LS1 swap into the IROC underway

[WMCC Gary]

Great Job Bud......... ......... But I have 1 question

[Orange Terror]

Please tell me thats not a stock shifter I see bolted to that T-56. I know you wouldnt skip out on the shifter. What is it?

LOL I think he is going to use the stock one for now since he's spent a few $$ on the rest of the swap.

Looking awesome James!!!! I was telling a buddy about your swap yesterday and he's like "seems like a lotta expense when you could have just built another older style motor for less" I was like "yeah, but its and LS1, and its just an awesome thing." He still didn't get it so I just gave up, lol. I get it, it makes me want to put one in my 80!!!!

[WMCCjames]

Thanks guys! Yes, it is a stock shifter...it came with the new T56. I was planning on buying a Pro 5.0 shifter...but after spending over $7K with this swap, my funds are a little tapped out right now. Rest assured though, down the road it will be swapped out for a better shifter.

And Gary...... you can't have it.

Jasen.....yeah, I probably need to have my head examined for going this route......could have had a really nice motor for what I am spending right now...but then again, it would just be another Gen1 SBC in a camaro. Horsepower is horsepower, doesn't matter what it comes from....I just wanted something different to play with and also I am really looking forward to diving into the LSX tuning world. I got bored with the old ECM tuning. Oh and did I mention the weight savings is a nice added benefit too! I'm guess my car will weigh in around 3250lbs with the new set-up. Some other stock LS1 3rd gen cars are running deep into the 12's right out of the box.

[WMCCjames]

Well, I just couldn't bare to have these wussie 2.5 inch collector outlets on these nice stainless steel 1.75 inch primary headers I bought....so in the true tradition of hot rodding I decided to modify them



Here's a comparision between the 2.5 outlets and the 3 inch SS outlets I bought




I cut off the old outlets and tacked welded on the new ones, I'm taking these into work tomorrow to TIG weld fully.

[WMCC SSLS1]

NICE!!! Seriously though, I can't believe that they would build such a nice set of headers and put that damn bottle neck in there. Retards!!

Down the road, when you have some cash again, you might want to get those headers ceramic coated to help with under hood heat and keep the exhaust gas velocity up by keeping the heat inside the pipes.

Keep on wrenching as the finish line for the swap project is getting in sight now!

[WMCCjames]

Update:

It's been a struggle with getting the fuel system completed to my liking. I have now redone the fuel lines and regulator 3 times. I had a tough time getting the lines far enough away from the headers where they ran down the subframe rail. I originally mounted the regulator up forward of the brake master cylinder....but it looked cluttered.



I then decided to move it to the firewall back behind the brake booster....this brought upon many fuel line issues!!



I had to cut back the hard factory steel fuel lines all the way back to middle of the trans. I re-flaired the lines and made up -6 braided lines to run up the firewall to the regulator. This bought me about 4 inches of clearance to the exhaust....which I was happy with.

Now the headers are in for the final time and I also made up a new y-pipe to connect the headers to my 4 inch cat-back.

[JoeliusZ28]

wow thats lookin freakin nice

[OIF1VET]

Doing an AWESOME job..

[SoulTerror]

Bad ass!

[kammi10]

looks sweet james

[SS4Matt]

that's pretty bad ass if i do say so myself!....when does the turbo go in James?

sooner or later i think those FRC's need something sweet done to them like Jonny's "Supermans" FRC's!! and as far as shifters go...the stockerish "gold" SLP short throw with the LS quick stick on top of that feels perfect! that's what i have and i love it!

[PACE]

looks good james

Looks rilly nice james, im ready to hear it run now.... LOL..

[ITSSLOW]

I can't get over how clean of an install that is. I've been watching since day one and DAYUM!

[bshaw]

are your old headers, for sale for the L98
i am looking for some long tubes

[96mikez28]

and as far as shifters go...the stockerish "gold" SLP short throw with the LS quick stick on top of that feels perfect! that's what i have and i love it!

Actually they don't produce those SLP short thows anymore, i was pissed when i ordered one and like a month later they were like "BTW we have to give you your money back cuz SLP stopped makin em"