Hey guys, I just wanna post some pictures and show everyone where I am right now on my swap. I was going to swap a LT1/T56 setup into my car, but the day before I sat it in I decided to do what I really wanted and put a LS motor in the car. After I sold all my parts for the LT1 swap, I found a low mile LQ4 that was complete. The motor was a 13k mile LQ4 out of a 05 Silverado. I had a 1984 Trans am hard top that was in "ok" shape that I picked up after my 1988 Formula got totaled. My plan was to turn the Trans am into a formula and do the Lsx/T56 swap. Let the pictures begin!!!!






Out with the Old motor!!! It was a very very purple 350/700r4 setup with a holley projection tbi setup on top of it.

 

Next I had to start on the body work. The whole front clip was junk, so I had plans to swap my Formula front end onto it. I also had to plug all the holes from where the Trans Am body kit bolted on.

 

Fast forward a few months ahead and not much working being done, Work and life finally slowed down a little bit and a buddy and I dove into the body work. The body was sanded to bare metal, a few rust spots fixed and the 6 point roll bar was welded in. Its great to be a welder and have a friend that went to school to be a painter/body man.

 

 

 

Next we got it all masked off and wiped down and shot it with some extremely expensive 2K epoxy/sealer primer. After spraying it, You wouldn't be able to tell the difference between this primer and white paint.

 

Next we had to do body work on the doors and fenders. We shaved the door handles and antenna hole. There was some serious hidden body work that required a lot of slide hammering and body work, but my buddy did good with it. The doors that I had must have had 15 coats of paint and clear on them. I literally scraped paint for 10 hours on each door.

 

While Matt was busy spraying the body I got to work welding all the seams under the hood in the engine bay. All the seams are welded solid now and all none used holes are plug welded. I also removed the heater box and plated the fire wall and it will be smoothed in like everything else. Hopefully the welded seams with help to strengthen the chassis up some.





Other things that I did while I was doing this was weld in sub frame connectors and install a Moser 9" with 4.30 gear and Detroit locker. The rear is equiped with a big Wilwood disk brake setup. I installed Lakewood LCA and a Adjustable Panhard bar. I also installed Lakewood 3 way adjustable drag shocks and Eibach coils.

 

After I sold all the LT1 stuff that I had I went in search of a 5.3 motor from a Silverado. In the process I found the 05 LQ4 6.0 and traded a LT1 style T56 tranny for it even swap.I knew that I wanted to do heads and cam on the motor. Pretty soon it turned into a fully forged beech performance built LQ4 370 /Ported LS3 heads/ Patrick G cam.

 

I just picked my Motor up from Bob Beech performance last night. The specs are as follows now:

2005 LQ4 6.0 block
.030 overbore
Mahle L92 10.8:1 pistons
Callies Rods
Stock crank
Balanced and blueprinted

The specs on my custom cam are 235/243 .621/.624" 110LSA +4

The motor is carb'd also. It was built to shift at 7600 rpm and make build power(hopefully). It has the steel top ring and it gapped for be hit with a 250 Hp shot of Nitrous. Hopefully it will make 500+ rwhp and 750-800 on the bottle.

 

Hope you guys enjoy everything so far. Ill post more picture up as I get work done on it.

 

Looking great!

 

Looks like this will be a sweet build Keep up the good work!

 

great progress. i've always loved formy's, that will probably be my next lsx project. the cage looks nice and clean.

 

Just a bit of a update on the car. This weekend we I hung the doors and got them lined up, then I went ahead and hung the fenders too. The passanger fender that I bought off a tgo member at rust and damage free was a total pos. There was about a 1/4-3/8"" of bondo all around the marker light area from previous damage. The rear spot welded brace was broken off and the fender was cracked. After alot of dent pulling and welding/hammering it looks about as good as new.

 

Also I wanted to add that I got my motor mounts and I think im going to go with a fully built TH400 instead of the t56 since the car will see alot of track time.


Bring on the WHEELIES!!!!!!!!!!

 

good build. like the carbd setup plan.

 

Wow this is one badass build. I have a simular built motor as you accept for the cam as mine alittle smaller for the moment. Budget build as it came with the motor. Cant wait to see it up and running

 

Thanks for the kind words guys. I cant quit looking at it since we got it in primer and the body parts are hung now. Atfirst I almost shat myself since the primer is so expensive, but it looks just like paint and spray amazing!!

 

Bought Headers today, Ordered my cam, Ordered my 4500 Nitrous stall, and went and im going to go pick up the transmission after work. Now I have to buy the transbrake and manual valve body!!

