LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
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LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:55 pm
Figured I would share my wagon build with you guys. I picked this up a year or so ago from a guy down in KY. His grandmother bought it new and when she passed he inherited it. It only has 55,xxx miles on it and is cleaaaaan as hell.
Here is how it looked when I picked it up.
Here is how it looked when I picked it up.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:58 pm
The original plan was to LS it, but I was going to drive it around in SBC form until I had everything. So First I pulled out the 350 and put in a 358 sbc.
I got it in and wired up and a buddy heard it and had to have it. So out that came.. It was maybe in there for 3 weeks. So I went searching for an engine and found a cheap upgraded LS1. So I bought that.
I got it in and wired up and a buddy heard it and had to have it. So out that came.. It was maybe in there for 3 weeks. So I went searching for an engine and found a cheap upgraded LS1. So I bought that.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:07 pm
Now she looked like this.. :/
After some research I found out what sleeving and boring aluminum blocks would cost and that I really couldn't go much bigger than a 383. And for the same price, iron blocks can go to 402, 408, 413.. So I wet on the search for an iron block. I found a complete 6.0 that had lost oil pressure and ate the cam bearings and picked that up. When I got home and put the engine in the garage I got tired of moving stuff around REAL quick. I had a 355 on a stand, the LS1 on a stand, my 6.0 on the floor, 3 transmissions, the wagon on one side, basically a whole Laguna in pieces, parts of an Edsel I had parted out and all the other random crap. I already had some LS engine swap mounts from eBay and had them all painted up so I dropped it in the following weekend.
After some research I found out what sleeving and boring aluminum blocks would cost and that I really couldn't go much bigger than a 383. And for the same price, iron blocks can go to 402, 408, 413.. So I wet on the search for an iron block. I found a complete 6.0 that had lost oil pressure and ate the cam bearings and picked that up. When I got home and put the engine in the garage I got tired of moving stuff around REAL quick. I had a 355 on a stand, the LS1 on a stand, my 6.0 on the floor, 3 transmissions, the wagon on one side, basically a whole Laguna in pieces, parts of an Edsel I had parted out and all the other random crap. I already had some LS engine swap mounts from eBay and had them all painted up so I dropped it in the following weekend.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:19 pm
This brings us up to speed to the last few weeks. The LS aluminum heads and plastic intake is much lighter than the small block and actually brings the front of the car up about an inch. I need to check oil pan clearance and all that stuff before I go too much farther with mounting and deciding which oil pan I use. Therefore I would need to get the stance right so that everything was set to rolling height before I made any final plans. So out came the front springs for some hacking and I just used some clamps for short term on the rear.
Last week I got a few boxes in the mail. Boxed rear lowers with poly bushings from Spohn and OPG supplied the rear 3" drop wagon/Elco springs. I should have all that in by Sunday night.
Phew.. Now that you guys are caught up, whatcha think?
Last week I got a few boxes in the mail. Boxed rear lowers with poly bushings from Spohn and OPG supplied the rear 3" drop wagon/Elco springs. I should have all that in by Sunday night.
Phew.. Now that you guys are caught up, whatcha think?
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by 1973 454 MONTE Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:19 pm
Nice work.
Maybe put on a guna nose
Maybe put on a guna nose
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by 74 chevelle malibu Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:36 pm
Love the wagon . Always wanted to build one. Keep up with the pics .
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by 74MonteCarlo Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:38 pm
I agree on the Laguna nose...a 75-76 nose would be sweet.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:05 pm
Thanks guys!
I happen to have a Laguna nose but the one I saw on the internet was not so sexy.. sorry of its anyone here's car but I just don't like it personally.
I am going to ditch the backing of the front bumper and ATTEMPT to build a roll pan for the back.
I happen to have a Laguna nose but the one I saw on the internet was not so sexy.. sorry of its anyone here's car but I just don't like it personally.
I am going to ditch the backing of the front bumper and ATTEMPT to build a roll pan for the back.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Sat Oct 20, 2012 1:06 am
I got my new boxed lower trailing arms on, got the 3" drop springs in the rear also. These things are awesome! They are sport springs and they're progressive rate.
Don't mind the spring clamps. That was just for mock up and I had them sitting around.
Finished product.
Those are 26" slicks on the rear. Almost the exact height of the 335/30/18 I'll be running in the rear. Now the front needs the correct size tire and drop spindles to be complete. The only hang up I had all night was that the sway bar doesn't want to come off the Laguna trailing arms on one side. So I'll have to grind the heads off tomorrow and put that on.
Don't mind the spring clamps. That was just for mock up and I had them sitting around.
Finished product.
