Chassis Build Up & Design

Update:  the new frame eyed the new motor on Monday night.  They now reside within 100ft of each other.   

lol. So you did get the 5.3?

Yep.  Full motor, 2003 Yukon, 90k,  all accessories minus the belt and tensioner for the A/C.  Full harness and PCM except I found what I think is one of the O2's cut off when I went to pick it up.  That is a story unto itslef, but you'd really have had to be there.  Hear all those stories about Detroit?  I was in the heart of it haha.  Intake had the screw boss for the engine cover tore off, but looks like it was only ever epoxied on from the factory.  All that for $500 and if I'm lucky I can off the compressor for some money back to buy a belt and repair the harness.  I've got access to wiring diagrams and plan on modifying it extensively anyway, so it won't be a huge deal.  Need to remember to call the guy and pick up the harness for the e throttle and pedal that came with the motor.

Must be the motor city because full blocks in Pa aren't that cheap. $1k for my engine, oil pan to throttle body, harness, and ecm. That was a great find!

LOL so someone stole the cat and cut the O2 off.

Just got to be patient and shop around.  I've been watching prices for going on 6 months now.  Just biding my time and making sure I had the money to drop.  I called several junkyards and determined it would be between 4-600.  400 being I might get everything I wanted and 600 guarenteeing it.  Hopped on craigslist and lowballed.

O2 was there when I first looked at the motor.  Although they had left it in the exhaust pipe, but sawzalled either side of it.  With the way they were taking this to the scrapper (late 90's ram short bed, sliced the body into 10-15 pieces)  I wouldn't have been suprised if one of the guys loading up parts came over and sliced it off to get a couple extra cents scrap.   Get what you pay for though.

nice!!
i need to start window shopping then i guess

scrapers here are assholes to be polite, I got 2 fully stocked u-pull-it yards to the brim with full s-series, camaros, corvettes, and some other crazy stuff. Things rarely move because the jerk there tries to sell pieces as if they were brand new. 1 camaro SS OEM rim - $700 are you kidding me?

Someone's paying that much or else he'd be going out of business if not lowering prices.  Sucks for us budget builders, though.

yeah, i'd like to beat whatever moron is paying them.

It has been awhile again... but I'm ready to really move forward now.  Got the frame inside and started tearing the suspension apart, so I can set the ride height.  I've also got everything to test fit the 5.3 while I'm trying to decide how I want to go about a frame/body mount jig for this truck.  Don't know if I'm going to do a full table or what although seems like the table will be the best for other projects in the pipe line in the barn.

Front end had the shocks, springs, and sway removed and the rear is getting drop springs and blocks installed to give a better idea of where it is going to sit before setting the final ride height.

Very Nice, What material are the engine mount bushings, they kinda look like Delrin.

I'm not that hard core... yet.  They're poly, but it wouldn't be too hard to turn out a set of delrin on a lathe if I had one.  It could happen on a future engine build.

I've got a lathe, I should have it set up by the time you get around to a rebuild, lol.

I'm not that hard core... yet.  They're poly, but it wouldn't be too hard to turn out a set of delrin on a lathe if I had one.  It could happen on a future engine build.

ive got a bit of free time on my hands now

I've got a lathe, I should have it set up by the time you get around to a rebuild, lol.

Sounds about right haha

I'm not that hard core... yet.  They're poly, but it wouldn't be too hard to turn out a set of delrin on a lathe if I had one.  It could happen on a future engine build.

ive got a bit of free time on my hands now

I should design something for you to build.  Either that or pick your brain to help me design.  Sounds like what some of my week nights will be for the next couple weeks.

that would be some pretty rad ride height right there.

I'm not that hard core... yet.  They're poly, but it wouldn't be too hard to turn out a set of delrin on a lathe if I had one.  It could happen on a future engine build.

ive got a bit of free time on my hands now

I should design something for you to build.  Either that or pick your brain to help me design.  Sounds like what some of my week nights will be for the next couple weeks.
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do it, get them drawings to me before i find a job or other things to do lol

Cleaned up the motor last night and got the axle on the frame before mocking up the motor.  There was a ton of grease and nasty on that thing, but it looks great now.  Still have to clean up the water pump and wiring harness, but that can happen anytime.  The motor mounts and H3 oil pan fit great and gave plenty of adjustability and clearance.  With the motor in the frame, though, it became quite obvious why nobody has used the Truck manifolds before.  The driver side dumps right into the frame and they aren't as close to the block as the LS1 camaro manifolds.  It is also nearly into the control arm.  Passenger side fits great though. :?  I also mocked up the LS1 driver manifold.  It is even more into the control arm, but if the flange is extended down ward it would clear fine.  May do some more brainstorming, but that is my current direction.

A couple pieces of wood up front are holding up the front right now with the LCAs horizontal and the back is sitting on 3" belltechs and 3" blocks.  Ride height is fairly close to what it will be.

Head shot...



Frame on the wheels at about ride height.





H3 windage tray and oil pickup tube.  Windage tray looks to be the same as the truck, but the pickup is shorter.



Clean motor ready to drop in.







Truck manifold clearance.













Oil Pan Clearance.  Tons of room.

awesome. good to hear the H3 pan is easy.
even with a lower sitting engine in an s10 it looks clear?