In the September issue of ST, I collaborated with RJ at Eye Kandy Designs to render the ideas I had floating around in my dome for my latest project, a '73 Chevy C10, called The Parts Racer. This is my do-it-all truck-a daily driver that will haul more than ass but still look cool. Well, I've finally found the time to get crackin' on making that dream come true. Way back in January, I wrote a story about dyno-testing the new engine for the '73: a GM Performance Parts LS327/327 carbureted crate engine. Since then, I've slowly been scratching off items from the engine-swap to-do list. I've finally finished the swap and put some miles on the new drivetrain, just in time to shake the truck down and take a road trip you'll get to read about next month. Here is a look at what it took to trade up from the old 350ci small-block/TH400 combo and up to the new LS327 and Gearstar-built 4L65-E automatic overdrive transmission.
PART ONE: OUT WITH THE OLD
1. The 350ci engine that came...
1. The 350ci engine that came in my truck ran with a bad misfire and a bad habit of leaking fluid from every orifice. However, the TH400 did work, but not having overdrive on the highway sucked enough to make me ditch the three-speed for an AOD trans.
2. I drove the Parts Racer...
2. I drove the Parts Racer twice before ripping out the engine and TH400 and giving them both to my friend, Tim. I don't think I did him any favors because the engine needed a rebuild immediately. We found four pistons installed backwards on the rods once the heads were off.
3. Necessity is the mother...
3. Necessity is the mother of invention. You can haul an engine anywhere with the right motivation, a fistful of tie-downs, and an old tire. Here, our Titan road test truck earns its keep by delivering the new LS engine to Tim's house.
PART TWO: IN WITH THE NEW
1. BRP Muscle Rods builds...
1. BRP Muscle Rods builds a fantastic set of engine swap mounts and a template showing where to drill the new holes in the crossmember for them.
2. Before we could drill holes...
2. Before we could drill holes for the new mounts, we had to unbolt the old ones and that was when we found out just how worn out they were. It was a sign of things to come. We found the same rough wear on the suspension pivot points later on when we lowered the truck too.
3. The new mounts are cad-plated...
3. The new mounts are cad-plated and bolt right onto the LS engine block with the provided metric hardware.
4. To test-fit the engine...
4. To test-fit the engine in the truck, we left the other half of the mounts loose and set the engine onto the crossmember, making sure it was level and centered in the compartment and noting where the mounts were positioned.
5a. We then pulled the engine...
5a. We then pulled the engine back out and used the BRP template to determine where to drill the new holes.
5b. It was right on the money...
5b. It was right on the money and placed the engine on the crossmember with plenty of clearance between the valve covers and the firewall. Grade-8 hardware locks in the engine.