oldzzy

That looks awesome! How was the install of the coil overs?

oldcutlass

What do the coil over uppers mount to?

csouth

Thanks. Not as polished as your car but hopefully one day. The lower bracket was the most difficult as you have to drill a hole for the additional hole attaching to LCA mount.
Its T-bar like the stock, so it mounts in the original location. I might make some changes whenever I blow it apart for paint as to how the uppers mount.

csouth

Well, here it is. Now the fun starts.
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ent72olds

Hey Chris......I think its time to change your sig to "Full On Pro Touring Build!"

Nice to see you're still plugging away!

csouth

Maybe you're right...lol I'm trying to get it together over here. How's the wagon project coming?

oldzzy

I had a box just like that, only my trans has 1 less gear.

csouth

I remember seeing that in your build. I considered the TKO, but had heard too many mixed reviews on high rpm shifts and synchro mesh issues. I know its not happening to everyone, but with my luck... With all the problems I had with the theft of my 455 and 4L80E, I just needed this to go right.
What gear oil are you running?

oldzzy

None at the moment, i still haven't even gotten the motor running yet. I wanted the 6 speed badly, but i was to concerned about how much of the floor i was going to have to cut out. A lot of the builds i was seeing, they were cutting into the floor cross member to get clearance.

csouth

I moved my motor forward a little when I mounted the Chevy frame mounts to the engine crossmember. I think I'll be ok when it comes to the position of the crossmember on the floor pan. I mocked up the bellhousing and I'm finishing the floor patches so I can get this installed. Just a little more money to spend, gotta order my clutch, flywheel and pressure plate....

csouth

Been away for quit some time so I wanted to update. I decided to forego patching my trunk and floors myself and leave it to the pros. I installed my LS7 flywheel, clutch and pressure plate with ARP bolts. I mated the motor to the trans so that I can have it installed before it goes to the body shop. My body man is going to modify my trans tunnel for me when he patches my floor.


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Should be in his possession next wk with about a 2 wk turnaround.

oldcutlass

Glad to see progress, looks good.

ach1992880

Great progress. You are going to love the end result. My LQ9 is everything i wanted when i started the project, my only regret is the auto trans but the wife wouldn't have given the stamp of approval if i went manual... oh well. Keep up the good work.

csouth

Thanks for the encouragement. That's when not being married comes in handy!...lol

csouth

Car is finally at the body shop as of Saturday.... Hoping to have it back in 3 wks...
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I ordered a Vintage Air direct fit kit and Holley Accessory brackets from Kim at Matt's Classic Bowties. I have work to do once the car returns.




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dc2x4drvr

Glad to see your making progress....

dfire25

3 weeks? Good luck with that one! Lol My body guy told me 6 weeks and it's been 3 months so far.

I got the same vintage air unit, not too bad to install, but I didn't have an LS motor so I don't know if it's any different. I used a piece of sheet metal and made a flat firewall since it's all under the dash anyway.

Good luck with the build! Looking good.

csouth

Thanks!....Good thing I'm not using your guy...lol Nothing should be different with the AC install. Its the same kit, besides the compressor.


I'm only doing what's necessary right now to get the car on the road. The quarter lips need repair, but that will wait until paint is in the budget. I'm getting my firewall closed off too while its there.

csouth

Car is done, will be picking it up Friday..... Sorry about the pic quality
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Before shot of the floor area that was cut out


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Floor was primed and sealed after this


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Trunk needs dust blown out before it goes home. It was coated with bedliner.
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oldzzy

Looks good!

csouth

Thanks Shane... Now at least a little closer...


Here she is ready to go home....


