My '89 Cheyenne DD LS swap

[Leeztruk]

First off, let me introduce my truck. A plain Cheyenne with a tired and questionable 305/700R4 boneyard combo, most likely from a Camaro or Firebird as indicated by the trans tail housing and the wrong TV cable. Having fixed those problems, I've driven it for more than a year. But now, the engine has developed a low heavy knock. Time for a change. I'm using a low-mile(77k) 4.8L/4L60E from an '02 Silverado. Why a 4.8 and not a 5.3? I'm 76 and the days of "Mine is bigger than yours" is long behind me. The little motor should do me just fine. It has been warmed up with a TS&P stage 1 truck cam (208/[email protected]), LS6 valve springs, and rockers rebuilt with bronze bushings instead of needle bearings.

 

[Leeztruk]

For my cooling system, I'm using a 350 radiator, and twin cooling fans from a '08 Chrysler Sebring (amazing what you can source from the boneyard).I've cut a stock upper fran shroud to hold the radiator assembly in place. I'll be constructing my own exhaust system, using various pieces from different vendors. The "Y" will consist of 2.5" pieces, and will be the tedious part to make. From the "Y" back, its' 3" piping, and pretty straight forward

 

[Leeztruk]

If I'm gonna modernize the drivetrain, I'd like to look at a more "modern" dash. So much for the "Moonies". Cluster is from a '93 Suburban, BTW, I have a '91 needle cluster, w/7pin dipswitch installed, if anyone is interested.

 

[GMC_YA_L8R]

Very cool project! Having owned a 4.8L truck and putting nearly 200k miles on the truck with probably 80% of that towing around 7000lbs, I'd be more than happy to own another one and suspect you'll love that engine. Besides, the 4.8 and 5.3 engines are virtually identical so there's nothing a 5.3 can do that a 4.8 can't. Also, from the minor research I've done, some high performance guys prefer the 4.8 because it seems to hold up better with forced induction in the higher RPM ranges.

 

[GMC_YA_L8R]

If I'm gonna modernize the drivetrain, I'd like to look at a more "modern" dash. So much for the "Moonies". Cluster is from a '93 Suburban, BTW, I have a '91 needle cluster, w/7pin dipswitch installed, if anyone is interested.

Do you have a price in mind for the cluster? I have a 1990 and the moonie gauges are nostalgic to me as my first truck (well, street legal one at least) was an '89 with the same gauges but I do like the look of the needle gauges as they're more similar to my '97 truck I owned.

 

[Leeztruk]

Finished up the fuel system yesterday afternoon. Using Fragola Easy Street fuel line and fittings. The Pressure line is from the fuel rail, to filter, to tank. The return is from the rail to the original hard line. The original flex lines have a nice support bracket which I've used to hold the lines where they cross from the frame to the top of the transmission.

 

[Leeztruk]

I was hesitant about changing the fuel pump, knowing that either the bed would have to be dealt with, or the tank would have to be dropped. With over half a tank of fuel, dropping the tank was out of the question. A friend let me borrow his high lift jack, so the bed got lifted. Turns out getting the 8 bed bolts out was not a problem. Lifted the bed high enough to get at the fuel sender bracket. Replaced it with a new unit, along with a new GM e381 fuel pump

 

[OutlawDrifter]

I like what you're doing here. Clean pickup!

 

[Leeztruk]

pictures of the '91 needle cluster

 

[Leeztruk]

I used slider mounts to put the engine/trans. in the truck . Was able to position them so that the original driveshaft and shifter could be used. I just had to drill (taper bits are wonders) four new holes about 2" farther aft so that the original cross member could be used as well