Allenfab’s 2008 5-lug SAS and LS swap

Been messing around here and there on the truck. I hop around from project to project on the truck so nothing really gets done all at once. But, that keeps me from getting bored on a single portion of the build.

Rolled it out to wash the 6 month old layer of dust off and measured for shocks front and rear. I will eventually order some 5125's for it but not high on the priority list at the moment.





The front end suspension and steering is essentially done, minus the shocks. It obviously needs to be regeared and locked still but that is on the back burner too. Hydro-assist will also be added later.




I still had the tool box out of the old truck so I made a quick base for that to install it. Now it is out of my way in the shop. Gas filler neck is fully welded and installed, but I need to make a support for it to hold it up and flat, along with putting on the remainder of the hose clamps. I still have to get some more fuel line for the tank breathers.

 

Todd,
Now please excuse me if I’m wrong or off base but the photo above looks like SS exhaust tubing you have butt welded.
Guessing it’s for the fill tube?
Now I think I understand the gas should be charged for SS wire and is not cheap but that’s some of the best welds I have seen. I would change the wire to SS. Thermal an exhaust co. in Cali that mostly builds private label systems welds all their exhaust systems in 304 Stainless and MiG welds it all.

Again that’s some sweet looking welds…

 

Sitting pretty level rn. How much more weight do you think you'll end up with?

 

The rear sits about a quarter inch higher than the front right now, but the only thing the rear is getting now the shock towers and a full tank of gas. Front still needs a bumper, radiator, all other things to do with the engine. Other than that, not much more weight is going to be added

 

yea this is just the fuel tank neck, I really just threw it together so its not perfect. But I purged the inside with argon and tig welded the outside. It's not perfect but it wont leak or rust at least.

 

Been ordering quite a few engine parts the past two weeks. I want to run this motor as factory as possible so a stock gen 4 truck intake manifold and alternator/ps pump bracket was in order. I’m still deciding on what headers to go with… they’re going to have to be shortys and stainless… and cheap lol.

It also appears that the engine builder put a gen 3 timing cover when I obviously need a cover with the cam position sensor in it. Now I have to pull the pulley, loosen the oil pan, and buy a cover. Then, after that, I can start knocking out things like the water pump, alternator, pump, pulleys, belt, then start taking measurements for a radiator

 

Todd,
Looks like you have the Truck harmonic balancer pulley. I had the same but purchased Vette accessories because they move the accessories back an 1.5” closer to the block. You can have everything I didn’t use. Just cover the shipping. I would recommend a Gates WP from Amazon as it moves the inlet to the driver side.

$182 Gates 45004WT Premium Engine Water Pump

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QX39OVE?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I have most everything as I only reused the alternator as it’s 160 amps. Just PM/DM me your address.
*Edit* Sorry but no warranty on used parts, I can pull the pulley off the WP and here’s the headers Chris pointed me to. I was shocked at the quality.

https://speed-engineering.com/colle...wap-headers-camaro-chevelle-nova-c10-truck-m2

 

Is your motor a gen 3 or gen 4?

Interesting water pump, I hadn’t come across that one yet. I’ll definitely look into it more once I’m ready

I may be interested in the a/c compressor with bracket and maybe even the steering pump. Let me see what I need


Edit: that’s a smoking deal for those headers. I had a set of summit brand Ls swap headers that I was looking at that are nearly identical for about $270. May end up with the ones you posted

 

I have an 06 aluminum 5.3 L33 / 3rd gen with 4 gen internal’s from what I was told. Gen. 4 rods and flat top pistons. It was considered the 5.3 HO engine

As for the headers Good Deal! I think you will be surprised with the quality of the headers. Let me know what you think. *Edit* this is what I like the best other than the tubing is real 304.

• V-Band Collector Construction
• Collector Merge Spikes

Also you are more than welcome to anything. I really don’t think I could get much for “Truck” accessories. Now the Vette and Camaro are a little more desirable because they move the accessories closer to the block. I’ve been trying to see what you did with the factory cross member just behind & below the engine. Curious what oil pan you went with. As our truck/s started life the same but yours is getting a lot of cosmetic surgeries!
Oh, I don’t know and or think you are keeping the bench seat but if you like staying Factory try out a set of Toyota 86 seats. I will admit they are a pain to get in and out of but all so comfy! No one butt cheek lifts on long drives.

