JpX 383Vortech swap thread (updated lrg pics)

[JpX]

I figured I'd finally post more specifics and pics of my build up.

I'm grabbing the complete drive train from a 96 GMC K2500 truck and swapping it into my J10. Engine is getting heads rebuilt and a 383 shortblock. I've litterally taken everything worthwhile out of the GMC.

I sold the 360 while it was running and Colt was glad to help pull it.

Ready to stab

Stabbed


Largely a one man operation here

[JpX]

cleaned firewall and painted frame rails while the front clip was off

Novak Mounts gave me a lot of options for placement and lining up holes so my shock towers could still mount. pink on frame rail is a shock tower mount hole the rest can be covered. I actually got two bolts through my final postion location which helped with mock up.

My final tranny location left barely any cutting to get the shifter in (required one hole added to stock cross member.)

Engine resting with front clip and hood on.

[JpX]

Today decided on installing the NP241 for now and waiting on a NP205 or Dana 300 with the correst drop. It was harder to get this out of the GMC than it was to get it in the J10 believe it or not.

NP241 Installed, would need a Xmember mod to get a drive shaft to a drivers side pumpkin. The GMC's fuel lines fit great in the J10 just need to be secured to frame rail. I bought that fuel fiter today I believe this will be its final placement.


Hard Fuel lines, tunnel clearance is great but, no room for mechanical fan at the other end though.

I installed the GMC driveshaft just to see where I'd end up. I ended up dead nutz on the Ujoint for the Dana 44. 1350 to 1310 Ujoint needed now.

I fully expected to have the engine in and out multiple times so I built a wood stand. I only stabbed it in the Jtruck once and there it stayed.

[Ristow]

wow.

clean install.

[fulsizjeep]

almost too clean!

[KaiserMan]

Very nice. Slap some Jeep decals on that Chevy motor and most poeple wouldn't be able to tell it didn't come that way.

[Knucklehead]

nice job!

[BRUTUS]

That worked out very nice Tim. The 1350 to 1310 u-joint can be found at any parts store. I can't remember the price I paid but it wasn't bad.

Did you find someone to do your welding?

What are you doing for exhaust?

I will bring Brutus by the next time I am in town.

[scantar]

Dang that's amazing. Nice job.

I can barely barely work on my Jeeps.

[JpX]

Thanks for the compliments. Well in one sense its clean because I rent, and can only let it get so messy before the landlords upset. In the sense that everything fit so nice I'm just dmn lucky. I do have to give Novak credit for creating mounts that give you plenty of options to retain the shock tower bolt holes.

I still have to install the hydro clutch master cylinder and affix it to my clutch pedal, Find a radiator solution and a efi fuel tank solution that doesn't break the bank on this project.

[goldhammer]

How about a boneyard late model full size Bronco tank behind the axle. I know the boss'es 93 has an intank pump for the injected 302 he has. Two sizes avail, 25 and 32 gal. Maybe a tank out of a Tahoe or Yukon. Would require moving the spare, and different guage. Vey clean job

[JpX]

Originally Posted by BRUTUS

That worked out very nice Tim. The 1350 to 1310 u-joint can be found at any parts store. I can't remember the price I paid but it wasn't bad.

Did you find someone to do your welding?

What are you doing for exhaust?

I will bring Brutus by the next time I am in town.

Still looking for a welder, made some calls this morning I'll see if I get a reply or two.

I have corvette rams horn manifolds that should be here this week. 69 bucks a pop. My buddy has them on his 69 GMC truck with Vortec heads. They have 2 1/2" outlets which should help the 383 breathe.

I was thinking I'll have exhaust exit before passengers rear tire. Maybe have Collins Muffler do the work.

[JpX]

Originally Posted by goldhammer

How about a boneyard late model full size Bronco tank behind the axle. I know the boss'es 93 has an intank pump for the injected 302 he has. Two sizes avail, 25 and 32 gal. Maybe a tank out of a Tahoe or Yukon. Would require moving the spare, and different guage. Vey clean job

Thanks I'll be looking around for used tank in the scrap yards soon. I'm almost ready to fire up the motor.