Those are 26" slicks on the rear. Almost the exact height of the 335/30/18 I'll be running in the rear. Now the front needs the correct size tire and drop spindles to be complete. The only hang up I had all night was that the sway bar doesn't want to come off the Laguna trailing arms on one side. So I'll have to grind the heads off tomorrow and put that on.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by 1973montec Sat Oct 20, 2012 8:09 am
I think a 74 guna nose would look better.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Sat Oct 20, 2012 1:08 pm
I found a pic of that too.. I'm not a fan. I actually really like the normal Malibu front end. Plus the Guna noses are super heavy unless I go with fiberglass.. $$$$
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:09 pm
New to me VFN hood. It has a few little places that need work but I didn't pay much for it so I don't mind.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by davesr_7 Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:03 pm
ok i found the reciet it was 210. i will give it to you for that i have pic but can't figure how to send them on thisBrainstain wrote:Figured I would share my wagon build with you guys. I picked this up a year or so ago from a guy down in KY. His grandmother bought it new and when she passed he inherited it. It only has 55,xxx miles on it and is cleaaaaan as hell.
Here is how it looked when I picked it up.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Nov 23, 2012 7:16 pm
I got my Laguna rear sway bar cleaned up, painted, and installed today. While it was up in the air I took a pic. Spohn boxed lowers with poly bushings and OPG springs. I just need shocks and uppers and the rear is done until I can afford the 9".
Don't mind the cobwebs.
Don't mind the cobwebs.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:14 am
This thing is for sale as a roller.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by ratnfested Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:05 am
Will the LS motor fit with the AC box installed? I am about to try one myself.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by 77mali Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:19 am
I think you might have to notch out & re-weld a bit of the cross-member (pass side) that the motor sits on. Â A few guys on here have done this swap & I seem to remember that. Â Check G3nut's or WallyUp's thread on project pics maybe.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Wallyuph Fri Oct 11, 2013 8:48 am
I did not notch the cross member and the AC is hanging there. The hood clears but its not by much. I'm running the truck set up for intake and all accessories for the truck up front. A car intake and front assembly may be different as AC may be located differently.
I'll have to make custom AC lines off the compressor as its tight fit in there.
If you want it to sit down low then you would need to notch it and then the oil pan will be lower also, Mine oil pan is about a 1&1/2" lower than the cross member with a summit oil pan swap.
Wish I had more time to work on it but been to busy so it has sat all summer. But it does start and move so that's a plus still working on getting running right.
I'll have to make custom AC lines off the compressor as its tight fit in there.
If you want it to sit down low then you would need to notch it and then the oil pan will be lower also, Mine oil pan is about a 1&1/2" lower than the cross member with a summit oil pan swap.
Wish I had more time to work on it but been to busy so it has sat all summer. But it does start and move so that's a plus still working on getting running right.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Fri Oct 11, 2013 9:27 am
If I was going to do one with air I would go with the CTS-V pan, all F-body accessories and one of the car intakes. I've got a truck pan and the H3 pan. The truck pan hangs way too low. The H3 pan is actually GMs "swap pan" in its factory form.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Wallyuph Fri Oct 11, 2013 10:17 am
I used this one from Summit
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-19212593/overview/
Here is how much it hangs down with the Engine up that high. I have 1/4" clearance between pan and cross member.
" />
I'm going to weld a piece of angle steel to bottom of cross member for scrub.
I would use a different pan if I was to do it again.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-19212593/overview/
Here is how much it hangs down with the Engine up that high. I have 1/4" clearance between pan and cross member.
" />I'm going to weld a piece of angle steel to bottom of cross member for scrub.
I would use a different pan if I was to do it again.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by jerry46765 Fri Oct 11, 2013 6:53 pm
You guys are talking about the same pan; H3, swap, and the summit pan all have the same gm part number, 19212593. For $150, it's hard to beat on price alone, plus you don't have to clean up someone's 100k mile leftover pan.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by Brainstain Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:35 am
And they are a PITA to clean. They're really porous and look kinda dingy even when you hit tank them.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by ratnfested Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:57 am
That pan hangs pretty low. I set the 5.3 into my bu last night with the truck pan attached and I have all kinds of clearance but I think the pan hangs down an inch below the frame. I did not have mounts so I set it on a 2x6 on the crossmember and measured the back of the block to the firewall using my 77 Chevelle as a reference. I see no way that pan could get near the frame but the depth is a concern. One good bump and I cold crack that wide open.
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Re: LS powered '74 Chevelle wagon
by JB2wheeler Wed Oct 16, 2013 10:18 am
Doesn't the offroad crowd have a skid plate you could install to protect the pan? Just an idea... JB
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