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oldcutlass

Your closer to getting to bringing the engine to life. Nice

olds 307 and 403

I usually HATE non Olds swaps, this is different. You tried going Olds and fate went against you. My big issue is the soft bottom end on stock 5.3 engines. I am sure with opened up intake, exhaust and tune it will be much better with less weight. I have only drove trucks and the 4L65-70 equipped ones were dead till 4000 rpm. Nice project.

csouth

Thanks... Mine is actually an LS2 which is an all aluminum 6.0... 5.3's can be brought to life with LS2 heads, a cam and tune.

csouth

Exactly!
I'm going to work from the rear of the car forward. Ill start with installing my tank, then the fuel/rear end vent. I'm making a checklist and I have a dry/erase board for the garage to help me stay on task...

csouth

The inevitable always happens to me, finally think I'll make some big progress on the car and work picks up. Getting the energy to go in the garage after work is becoming more difficult. Nothing major to post just a fet updates.
I started wiring, this has to be the worst part of the whole project. Since this fuse panel doesn't use a firewall bulkhead, we welded studs to the floor for mounting. I also had to reorganize all the wiring runs to their appropriate areas of the car.
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Drilled hole in firewall and installed grommet. After all the wiring is completed, I'll loom the run.
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Installed battery in trunk and grounded to chassis
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Mounted Finch vent in trunk
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I'll run the lines to tank and the rear axle housing right before the tank is installed.

jgodbolt

Any progress? Looking very good. I'm scared of wiring. My head is messy enough without following all those coloured lines.

csouth

I haven't done much the past couple of days due to a serious head cold. I'll be back at it tomorrow.
Picked up my headers from the coater, this is my guy. He did a previous set of Olds headers for me and my Moser housing. Excellent work and customer service. I sold a set of Pacesetter F-Body headers and bought some raw metal Doug's LS swap headers from an eBay deal. I tested the fit and had them ceramic coated.

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The headers required new wires, so I ordered the MSD with the adjustable angle boots. I'm still going to put heat sleeves on the boots.

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I mounted my LS fuse panel to the firewall and routed the ODB, pedal and gauge wires inside.

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I finished my trunk wiring and now wiring into the main harness, starter and alternator

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jgodbolt

Very nice! Headers look fantastic.

oldcutlass

Looking forward to the fireup.

csouth

I love this guys work, done inside and out. He's a car guy too which makes for long visits when i drop stuff off..lol

Me too!

csouth

I pushed the car out of the garage today to reinstall the front end. Not sure what happened at my friends garage, but the front seems a little off in color. I'll try some rubbing compound to see if I can fix it.

This

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Plus this

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Gives us this....

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Rallye469

Coming along nicely!
Those are great looking battery cables...but are the ends aluminum?
Who makes them?

-Pete

And I was wondering if you should have put in a battery box? Or are you blocking off the back seats with a panel?
(just incase you ever want to go down the track.

csouth

I battery ends came with the relocation kit i got from Flaming River. I believe there was a total of 6 with the kit.

I thought about the possibility of taking it down the track one day. I thought even with the battery box, my cutoff needed to be accessible from outside? I'm not familiar with NHRA rules at all, I did mine mostly for my own peace of mind.

Rallye469

Yep, you're right. I didn't even notice the shutoff in the trunk.
and yes, you need the shut off outside and clearly labeled.

Super clean install though.

-Pete

CutLS

I really like the look of those wheels on your car. I had ordered some Z06 rims only to find out the backspace would not work because it hit the frame, so I had to return them.

csouth

Most of the modern sport/muscle car wheels will only work with spacer adapters due to the offset. TSW and XXR make affordable wheels that fit our bolt pattern. I
If I were building a second car, I'd go that route.

csouth

Since the tires on my wheels were purely for mockup, I decided to make my last major purchase needed for the car. I got those takeoffs for $25 a piece when I first got the wheels to allow me to fit the brakes and other things not allowed with the stock setup.

For the sizes I wanted, I went with the Bridgestone S04 Pole Position. 275/35/18fr and 295/30/19rr.

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My better half also mounted my gauges and ABS panel in the factory dash bezel.

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csouth

Wiring is almost done. I installed the radiator and fans. I mounted the oils cooler to the radiator support, but the location may change when I upgrade to the 442 grill.

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madmax442

Nice build! I can honestly say I wish you had an Olds engine in there but very nice overal!