CUTLASS Project Upggrayed - With two Gs for a double dose of G body pimpin'

[2drx4]

Almost got this junk out.

The shop looks and smells like a war zone. But I have been selling odds and sods as I go, so hopefully I'll get this down to close to break even. If not, it will make the scrap yard happy.

 

[2drx4]

Engine is out and the remains of the truck is on the trailer. It's an 00 and it's the 5.3L, so it won't be too snappy but still about double the power that it had, and that will be perfect in my opinion. Maybe I'll take a picture after I clean the shop up. This is where the project gets stalled until parts arrive, some critical pieces (oil pan, dipstick, headers) won't be here until the 20th at best. Oh, and I have to rebuild the transmission and convert it to 2wd, I keep forgetting about that little detail.


I figured I'd throw my parts list/plan up so somebody might offer insight. Or not. I'll probably crosspost this in the LS swap sub too. This would just to be getting it good enough to drive in and out of the shop so it doesn't plug it, there might be more issues to address better later

Fuel system:
-Delphi HP10268 pump/sender from an 87 GN
-Stock tank (I know it's not ideal to not have the baffle pan, but the tank was new as of a few years ago, so I'm going to just go for it for now)
-Probably going to use a Jeep EFI fuel filter and mount it up near the tank (I didn't see many comments on what people were using for filters, I have a spare Jeep one and bracket, it just has hose barbs on it so easy enough)
-I'll probably just use EFI rated hose for now (I think I can get a quick-disconnect to barb adapter for the fuel rail and return, admittedly this part of the plan is not good)
-00 engine has regulator on the rail, so no need for one elsewhere

Oil system:
-Fake Holley 302-1 pan (I thought I was ordering a real one, remember "if it's too good to be true, it probably is")
-Fake 302-15 dipstick (at least I knew I was ordering a fake one this time)
-Windage tray GM 12558253
-Oil cooler blockoff plate (ordered it before realizing the donor never had one, so it has the blockoff already, but it's leaking anyway)
-AC Delco UPF48R filter

Motor Mounts:
-Summit Racing generic aluminum mount plates
-Umi Performance 90058 "clamshells"
-Anchor mounts for Monte Carlo 300051
-Anchor trans mount (have to figure out the right one)

Cooling:
-Trailblazer radiator (maybe, I have a used one that cost me very little to try)
-Stock rad if the TB one doesn't seem to work (or god knows if it doesn't)
-TB upper and lower hoses if that works (again, have used ones to try)
-Truck hoses/TB hoses/bojang/a steam pipe nipple if using the stock rad
-Use the stock truck water pump/tstat/etc if it all works
-Hoping to run the heater but will just look the hoses if I can't fit it initially

Exhaust:
-Sketchy eBay "304 stainless" shorty headers for a S10 swap (have a TIG welder and will use it if they don't fit)
-Big box of random bends from Summit
-EGR blockoff plate
-Upstream O2 sensors, will probably let the engine light shine for now but ideally will delete the rear O2s programming eventually
-No decisions made on mufflers or cats yet

transmission/driveshaft:
-Rebuild the 4L60E that came with the truck, and convert to 2ws
-Have a GM 2wd mainshaft and tailhousing
-Pioneer rebuild kit (not my first choice but holy hell most of the kits are backordered to December)
-Transgo SK4L60E basic shift kit
-I don't think I need to do the upgraded sun shell or anything else, not planning to do anything to the motor...
-Driveshaft I will figure out when I get there. It's $160 to have one shortened and balanced, so that probably will be the solution providing the slip yoke from the TH200-4R works in the 4L60E, I might want to steal the slip yoke off the truck's driveshaft in case I need it. Also, the truck has a massive aluminum driveshaft, it would be cool to shorten that, but I'm not sure if the guys I deal with for that stuff will shorten/balance one or not, nor if the much increased diameter would cause other issues.

Misc:
-00 is cable throttle, so my stock pedal and cable hopefully will work
-P/S hoses should fit so I'll order some new ones for a Cutlass with a 305
-Will order a GM 15995679 ECM mount, and I saved the truck one, so hopefully one will fit
-Will have to do some work to the harness for the 4wd to 2wd change, and may cut the rear O2, A/C and EGR parts out at the same time
-I saved the key a cylinder/ignition switch from the truck, was going to use that to fool the VATS, but I think that won't work because it integrates with the BCM

Obviously I'm missing some things still, but those things are probably not obvious to me (except the ones I noted).

 

[87 Monte Carlo SS]

That will make her get up and go. Sounds like it will be fun to drive when you get it done.

 

[2drx4]

That will make her get up and go. Sounds like it will be fun to drive when you get it done.

Well, I'm shooting more for being able to pull out on the highway and not be killed by traffic. But yeah, it honestly should be decently quick.

 

[87 Monte Carlo SS]

Hey with that 5.3 you would blow the doors off my Monte SS. And going from a 307 to a 5.3 will pretty good

 

[2drx4]

One thing I forgot to put on that list, and one other question I have. I'll obviously research this stuff too, but I'm dumping it here so I don't forget.

I need transmission cooler lines, I hoped to use the ones out of the truck but ahhh, they didn't quite enjoy the engine extraction process, and honestly weren't going to work anyway. There's a bunch of generic kits out there for braided stainless. Any of them better, or a better deal? Or should a guy run proper hard lines?

Also, with the VSS in a 2wd transmission, is there a reluctor ring or tone ring that goes on the mainshaft, or does it read the splines on the shaft? I just want to make sure I'm not missing something I'm going to need to dig up from god knows where when I convert this transmission. Other super strange thing is that it appears this truck used two VSSs in the tailhousing of the tcase, I recall hearing about that before but I can't imagine why that would ever be needed.

 

[Tony1968]

Can't help with much but here goes. Many including myself use the Wix bypass filter that is used on Vettes. If you use it make sure you get Wix because I've heard many problems with off brands. I'd try to use the large diameter drive shaft from the truck. The larger the width, the better it can handle high rpms.
If you don't run the heater you have to loop it at water pump and not just block them off. ICT makes a loop hose and I'm sure others do as well. Hope this helps

 

[2drx4]

Can't help with much but here goes. Many including myself use the Wix bypass filter that is used on Vettes. If you use it make sure you get Wix because I've heard many problems with off brands. I'd try to use the large diameter drive shaft from the truck. The larger the width, the better it can handle high rpms.
If you don't run the heater you have to loop it at water pump and not just block them off. ICT makes a loop hose and I'm sure others do as well. Hope this helps

Thanks. 00 has the regulator on the rail, so no need to use the Corvette filter/regulator combo. Hence I think I'll use a Jeep one (I have a bunch on hand). I was going to rob the filter and bracket off the truck (obviously use the old filter only for mockup), but the bracket was plastic and broken so it didn't seem worthwhile.

I need the heater so I need to make it work. But I'll loop it if temporarily if there's fitment issues. I can't believe how massive the HVAC box is on these cars.

 

[2drx4]

Engine is on the stand. Harness is off and ready to cut down.

Also, I couldn't pick the transmission up and put it on the bench. I was wondering what was wrong with me, because I really thought I should be able to. Well. The scale explained why not.

Trans still has some fluid in it and the converter on. I believe it's more like 130lbs if I pull the converter. That's more manageable.

Sorry I took vertical pictures. I wasn't taking them for this thread, so eh, you get what you get.