put in today to get the tank install completed.... Next fabricate the fuel lines....
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...857E01BA9A.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...C49DE95455.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...DA231C3D7F.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...24453E589A.jpg |
Spent the day yesterday chasing around for different fittings for the Fuel system, transmission cooling lines, and starting on the A/C lines...
..Waiting for the A/C unit to show up to get that installed...
. Anyhow.... The fuel lines are in and completed along with the trans lines...
No pictures as there is not much to show...
Just a time consuming day to get everything to fit right.....
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Thanks for the update!
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Another great build thread Ken, thanks for taking us along!
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Got the new steering box today and with the engine in the correct position now.... It fit right in..... Bingo...
. So.... I wanted to see if there was enough room to install the factory heat shield...
. Had to trim a little area and it slipped right on...
.. Good day today...
Tomorrow radiator Hoses and then wiring
. It looks close in the picture but there is plenty of clearance...
.https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...FBDB3FDA97.jpg
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Just some additional info about Jeff and Judy. As you can see by the pics the car is a nice solid old car. They are not show car people but are car people. We had talked about doing this swap for a while as they want to have a dependable car to travel and enjoy life. Just helping out
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That's what you always do :):headbang: |
One of the minor issues with these LS swaps are the difference in Radiator hose sizes......So, the easiest solution to this issue is getting hose adaptors that have the two different sizes on them to couple the two sizes...…. then the next issue is getting the hose shape you need with the size required to complete the hose..... ( two times.... Upper and Lower)...... Always fun going to the Auto stores and walking in and telling them you want to look thru their Hose inventory...….. Sir.... Just tell me Year, Make, and Model...….LOL...… Luckily I was able to get what I needed in one trip...…… Anyhow the Hoses are pieced together and completed...… I also got the steam line installed...…. Except for the heater hoses which are waiting for the A/C system to show up for completion, the cooling system is finished....... After that I started on the wiring...… We bought a Vaporworx PWM fuel pressure controller and I decided to get that wiring for it assembled and installed...…. Got it run up to the Battery location in rough position...…. Getting closer and the engine compartment is starting to fill up...…. LOL
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...40D92858AB.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8CE9F44934.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...F071FB7F89.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...C52AD39504.jpgG]https: |
Moving along...
Got the Brake pedal assy in and mounted in position...
. Got all the new brake lines in and hooked up to the new brake system...
. and I also got the Power Steering lines and the Hydra-Boost lines installed
Lines, Lines, and more Lines...
. Still waiting for the A/C unit to show up then it's mostly just rewiring left....https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9BA6580DF1.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...E702DE478E.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...E1250E3677.jpghttps://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...6930E07300.jpg
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If you look at some of the earlier pic's you will see that at some time in it's past a previous owner painted the dash a different color.... And, as long as we had to paint the new steering column we figured we might as well paint the dash to match.... Went to a local auto paint store and ordered a couple Rattle cans of the correct color, my concern at the time was that they could only mix the paint in gloss..... I wanted satin finish so Jeff and Judy wouldn't be blinded by the reflection while driving in bright sunlight...… Hummm….. I thought that maybe I could spray it in satin clear after painting to reduce the glare...…. So, I get the steering column back from Donnie at Frame-up after he installed the wiring for the combo cruise control turn signal handle.... Sanded and cleaned the dash and got out the rattle cans...…. Mixed them up good and after masking everything off I started spraying the dash.... Humm….. The spray pattern from the can wasn't your typical fine spray pattern...… So... I kept spraying trying to get a smooth finish but it wasn't happening..... Anyhow when I was finished and the paint dried it ended up with sort of a Satin finish due to the weird spray pattern...….. Exactly what I was looking for.... LOL..... Rattle can special.....Got the column painted and installed...… Got all the steering linkage and cable shifter installed for the last time...… Then I went back to Frame up and got another fitting I was missing to get the Hydra Boost return lines installed correctly...…. And while I was there the A/C system showed up...… started installing it and will get the lines completed in the next day or so...… Moving along
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...AB8A2F820B.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...568B4F67C2.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...4B2E3D2A9C.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9365C19075.jpg |
Awesome!! :beers:
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Had a good day today...
