This post is WELL behind the progress made. Should be at firing stage by the end of this weekend.
Back story.
I have owned my 80 since 2005. A well maintained, bone stock, 190k that set me back a whole $4,500. It stayed that way for about 10 years taking the wife,4 kids and the dog camping. In 2014 I ran into an opportunity, for only the cost of parts and sweat equity, to swap in an i5/4L60 from a '06 Canyon w/50k miles. In house fab'd a trans to T-case adaptor and tail shaft. It was a great swap, ran well and without issue for 12 years. During that time I lifted it, put in Sumo 10% overdrive gears and a slew of other creature comforts.
Last fall, I was talking to my good friend who helped with the i5 swap and he said, you know, I have that '03 Suburban I don't know what to do with. I said I do! lets LS swap the cruiser! He was all in. $1500 in his pocket later, we pulled the i5 May of this year. By chance, found and bought a super clean '06 quad cab 4wd Colorado with a bad motor for $1,500. Dropped in the motor from the cruiser in 2 days. Been driving it daily since and once the cruiser is back online and solid, the Colorado will be for sale. Gotta get my friend paid for all his hard work!
So, I have been sponging Mud for LS swap info since Jan. ( I do have a build post on the i5 but it's incomplete and I cringe when I go back and read it)
I am so grateful to the Mud community posting up their builds, experiences, knowledge and the shops/vendors who make life easier for these swaps. During my research and bookmarking, these are some of the people I'd like to recognize:
@Squad1 - for putting together the "info index" on where to find what subject on a post or thread.
Shout out some of the major players: @thatcabledude, @tmxmotorsports, @neverfins and @wiynwiyn for all the info their info they have posted up.
@cruisermatts for the mounts, AC hoses, and the other small bits he's made for the 80 swaps. Everything I got from Matt has worked perfectly!
@detlavs for the anti-frame crack plates. Being local, I get to go here and pick up. Super good people!
Back story.
I have owned my 80 since 2005. A well maintained, bone stock, 190k that set me back a whole $4,500. It stayed that way for about 10 years taking the wife,4 kids and the dog camping. In 2014 I ran into an opportunity, for only the cost of parts and sweat equity, to swap in an i5/4L60 from a '06 Canyon w/50k miles. In house fab'd a trans to T-case adaptor and tail shaft. It was a great swap, ran well and without issue for 12 years. During that time I lifted it, put in Sumo 10% overdrive gears and a slew of other creature comforts.
Last fall, I was talking to my good friend who helped with the i5 swap and he said, you know, I have that '03 Suburban I don't know what to do with. I said I do! lets LS swap the cruiser! He was all in. $1500 in his pocket later, we pulled the i5 May of this year. By chance, found and bought a super clean '06 quad cab 4wd Colorado with a bad motor for $1,500. Dropped in the motor from the cruiser in 2 days. Been driving it daily since and once the cruiser is back online and solid, the Colorado will be for sale. Gotta get my friend paid for all his hard work!
So, I have been sponging Mud for LS swap info since Jan. ( I do have a build post on the i5 but it's incomplete and I cringe when I go back and read it)
I am so grateful to the Mud community posting up their builds, experiences, knowledge and the shops/vendors who make life easier for these swaps. During my research and bookmarking, these are some of the people I'd like to recognize:
@Squad1 - for putting together the "info index" on where to find what subject on a post or thread.
Shout out some of the major players: @thatcabledude, @tmxmotorsports, @neverfins and @wiynwiyn for all the info their info they have posted up.
@cruisermatts for the mounts, AC hoses, and the other small bits he's made for the 80 swaps. Everything I got from Matt has worked perfectly!
@detlavs for the anti-frame crack plates. Being local, I get to go here and pick up. Super good people!