 

I'll be honest, I have no idea what oil pain I have lol. My buddy who built the engine knew what I needed so he just installed one he knew would work best for my setup. I need to talk to him about a bunch of stuff so I will ask him if I remember.

No crossmember behind/below the engine anymore because of space. With low ride height, front driveshaft, and future exhaust routing, there just isn't enough room for one in that area.

 

Well Crap, looks like the two factory cross members I was talking about fell out for some strange reason?
By the looks from the picture/s I think you have the lowest and furthest back V8 swap of anyone who’s tried this. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
LOL my wife was offered a position in Durham NC teaching at a private upper class school.
So much for the dry heat of convection oven AZ. I was born in this oven.

 

@Hayrider , did those seats bolt right in? If there’s one thing I hate, it’s modifying seat rails to fit other vehicles.

I tried to punch this setup as far up and rear as I could. It looked along the lines where everyone else’s was landing though. I’ll have to get some pics of intake manifold/valve cover to firewall clearance

 

The seats bolted right in after I attached them to a set of “Planted” seat brackets. Used two 10 x 20 (the length is from my bad memory) and two 8 x 20 MM SS button heads with nylon locks. Used a little anti-seize so they would not to weld themselves together.
All I had to do was to cut off the factory legs from the factory sliders then bolt to the Planted Bracket. With your skills you could buy copy and return.
The wiring for the airbag light is the most difficult. And don’t ask me how because mine still glows.

Also have you figured out if you want any of the LS accessories? Free99 to you. Let me know please because I like to list them for sale just to get them out of the garage.

 

I bought a set of corbeau seat brackets and they didn't even bolt up right. At some point I need more comfy seats than the rx8 ones i have.

 

I'm going to hold off on the accessories, but I definitely appreciate the offer! I actually picked up a water pump today that I think will work for my application

The PRP ones that I bought for the first gen were the same way, took way too much modification to get to fit right.

 

The Summit Racing brand SS headers came in and I am actually pretty happy with the quality for the price. I wish they were 1.75" primaries but clearance issues worried me so I went smaller. Overall they fit well, with just a little grinding on the engine block where the starter bolts up. They hug the block well and I think I can snake some piping around on the driver side to avoid front driveshaft clearance issues.

I ordered the tools and parts to switch out the timing cover to the one I need. But because I am impatient, I threw on the water pump, alt bracket and idler/tensioner pulleys loosely to see what room for a radiator and fans was lookin like



A good part of me wants to cover up these wheel wells to hide the motor so nobody suspects anything

 

Wrapped up some little shit the past week or so. Got the timing cover swapped out to the correct one and put the water pump and alternator bracket back on. Quick and easy job with the proper removal and install tools



I finished up the gas fill neck as well. I had to add a support coming off the frame with a rubber isolator to keep the tube level and secure. Still have to drop the tank to install whatever fuel pump I decide on and run the other fuel lines to the C5 corvette filter/regulator that I also installed.




Ordered and received the odyssey battery box from Ruffstuff and modified it to fit where the factory abs bullshit was. Factory hardware and everything…

bent this up:



to go here:



And with the battery box welded to it:




And to wrap it all up, I also made a license plate mount/light. Wires run through a grommet and the plate and bracket are held on bolts and Rivnuts

 

Thinning out the harness from the tailights to the driver kick-panel. While I was doing that, I thought what the hell.... I might as well rip out all of this seat/seatbelt/airbag wiring and connector stuff as well. Air bags are going to be coming out as I never liked the idea of an airbag going off when coming down hard on a big ass rock or something. This is gonna be a woods truck anyway

 

I want to kill my air bags too. Is unplugging the yellow connectors under the center console cup holders good enough? Are the bags worth selling or just blow them up in the yard?

 

I physically remove the airbags from the truck. I am just being OCD now and pulling all the wires and control unit for it.

I never looked into selling them honestly. I have the ones out of my old truck still somewhere