Well I finally realized I never posted this here... I have on other forums and decided to post it here as well... Enjoy and the posts are just copied so the wording might not make sense. These are posts spread apart a time frame of about a month... Enjoy

Well after some research I have decided to do an "LS1" Engine Swap/Build. This was the thread that convinced me to do this swap...
Click HERE (http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids/1075693-my-budget-ls-engine-swap-guide-1500-a.html)
and I started to wonder if anyone has done this swap in a C4. It turns out that corvette fever has done this swap in a C4 and its called Project C4orce. Once I saw that I knew that, that was the engine swap I wanted to do. The reason I'm not doing an actual LSx swap is because it is too much money for a high school kid.

So today I managed to get down to the junkyard and pick up an LM7 327 (5.3L) engine from a 2000 Chevy Silverado 1500. It has 52k miles on it and cost me $600. It seems to be in good condition and everything but I have 30 days to return it so I am going to be doing compression test and a leak down test first. Once its good I will be swapping the truck intake for an LS1 intake, fuel rails, and injectors that I bought used for $130 (still waiting for it to come in the mail). All I need to get the motor running is a LS1 harness and ECM then it will be good to go for the swap.

Here are some pics of the motor the way it is now (how it came from the junkyard)


http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4518/79341039315329525671000.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/2875/79341039315362859001000.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4361/79341039315462858991000.jpg

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2929/79341039319029525301000.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2271/79341039315596192311000.jpg

It came with everything besides an alternator and belt.

My Ls1 Intake

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/1520/83341039930096130861000.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7981/83341039930162797521000.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/217/83341039930129464191000.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6351/83341039930029464201000.jpg

Well got it set up in the garage on a stand and started to rip it apart

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/3010/pa130285.jpg (http://img111.imageshack.us/i/pa130285.jpg/)

Intake off
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/8568/83341040027462787791000.jpg

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/908/83341040325796091291000.jpg

Cleaning it up and took off all the accessories
http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/8599/83341040325962757941000.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/184/83341040325829424621000.jpg

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1816/83341040325862757951000.jpg

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/774/83341040325896091281000.jpg

Heres a quick test fit :D
http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4135/pa150355.jpg (http://img158.imageshack.us/i/pa150355.jpg/)

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7460/pa150354.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/pa150354.jpg/)

Well finally got some free time to get a little work done on the engine. I spun it upside down and took off the oil pan to check out the bottom end and look at the cylinder walls. It looks great. You can still see a slight bit of cross-hatch pattern on the walls.

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/9194/12953105427389469648100.jpg

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5906/12953105427399469647100.jpg

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/1521/12953105427429469644100.jpg

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4074/12953105427432802977100.jpg

And heres the difference between the truck oil pan and the Firebird pan.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1711/12953105427406136313100.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3513/12953105427409469646100.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/453/12953105427412802979100.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/6672/12953105427422802978100.jpg

Now im back on hold untill the new windage tray arrives. Also in the market for an LS1 harness and ECM. Might start disassembling the car to get ready to pull the crossfire

Got some more work done...

Windage tray and pick-up tube installed
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/3672/12953106203092725411100.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7250/12953106203102725410100.jpg

Oil pan installed
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7213/sdc13655.jpg[/URL]

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/3417/sdc13659.jpg

Coolant Lines and knock sensors installed
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/2407/sdc13663.jpg

Intake, Valve Covers, and coil packs installed
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/6249/sdc13670y.jpg

Engine Harness installed (for now)
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/997/sdc13676.jpg

I gotta figure out some things about the harness since there seems to be extra wires that I dont think I need. This week I am off from school so I should get a lot of progress done on the engine :D

Got some more work done...

Heres a look at the blizzard we got yesterday and yes thats the curb poking thro on the bottom :laughing:

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2247/sdc13711.jpg


http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3751/sdc13712.jpg

Had to shovel a pathway to my car :laughing:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5959/sdc13713.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1029/sdc13717g.jpg

Heres some before shots
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2641/sdc13733.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2294/sdc13732.jpg

And the progress I got done today
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8853/sdc13737.jpg

I removed the air pump, alternator, power steering container, and the power steering pump (besides the one hose going to the rack, got to dark)

Removed the SMOG pump, A/C, distributor, radiator and shroud, crankshaft pulley, and hood.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/5753/sdc13750.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8549/sdc13757.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2193/sdc13759d.jpg

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1686/sdc13764.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3379/sdc13766.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/944/sdc13768.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8427/sdc13769.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9159/sdc13770u.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9748/sdc13779.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/3873/sdc13775.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/2939/sdc13773.jpg

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/6085/sdc13784.jpg

Well... I have some more pics :cheers:

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7010/sdc13811.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/2399/sdc13817.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5466/sdc13827.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6615/sdc13829.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1084/sdc13835.jpg

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/3421/sdc13836.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/9921/sdc13846.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6892/sdc13847.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6931/sdc13848w.jpg

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7213/sdc13852.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/8386/sdc13851c.jpg

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7762/sdc13853.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/6861/sdc13854.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9255/sdc13855.jpg

This is what it looks like today... Will keep you guys posted as my progress continues

Nice work...dude it looks cold there!! what are you going to do with the old crossfire?

Nice work...dude it looks cold there!! what are you going to do with the old crossfire?

Yeah its cold out there lol... I am going to sell the old crossfire. Try it as one whole motor first then part it out.

Yeah its cold out there lol... I am going to sell the old crossfire. Try it as one whole motor first then part it out.

If you do part it out I'd be interested in the Intake/injector towers and throttle bodies. (don't really need the block.)

Thanks
Tim

If you do part it out I'd be interested in the Intake/injector towers and throttle bodies. (don't really need the block.)

Thanks
Tim

How much does the intake usually go for

cool, stuff there huh, your post helps a lot buddy. you have exerted your effort in taking that bunch of pics and posting here, thumbs up.:)

Just an update on the build...

I hit a brick wall trying to attach the tranny to the motor. I have a couple of things to try out but nothing to post picks of yet. Once I get everything worked out I will post pics and most likely put the motor into the car for a test fit. And then its electrical and making everything look good. Like cleaning the engine bay and painting the motor.

So on the to-do list for the rest of this build and in the order that it will be completed in(most likely) :
1. Attach tranny to motor
2. Figure out electrical
3. Try to Make Long Tube Headers
4. Do an LS6 cam upgrade (still debating)
5. Clean engine bay
6. Soda blast Engine
7. Paint Engine
8. Install engine
9. Work out the accessory brackets and Belt layout.
10. Get it running
11. Put car back together
12. Donuts in the parking lot

I will try to post pics of as much as I can

Cory

Well today I finally just bought a bell housing that I hope will work with my tranny and my clutch setup. I also received in the mail motor mount adapter plates from Speed Hound Parts. I will post some pics of everything sometime this week :thumbs: