LSx/Richmond 6 speed/Vintage Air in my 68

First post here..........
I just found this forum and thought it would be a good place for my project.
I've got a 68 non-numbers matching SBC with 4 speed, big cam and 3.08 gears (not a good combo).
So after burning up a clutch this summer I decided on an LS motor. Original plan was for a 5.7 LS1 motor, but it was looking more like a 6.0 was a better choice for hp upgrades. So I ended up with an Escalade 6.0 LQ9 motor and added LS1 intake/injectors, 02 vette Z06 exhaust and "winged" oil pan.
I only needed AC compressor and alternator, so I made my own brackets. Belt Goodyear 4060827, 6PK2100.
this is the result:


After going through the original wiring harness that was a mess, I ordered an aftermarket universal harness and mounted fuses, relays, grounding block, etc over the Vintage Air evaporator on the passenger side dash.
I've cleaned up the wiring a little more since this pic.


I also went to wan electric wiper door actuator since the 68 vacuum operated one never worked well anyway.


The game plan is to use the LQ9 mechanical fan, with an additional electric fan that's actuated by engine temp or AC compresor. The air tube from throttle body swing back and over the intake. I've made a fiberglass tube, but you can see the original foam form in the test fit below. I've also made a flat element air cleaner assembly out of fiberglass that will be over the intake and use the L88 hood air box.


I've got a Richmond 6 speed coming in this week. It has the 0.76 6th gear OD, so I thought it would be a good match for the 3.08 rear end.

Looks like things are coming together Gary. So when is the big debut? The Sharks are waiting!! :search:

Bullshark

The debut may be before it's running.
I may have to invite over the Sharks for some asistance with the transmission install.
The ONLY way I can see to get it in (or out) is to put the trans under the car, move the engine forward, bolt the trans and engine together, then slide it back in place. Even if I had a removable crossmember, I could not access the top bell housing bolts, and the bell housing would not clear the tunnel.
The bigger 168 tooth bell housing does not leave much room.

Bullshark said:

Looks like things are coming together Gary. So when is the big debut? The Sharks are waiting!! :search:

Bullshark

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NICE!

Always like to see another 68 guy!

Do you know how much more the 6.0 LQ9 weighs (over the LSx weight)?

Also, now that you have done it, what is your opinion of the aftermarket wiring? I can see advantages to it but I can also see some downside.

Welcome to VetteMOD:hi:

.

Yeh, welcome to the motley crew of the Flying Dutchmen....

glad to see another 'rodder that not scared of electronicus crappicus....

Before this is over maybe you too can use a DVM.....

:harhar::trumpet::huh:

Hey Gary great job I was wondering where you got the "wan electric wiper door actuator" I was thinking of doing the same thing with a rotary motor but yours looks much neater.

Ray

Welcome Gary, This is the right site for you. Nice upgrade. I will soon be performing the same upgrade. Questions: Is your bell housing in the stock position - can you use the stock clutch linkage? If so, is your engine installed - does the Corvette winged pan fit? I was told no but that install may have had power steering. Keep us posted all the way, I'll be interested to see your engine heater core outlet to upper control arm solution. Thanks for posting.
Frank

OK, I'll try to cover everyones questions here:
1) The iron block LQ motors are only 50 lbs heavier than the aluminum LS motors. This one also has aluminum heads, so it's still lighter than a SBC.
2) Aftermarket wiring, I have not found any downside. I bought one of the cheaper kits and it's great. I did keep the original vette rear wiring harness and power window wiring. I also prewired the individual gauge panels and motor, so some of the kit wiring was not used.
3) Wiper door actuator: Sorry for the typo, should have been "an electric wiper door actuator". I bought mine from these guys:
http://www.firgelliauto.com/
I swapped out the firewall limit switch for a dpdt that functions to limit the linear actuator travel and start the wiper motor. 2 relays control polarity to the motor. I also used a 77 wiper motor. The wiring is infinitely simpler than the 68.
4) The engine is in the stock location, I used Speedhounds plates.
5) I used the mechanical clucth with Speedhounds Z bar plate. The only intereference could be with the exhaust or O2 sensor. I used Z06 manifolds ( I heard they flowed very well and cleared the winged pan) and the Z bar almost touched. The sideways pic below was shot through the gills. So I redrilled both brackets about 3/4" back and down.
6) The winged pan fits (without power steering) but installing the motor with a bell housing attached required a lot of twisting to walk it around the motor mounts.
7) Water pump heater outlet, I removed the strait hose connectors, tapped both holes, and used 90 degree elbows to 5/8" hose barbs (summit). The holes are the perfect size for NPT taps.

Z bar link.

Keep up the good work Gary. You will love it when you get it all running. Did you do any work inside the motor or are you keeping it stock for now?

It's stock for now. The 6.0 LQ9 already has the LS1 cam and could easily be upgraded with the LS6 intake and cam to give over 400hp. But the hp increase is only in the 5000+ rpm range. The guy who reprogrammed my computer did say he did his standard "hi performance tune", so I'll get it running and see how I like it before I change things.

Eddie 70 said:

Keep up the good work Gary. You will love it when you get it all running. Did you do any work inside the motor or are you keeping it stock for now?

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I've been sorta holding out for an all aluminum block 6L, L76, 2007 and later truck engine but a friend of mine has a real good escalade LQ9. I suppose I should just grab it and be happy. I didn't know they had the LS1 cam, not that thats a real hot one.
Would a guy have to get the LQ9 ECM re-mapped if he were to swap to the LS1 intake I wonder?

You'll have to get it reprogrammed to get rid of VATS anyway. Just let them know that you'll be using LS1 injectors/intake and have them set it up.

00fxd said:

I've been sorta holding out for an all aluminum block 6L, L76, 2007 and later truck engine but a friend of mine has a real good escalade LQ9. I suppose I should just grab it and be happy. I didn't know they had the LS1 cam, not that thats a real hot one.
Would a guy have to get the LQ9 ECM re-mapped if he were to swap to the LS1 intake I wonder?

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Alright, ready to install.
ROD attached:

Next weekends project will be to fabricate a crossmember mount and drop it in.

Well Gary, didja get that baby installed and running yet?

I've been fighting with the trans mount. With the standard non-removable crossmember and a poly or rubber mount, there's a 9/16" vertical and 1/2" horizontal interference issue. After messing with it for a couple hours, it occured to me that I could just make a lower profile trans mount.
It's in, but now gotta put together fuel and exhaust.
Here's what I put together:


Update, the old cut up crossmember mount looked a little weak, so I made a new one out of thicker steel.

Oh yeah, and a pic of the LS water pump with modified heater hoses and truck pulley.

It's all about driveshaft alignment

Yep, I'll check the angle and shim it this week.

00fxd said:

It's all about driveshaft alignment

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:thumbs:

Looks good

It's alive, I started it last night. It will be another week before it's drivable.
I found out I got several parts from different vendors that were defective, right out of the box. Go figure.......
And I've got to get an exhaust for it.
I've got 69 sidepipes on my car with the chromed covers.
The originals ar a little too loud for me and they're rusted out, so I was going to replace them with some glasspack mufflers.
Problem is that the glasspacks with 2 1/2" openings have a case diameter of 3 1/2". This will result in the muffler touching the frame and sidepipe cover.
Any other options on fitting some kind of muffler in the original space under the covers?

That's great, I wish I was at your stage
Check at good muffler shop. They have bottle mufflers in many available sizes. I used to think we had go to a parts store to buy a Cherry bomb or something but I found that the muffler shops have industrial mufflers in more sizes, heavier cases etc. Still low restriction, flow thru.