Decided to go ahead post some preliminary info on my swap. I've played with cars through the years but new to LC and 4WD work, so should be interesting experience. My goal for the truck is to restore and improve into a nice daily driver with some mild trail capabilities for the occasional trip to CO/NM. I bought it about a month ago thinking it probably had a blown head gasket and I'd get started on this swap. It has factory lockers, body and frame are in great shape but interior is pretry rough, although mostly completed. It is also the sought after Harley edition, see pic? Rear locker works but the front needs aome work. It was $1300, so i figured couldnt get hurt too bad on it. After looking things over after buying it I thought I had a stroke of luck and instead of HG it was a cracked oil cooler cover. But sprung another leak at the back of head after I replaced the cooler cover, so I'm throwing in the towel on on the 4.5 and getting back on the 5.3 swap.
This motor wouldn't be my first choice these days, but I already had it from a planned project a few years ago that petered out. Hopefully will have better luck here. I tore the motor down, had it bored, decked, valve job, replaced the cam and lifters (stock) and balanced, so should be solid little motor. Its been sitting bagged in the shop since.
As you can see from the pics, the motor has an LS car intake on it currently. I also have the complete corvette accessory drive to go with it, in addition to the truck accessory drive. It looks like most on here have used the truck drive, but I'm going to see how it all looks and fits and make a final decision later. Regardless, will be drive by cable.
I ordered the Marks adapter about a week ago and received it yesterday- can't beat that (dog was impressed). I ordered direct and with the exchange rate it ended up being just a scratch over $1k shipped- which still makes me a little weak kneed, but better than $1500.
A local shop is building an offroad/towing transmission for it which should be ready in a few weeks.
While I'm waiting on that I ordered some fittings, fuel line and a supra pump so I'll work on getting things plumbed. And get the old motor/trans out too, I guess.
I hope some of the folks that have been down this road will stop by on occasion and offer their thoughts and suggestions.
I see my main challenges as lack of time, money and skill- otherwise should be good to go!
This motor wouldn't be my first choice these days, but I already had it from a planned project a few years ago that petered out. Hopefully will have better luck here. I tore the motor down, had it bored, decked, valve job, replaced the cam and lifters (stock) and balanced, so should be solid little motor. Its been sitting bagged in the shop since.
As you can see from the pics, the motor has an LS car intake on it currently. I also have the complete corvette accessory drive to go with it, in addition to the truck accessory drive. It looks like most on here have used the truck drive, but I'm going to see how it all looks and fits and make a final decision later. Regardless, will be drive by cable.
I ordered the Marks adapter about a week ago and received it yesterday- can't beat that (dog was impressed). I ordered direct and with the exchange rate it ended up being just a scratch over $1k shipped- which still makes me a little weak kneed, but better than $1500.
A local shop is building an offroad/towing transmission for it which should be ready in a few weeks.
While I'm waiting on that I ordered some fittings, fuel line and a supra pump so I'll work on getting things plumbed. And get the old motor/trans out too, I guess.
I hope some of the folks that have been down this road will stop by on occasion and offer their thoughts and suggestions.
I see my main challenges as lack of time, money and skill- otherwise should be good to go!
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