The Official H-Body Internet Community

[/u][/b]Man this is going to be a job getting all this stuff in this little box,,
I made a different cross member for the k member,,didn't work I don't want to cut the pan
will have to re-do it later ,,, I have the motor and trans in the car just sitting on blocks.
i think I will have to get out the BFH to make some more room at the top of the trans tunnel?
it needs to be set further back and up higher in the engine bay, I need more room for AC, PS,
and some more clearance for the front sway bar, I will either get a rack and pinion, or just bend the pitman arm and idle arm down to get more clearance,, either way I will need a bump steer kit for the tie rods
here are some pictures hope they load? getting surgery Friday so it will be on the back burner for a couple months

more picts

I know you have seen my project pics. I suggest doing the same with the steering shaft as I did. Wasn't too much $ but boy did it help with the exhaust room.

Rock that bad boy!

Oh and to clear steering side to side I just cut the oil pan on the front, each side and welded it back up. Like to dimples.

here is a pic of my K member I made, maybe it will help in building your new one. I can run a stock small block oil pan ( the generic ones) with out hitting the K member or notching the pan. I didn't bend the pitman arm or idler, I ovaled out the mounting holes in the frame to pivit the steering box and idler arm down. No need to rebend anyting when parts where out and need to be replaced. Bump steer kit is a must for me now.

I will be doing the steering the same way,, I have some u-joints already bought!
some how i forgot how you did your k member,, that's probably how I came up with the same idea to make it,
(your idea first).. I wanted to move the mounting holes, but a friend said it would be easier to just bend them down?? I think I will just remount them lower like you did,, sounds better to me also,, Thank you so much for looking at my build,, you have saved me a ton of work.. I better go back through these builds again and steel some more ideas,, no use re-envinting the wheel if someone else has done it first,, I will try to give credit where credit is due,, if I miss anybody just say so!! TC

Nice to see thet you are getting started with the LS1 install!
You can use the sway bar from a monza. It is bent in the middle for V8 clearence.

grandam75 wrote:Nice to see thet you are getting started with the LS1 install!
You can use the sway bar from a monza. It is bent in the middle for V8 clearence.

thanks!! I didn't know that
keep the ideas coming,, I REALLY NEED THEM

Looks like the engine needs to go back yet, it will all get better the further back you go as far as clearance,except the tunnel! The back of the heads needs to be just about touching the brakeline holder bracket on firewall. Youll most likely need to slice the tunnel and move it up and wider slightly. You can do this with minimal intrusion, by only slicing it and then move the metal strips up and make it wider,taller. You would then use added metal to cover up the work from bottom side. nothing you can see with engine and trans in car. The original tunnel is quite small and offset due tothe original design set up for a opel transmission. I also found this out the hardway, no way to get a t56up in there due to the size of the transmission and bellhousing.

I added the info to your pic, the( green lines) would be where and how youd slice it, the (red )would be where the back of the head needs to be right at the bracket.

Yeah, dude. This is the shit! If I was more interested in finishing than customizing I would be using an LS engine in a sec.

NixVegaGT wrote:Yeah, dude. This is the shit! If I was more interested in finishing than customizing I would be using an LS engine in a sec.

Thanks Nix,
Coming from you, that means something!!!!
I will probably be copying alot of your stuff also!
TC

OH I was also going to second Mega's moving it back comment. You may not want to go back and do that now that you are on track but every little bit counts for weight distribution. I did that with my engine. It was kinda fun. There's that customizing problem again...

On the steering; DO NOT bend the pitman or idler arms!! The steering geometry gets real reatrded when you do that. Trust me.

Rotating the box and Idler arm or dropping the center of the drag link are the best options outside of a rack and pinion but the bump steer kit will be a neccesity.

I don't envy the work you have ahead of you but it is doable and will be worth the effort when it's done.

norcalace wrote:On the steering; DO NOT bend the pitman or idler arms!! The steering geometry gets real reatrded when you do that. Trust me.

Rotating the box and Idler arm or dropping the center of the drag link are the best options outside of a rack and pinion but the bump steer kit will be a neccesity.

I don't envy the work you have ahead of you but it is doable and will be worth the effort when it's done.

Thanks,, I think it was a bad idea to bend them also

think chevyart and 1 of the others cut the center link and dropped the center of it and welded um back up

looks like a nice start