Builds V8 Swap Project Begins!

[Waggoner5]

Kirk, I ran the Camaro/Firebird accessories which run on the PS side and it worked out great. The Power sterring hoses were longer having to run over to the other side but it made the alternator and AC really easy. I used all factory gauges and had the tach done to read the 8 cyl signal. If you need anything holler.
Gary

 

[Texican]

Make sure you read and look at this!!!!!!!!
http://www.geocities.com/~jjjoutside/Adaptermods.html

 

[kirk]

This adapter is totally different on the A442F. It utilizes all the factory tranny bolts all the way around the adapter. Check out the picks we posted. These pics are a A440F adapter(b/c Advances adapters sent the wrong one, and I am waiting on a A442F to ship in from Australia). I think marks 4wd must have re-designed the adapter to the one in my pics on page 2. The one used in Jim's conversion doenst look anything like the one I have now, yet they are the same part number???

The new A442F adapter I will eventually get will look very similar to the pics posted,except the bolt pattern on the tranny will be in different locations. It is also thinner 2.4", the A440f adapter is 2.97"

Kirk

 

[Lars]

Are you fabbing your own motor mounts or does Marks sell them for the SWB swap?

 

[kirk]

I am fabbing them myself, marks offers them. I own a fab shop. I have heartburn buying something someone else did.

 

[alia176]

Kirk,

I'm curious as to why you don't make your own Engine/Tranny adapter?

Ali

 

[kirk]

As busy as my business is it is not worth the time to do. I have made adapters before. I would estimate at least 60-80 hours to design, 3d model, and machine. At $50 an hour it costs me about $3000. I put those 60-80 hours into my business and make the $3000 easy. The marks setup is about $1000.

Marks does nice work, and I this the adapter is fairly priced. I am not into machining like I am fabrication. I dont have chip making machines at my business, so I must outsource it.

 

[Skillet]

Unbelievable stuff.

My simple mind reels at the thought of this swap and what is involved.

Great thread and good pics.

Thanks for taking the time.

 

[alia176]

As busy as my business is it is not worth the time to do. I have made adapters before. I would estimate at least 60-80 hours to design, 3d model, and machine. At $50 an hour it costs me about $3000. I put those 60-80 hours into my business and make the $3000 easy. The marks setup is about $1000.

Marks does nice work, and I this the adapter is fairly priced. I am not into machining like I am fabrication. I dont have chip making machines at my business, so I must outsource it.

Wow, doggie That put things into perspective!

 

[OGBeno]

Wow, doggie That put things into perspective!

As an employee of the shop, and as Kirk as my boss, I can confirm that we are busy as hell and that we would not have the time to do the adaptor....hell, we barely have enough time work on the custom bumper Kirk is also designing for his rig....

When I walked into Kirk's home shop and saw the hood off, and the inards of the 1FZ out all over the shop floor, my stomach got knotted for a second. When he brought the bobcat over with the forks to lift the intake manifold off of the engine, my mind churned at the prospect.

I don't know if I could do this myself to my rig. But helping on Kirk's rig at least gives me options about what can be done to these rigs.

I like my 1FZ ...I'm going to wait till it dies before I even think about something like this. I might go with a Tundra V8 4.7L instead to keep the Toyota on the rig....I guess we are going to have to call Kirk's a "Corvettota"

Cheers.
-onur
Akron, OH

 

[locrwln1]

run a killer electrical fan for cooling.[/QUOTE]


Alot of the hardcore guys are having good luck using the Ford Taurus 2 speed electrical fans. I guess they move an incredible amount of air for an electrical. I'm not sure if you could/would have to mount up two or if you can get away with only one.

 

[Big_Moose]

locrwin,

The stock fan or the ringed fan (Dan, I know your feelings on this fan) is quite sufficient for cooling the 1U / 2UZ motors...

run a killer electrical fan for cooling.Alot of the hardcore guys are having good luck using the Ford Taurus 2 speed electrical fans. I guess they move an incredible amount of air for an electrical. I'm not sure if you could/would have to mount up two or if you can get away with only one.

 

[kirk]

I am using a lincoln mark 8 fan 18". Perfect size. 4300cfm.

 

[Beowulf]

l(Dan, I know your feelings on this fan)

It's more than just "feelings." Read the testing done by Photoman and the others. There is hard data to document that the ringed fan is not moving air.

-B-

 

[Mikesta]

<---- needs to see more pictures... doesnt know how to read.

 

[kirk]

Here are some pics:

 

[kirk]

I'm still learning on posting pics: Retry

The engine coming out:


The scrap ecu wires pile:


Rough Draft of wiring harness less new additions:

 

[OGBeno]

That's a lot of wires Kirk....I hope you are taking notes on what you pulled and what you left behind....oh wait...I think I'm supposed to do that.

Looks good man.

Later.
-o-

 

[White Shark]

I wish I had seen this thread earlier. You are likely to find that there are going to be some difficulties pairing the LT-1 with the A442F. Alan Podvin did a LT-1 paired to a A440F in a 91 FJ80 back in 2000. The A440F is similar to the A442F, and he had a lot of trouble with the LT-1 mating to the Toyota tranny. The reason? Simple actually. The LT-1 is a high revving engine with a power curve in the higher rpms. You are outting a muscle car engine into a truck that has a transmission designed for low rev shift points and low rpm torque.

Your LT-1 will likely be ready to hit it's stride when the tranny is revving out and looking to shift gears. The A442F will take upwards of 650hp+ in a stock configuration, but the 6500 rpm+ powerband of the engine has difficulty with a transmission designed for top rpms in the 4000 range.

Alan had all sorts of problems and eventually dumped the A440F in favor of the GM transmission and was much happier with the results.

I kept my A440F paired with my 350tbi because my engine build up originally came out of a C1500 pickup and was designed for a lower rev torque curve than your LT-1. As such, it does fine paired with the A440F.

I just ripped my dual electric fans out after a year+ of use. They are nice to an extent, but they simply cannot perform at the level of the mechanical fan and I have switched back to a mechanical unit with great results. The only dual electric I would even consider in the future is the aluminum, dual pass Ron Davis Radiator, with integrated dual electric fans. Screwing with relays and overheating due to a/c use on grades can all be solved with a mechanical fan.

I would recommend tracking Alan down and seeking his advice as he can potentially save you from having a lot of headaches. I spoke with him a few times and carefully researched for a few years before doing my build in 2004. Alan also did that nice bobbed 100 Series awhile back. He does cutting edge work.

Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress. That LT-1 should be a kick in the pants.

 

[krisfj40]

Hello all,

the best option for me is a Chevy V8. I just purchased a 40k mile 1995 Corvette LT-1 engine. I ordered the marks adapter to mate the A442F to the Chev.

Welcome to the dark side....both of my cruisers have Chevy motors...