Geez, I forgot where I left off, so I went thru to whole thread...had some good laughs along the way for sure!
Ok, so we did end up putting the LS1 out of the Chevelle (
https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=41839) into the Vette. It's getting real close to lighting the fire, but I have a few things to finish up first. I'll try to get this thread up to speed where we are today...
So, as most know or heard (the episode was on MAV TV again tonight actually!), my wife bought a Mast 416 for me for my birthday and delivered it at Michigan International Speedway USCA event. So, having the perfectly good LS1 with no where to go now, we decided to put it in the SO66. The T56 was not going to fit without a major tunnelectomy, so we contacted Mr. Mark Bowler at Bowler Performance Transmissions...one of his reworked TKO600's was ordered with all the good upgrades. Since the Mast motor in the Chevelle is DBW, I removed the Holley HP ECU and harness from it and used it all in the Vette. The Chevelle will be upgraded with the Holley Dominator system. Also, I was able to use the radiator from the Chevelle with some minor mods to adapt to the Vette core support. Of course, a new billet top mount was in order.
So having a FI motor required a change of fuel system..we opted to update the stock tank with an Aeromotive Phantom system. Very nice kit and should work great for our use. The fuel lines were new stainless lines when we put the car back together, so those will serve just fine. Billy fabbed up a compact little vent tank that is mounted above the fuel tank to let it breathe a little.
The motor and all the accessories actually dropped right in without modifications. I did end up machining new motor adapter plates to put the motor right where I wanted it. It is positioned as a "0" setback, so the back of the enging is in the factory SBC location. As suspected, the TKO mount wasn't even close, so a one-off billet one was machined. As anyone that's done an LS sway in a C2/C3, you know the waterpump heater hose nipples interfere with the upper control arms. I removed the factory nipples and tapped the ports for NPT plugs and machined weld-in nipples and holes on the top side of the inlet leg of the casting. Took care of that.
One of the other challenges of the swap has been the exhaust. Jill really wants the side pipes. So what the current plan is, is to use modified LS7 manifolds (remove the oval flange) and connect them to the OBX side pipes with 4" tube. At the manifold, a fabricated oval to round transition will be required.
On the inside, we opted for a Dakota Digital dash, and soon, a matching clock in the center. For seats, Recaro Expert S, the same as in the Chevelle but in black cloth. Still have to make seat mounts for those, as well as a harness bar. To finish it off, a Bowler 6" shifter and matching black ball. Thanks Mark!
Gosh, there's been so many things that I've made, or had to remake (!)...but it is coming together. Still have to find a small power steering reservoir that we can mount on the driver's side inner fender backside. I may just have to cut down a standard one to get the return above the power steering pump. Waiting on the Dynotech driveshaft to get in also, should be soon.
Oh, one serious piece of billet awesomeness that has to be machined yet...
Finger's crossed in the next week or so, we should be able to pull the trigger and fire it!
Here's a few pics, still uploading a few, so I may add more later.
Transmission mount:
Fabbed radiator hoses:
Close up of the upper radiator bracket:
Overall motor shot with coil mounts on top:
Here's the buildup of the coil brackets:
Bowler stick and shift ball:
Dakota Digital:
Thanks for everyone's patience and following along, its getting closer now, so I hope to have some more updates soon.