 

Looks awesome Keep posting pictures please.

 

what did you decide to do for headers?

 

I can post pics of the new rotors I installed today haha, Seriously thought more pics this weekend.

 

I bought a set of stainless works from QwkTrip.

 

Moooaar pictures as promised. Just finished welding the door bars into.Such a bitch a bitch to weld the plates to the floor pan, but I got'r done.



Here are just some pictures of her pushed out of the room in our barn. Sorry for the low light issues, Its hard to take pictures on a Iphone when it gets dark at 6pm.

 

I got my new to me headers in the mail today.



Also went to Jegs and picked up my wheels I ordered Sunday. 15"x10" 6.5" backspacing. This thing is going to look nasty. The wheels feel so much lighter than the gta wheels do too.

 

Did some more clearance work today on the inner fenders on the rear wheel wells. I now have almost 2" between the wheel lip and the old bump-stop location. Here is a shot of my sexy Wilwoods too.







I installed the Jegster torque arm as well. Kinda a bit of a bitch to install but I got it all done. There is one holes/bolt that I couldn't install because its actually behind the torque arm on the drivers side. Did anyone else have this issue? I tried to drop the rearend,but the torque arm wont come off the moser 9" without litereally removing the axle from the car.

 

Time for a update!!!!!!!

Got the 10 Point cage finished up.

 

Got my headers in the mail.

 

Notched my K memeber out for clearance.

 

A quick mockup before the heads were sent to WCCH for a nice working over.

 

Back apart and decided I dont like the aluminum look. Painted front cover, Victor Jr, Accessories.

Ported my intake as well.

 

Also got a 4L80e. Going to install a Jakes FMVB with brake on Saturday.



Also got a converter. Didnt take a picture of it, but I did take a picture of the shirt haha. Its a FTI 4500 9.5" billet.

 

Heres a picture of my PTV clearence with my big custom cam and stock LS3 heads. Im having WCCH mill the heads .055" to get the compression up there.

 

I also bought a set of slicks to go on my rear wheels and a set of skinnies to go on the front. Its coming along quick now. Im going to build a gauge cluster as soon as my gauges show up in the mail today!!

 

Got the heads back from the porter and bolt the motor together.Got it off the stand onto the hoist and threw the convertor on.

 

Next I went ahead and bolt her up to the 4l80e that I built myself!!!

 

Time to put it in the car!!

 

Then I put the headers and coil packs on and filled it with oil and put on the filter.

 

Now I need to attach wires and install gauges. Buy a fuel setup and fire it. Anyone have any ideas on a tranny crossmember? I have an issue there my weld in sub-frame connectors are in the way of making a trans mount.

 

Almost there!

Spohn and Hawks both make crossmembers I beleive

 

how did you put the converter into the trans without screwing up the input shaft, usually you have to spin the converter to get it to fully seat into the trans, then bolt the bellhousing up, then converter bolts.

 

I was curious about that too

 

Im the man

Actually Ive always done them this way, I always have good luck. I just start the shaft in the hole and shake the living hell out of it until it drops into place.

 

Well, whatever works. LOL

 

any updates???

 

Sadly no real updates. Cash is low since the economy is in the crapper, and my wife got pregnant there hasnt been a lot of progress. I have been working on the car though. I built a crossmember and got the driveshft installed. My buddy is working on the front bumber to get it looking perfect.

 

Hey everyone. Sorry I havent been on to update for awhile.Sadly life has gotten in the way. My wife and I just had out baby 1 month ago and now we are sadly splitting up. I am debating on selling the firebird due to a lack of place to store it. I am asking all of you what you think it would be worth as a roller. Heres the details:

1984 T/a
restored to look like 88 formula
10 PT cage
full black interior included
shaved doors
Spotless body
2k epoxy primer
Extra set of doors with manual windows
Rust free
Clearanced inter fenders
Moroso drag springs
Comp engineering shocks
Line lock
New brake lines
Sumped fuel tank
good dash
9 bolt rear
Stock f body wheels
Shaved antenna


Im really not sure what its worth. I would like to sell it and my c6z and pic up a 4th gen and swap my engine into. Let me know what you think.

 

give it to me and ill take care of her for ya

 

Wow I want to say congrats on having the baby but sorry to hear about splitting up with the misses.

Was looking forward to seeing this project coming along as its done so tastefully clean.I couldnt put a price on that rolling chassis with the amount of work its got.