Got the A/C unit fully mounted, got all the A/C lines made and installed....... Got the heater control and the heater hoses made and installed and filled the system with coolant.......and got the Battery installed
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...724A594284.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9A5AFFFB34.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...19AE335AFC.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...7E7AA0B76A.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9CE1DD8B67.jpg |
Looking great!!
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:biggthumpup:
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Now we get into the Chinese Water Torture part of the build... Rewiring the car
But.... It's not as bad as it was in builds past as I think I have learned to think 10 steps ahead of where I am so I don't have to redo things 10 times...
LOL....
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8447E92BEF.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...84E93A5EE3.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...33E8992F83.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...ED26E2A9C0.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...6A9343C111.jpg Getting there... .. |
You're a better man than I, as I despise wiring. Love the swap and that it's just a powertrain swap and not a full body off resto. Pretty cool change.
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Getting closer again...
Got the Ignition switch wired up.... Turned the key and if there was gas in the tank it would have started...
LOL..... The last batch of wires you see are the wires required to hook up the Head Light switch along with all the extra wires included in the universal kit that will be removed...
.. Getting closer.....
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...0F0963226F.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...9F5915935B.jpg |
Even though it seemed like a good idea at the time, I decided to replace the two small 12" fans with a two speed 17" fan for some serious air movement...
Done...
Got all the wiring finished except for the radio, A/C and other under dash items......Got the relays installed for the Radiator fan..... A lot of work but not much to see.....LOL
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...1F7EC5A35D.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8D7D3D35FD.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...72B8454850.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...15D68A1DFF.jpg |
Just a little update...
. LOL..... Wiring, Wiring, and more Wiring...
. Nothing to see there.....But, I also didn't like the way the Power Steering / Hydro Boost reservoir was mounted on an angle bolted to the inner fender panel..... Made a new mount to make it straight up and down...
.. And I finally got the hole in the trans tunnel fixed...
Waiting for some parts to show up to get the Fuel tank fill tube connected so we can put some gas in the car and get it started...
. Then next Monday the car is going to get the exhaust system installed and then back to Jeff's house waiting for the Dakota Digital custom made gauge cluster to be delivered to complete the project
..
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...491BAAF81D.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...295F8A2A39.jpg |
Again...
. Wiring, Wiring, and more wiring...
Got the Dakota Digital Gear Shift module installed and programmed along with the neutral safety relay.....Works perfect..... also got the Fan Controller and Trinary switch for the A/C installed...
Cruise control, VHX, and OBD module today (Hopefully)
. Also sprayed the floor with Flexseal and installed the Dyna-Mat....
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...12EBCEF39D.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...CE8CE2C8CB.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...4C57034243.jpg |
Looking Great!
Assuming there is a 2020 Power Tour this Summer.....Jeff and Judy will be joining you :) Dan |
Can't get the video to upload to Photobucket, but...…… Put some gas in it and it cranked over for 5 seconds till it built up fuel pressure and it started right up...….. Going for exhaust on Monday, …..… Still got one issue yet to be resolved..... Can't get a brake pedal..... It's just off the floor.... Hummm…… Bled the system many times along with the Master...….. Just can't get it to be normal....
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Well..... The car is gone for the time being.... It's at the exhaust shop now...….. still waiting for the Radio to come back from being upgraded and the gage cluster being upgraded by Dakota Digital which is scheduled to be shipped in the middle of June...….So... Since the car was brought over, we added Power Steering, eliminated the stock Gas tank and replaced it with a 26 Gallon Ricks Tanks stainless unit, added the GM LS3 480 H.P./ 4L70E Trans Connect and Cruise package, rewired the entire car, added Vintage Air Heat A/C system, rebuilt the trans tunnel, added the Hydro-Boost system, still some work needed to be completed before Jeff and Judy will be able to enjoy their New car...…. LOL...…I have a video of starting the car for the first time but for some reason I can't get it to load on Photo Bucket…… Darn...…... Here are some pic's of when the car arrived and when it departed...…
https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...8C8C5A43B0.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...77F611BFA9.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...D3E09809B0.jpg After https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...1CDD9F2BFE.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...1B6F9DEBD7.jpg https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a...ED9093E2D4.jpg |
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I did but it don't...........
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Link doesn’t work.
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Still doesn't work for me.
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It works for me :) looks and sounds great!
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