1970 Camaro RS Operation Budget LSx

[71RS/SS396]

I don't know if you know or not but you also need to change the drag link and pittman arm when you convert to manual steering.

[1970camaroRS]

Originally Posted by 71RS/SS396

I don't know if you know or not but you also need to change the drag link and pittman arm when you convert to manual steering.

Roger that. Got those too! Not new to that game.

[1970camaroRS]

New update. Not very glorious stuff, but interesting none-the-less.

When I was a student in good weather California, my windows started fogging when I tried to de-fog them. The air smelled sweet and dirty. Heater core was leaking! I did what anyone else going to school in a good climate would do. I bypassed the heater core by cutting the heater hose and looping it back into the water pump. Now, years later, is the time to replace this $38 piece of hardware.

It sucked.

This is what it looked like after I yanked the fan/cover assembly, loosened the box inside the passenger footwell and pried the hell to get the old heater core out.


Lots of beautiful rust.

This has got to be a 30+ year old heater core. I think I see Jesus.







Here's the heater cover/fan assembly. Dirty, moldy and a bit of rust.



This foam-rubber gasket is VERY hard to find. Don't lose it. Here it is installed on my new heater core.


Cleaned up the heater box/fan assembly.


Painted and cleaned the inner heater box.


Installing the new heater core is difficult. Especially when I'm trying to take a picture. Can you tell I'm left handed? I seem to be using my left hand in all of my shots.


And installed with the retaining clip in place. Note that the metal the retaining clip is on is a bit bent. I had to fix that later.


Not too happy with the seal job, might go back and re-seal the heater box to the firewall. The excess sealant will be scrapped off and cleaned when I prep the engine bay for paint.


After removing my old power steering box, I test fit and function tested my new manual steering box. Surprisingly easy to turn the steering wheel now!


Another angle. All bolts still loose and no nut holding the pitman arm to the steering box.


Another piece for the scrap pile!


Last thing I have to do before I install the LQ4 is to clean and paint the engine compartment. Getting really close now!

[camcojb]

congrats on the progress Nathan.

Jody

[waynieZ]

Nice progress keep at it.

[makindue84]

Originally Posted by 1badchevelle

Nice project looks like you know what you want. I do have a question why ls6 heads and not the l92?

I must agree with you. It is really nice! I think 192 is good but the ls6 is better.

[ja.stoner63]

Great action pictures... The tear down is always fun, you never know what you will find.

[1970camaroRS]

Here's one heck of an update. Not exactly done with this project yet, but the mock-up picture was too good not to share.

Problem: No alternator on my LSx motor.

Have: Alternator from my BBC and the bracket that went with it.

Solution: Adapt my junk to run with the truck pulley, waterpump and tensioner.

Here's a reference picture of the head


Basic location and spacing I had in mind.




After making some measurements (including the difference in the depth of my alternator and the waterpump pulley), I found I needed a 1-1/4" plate and I would have to pick-up a hole on the cylinder head with the spacer plate.


Got this big hunk-o-aluminum from Midwest Steel Supply. It's 1-1/4" thick, 6"x8" T6 aluminum and with shipping was surprisingly cheap. I could have ordered a smaller size, but I wanted extra just in case.


Sorry if these pictures are excessive, but I like them. I layed out the pattern using my existing bracket, made some reference marks for the holes (do not drill these) and marked the inside area where I want the other cylinder head hole to end up.










I managed to find a bandsaw somewhere and cut out the plate. You can hacksaw or jigsaw this, but I wouldn't recommend it.


After clamping up the BBC bracket to the spacer plate to use as a drill guide...


...I used a 'gunbarrel' drill bit and backdrilled the holes.


After measuring out and drilling the third hole, I mocked the spacer and bracket up to the head.

[1970camaroRS]

Used some random fasteners and a few drill bits and mocked everything up. I had a long steel spacer tube from another project that I cut down to 1-1/4" to match the spacer and used it on the tie-rod common-to the cylinder head.






Looks like everything lines up perfectly!


Now I need to counter-bore the backside of the outermost hole so I can install that bolt. It interferes with the cylinder head. Then I will de-chrome everything chrome and probably paint the alternator, bracket and spacer an aluminum color so it all looks uniform. And, I need to find a belt...

[1970camaroRS]

Originally Posted by makindue84

I must agree with you. It is really nice! I think 192 is good but the ls6 is better.

The L92s are great, but in my case the ported LS6 heads were the cheapest, easiest, best solution and probably only leave 20hp on the table. Maybe.