I actually have two fuel pump assemblies one out of my old 99 Silverado where the assembly was giving erratic Fuel level readings and the one out of the 96 GMC. I'm wondering if either are adaptable to my stock J10 tank or if there are some inherent problems in using a EFI Fuel pump in old non efi tank.

I sent in my corvette manifolds to the machine shop yesterday to have the hanger cut off the end of the vette replica rams horn manifolds.


I did finally find a welder and got the frame mounts all welded up and drilled the holes through the Novak mounts. Not the cleanest welds but they'll hold and it'll barely be noticable especially after I painted them.

[JpX]

Originally Posted by BRUTUS

That worked out very nice Tim. The 1350 to 1310 u-joint can be found at any parts store. I can't remember the price I paid but it wasn't bad.

I just tried Autozone and Advanced Auto Parts they couldn't or didn't know how to get a conversion joint ordered. Where did you get yours at. Advanced asked me for full dimensions on the U join not just 1350 to 1310. How much info did you have to give?

[BRUTUS]

Originally Posted by JpX

I just tried Autozone and Advanced Auto Parts they couldn't or didn't know how to get a conversion joint ordered. Where did you get yours at. Advanced asked me for full dimensions on the U join not just 1350 to 1310. How much info did you have to give?

I got mine at carquest on north college. There is also Drivetrain industries over on airpark. They are a Dana Spicer distributor... they would definately know. They are north of maxey trailers on airpark drive.

[JpX]

Thanks,
Drivetrain Industries has the conversion U Joint and replacement Ubolts.

[JpX]

Well I've made some considerable progress since last update. I'm a week or just weeks away from firing it up and having a running J10 again.

My Rusty floor is now painted. Amazingly Rustoleum SAND color matches my original truck color to a Tee


I spray painted up to the ledge where the window starts.

Here's what it looked like before I started prepping the rusted out spots. The wires you see are the GM Vortec wiring harness and the original GM cab wiring. Also that is the GM Hydro clutch assembly out of the 96 Vortec Donor.

Here is the back of the cab, it wasn't a lot of fun prepping all that rust but it needed to be done while the cab was so bare and open and before floorboards got large holes.




I started mocking up where my new seat is going to go. This location fits best for me. The seat is a Recaro GTI seat I got off a CFSJA board members rig.


My seat is going to be pretty featureless right now and it will probably only fit well for 6 footers. I'm debating about putting rubber spacers down or just to clamp it metal to metal. The seat is essentially going to rest directly on the crossbar you see on the passengers side a 2x4 under the front works great so I'll need 2" tall metal tubing or something to go under the front of the seat and tie it into the original front seat bolt holes.

[BRUTUS]

Those seats are badazz! Do I know the individual from CFJSA board?

I saw that Colt has your motor for sale on the colorado4x4.org board. Pretty ironic if I bought it huh?

I like the painted interior!

[JpX]

I thought Colt had already dropped the motor into a CJ, then again Colt has so much stuff going it's not surprising the motor would be back out and for sale. I had that motor compression checked and it had decent compression but a few cylinders were a letting out some on the leakdown test. I looked for the results sheet but its not in my Jtruck paperwork anymore.

The seats were from Rick who's parting out his blue camo'd chero before it goes to the scrap yard. I actually just repaired the foam on the left side, it hole in it and you could feel the metal bar press against your thigh as you sat in it. I wrapped some of my own foam around the bar and did my best to tape the rest of the foam back into original shape. I also got new hood hinges and the power steering lines I was looking for at Ricks.

I cant wait to the Jtruck. Just a few more things to be done before firing it up.

[JpX]

Well I test drove the truck around the block today. It's loud without anything attached to the exhaust manifold but it runs. It sounds like a Beast right now.

Enginebay looks good Still need to find a way to fit a filter in. The current K&N I had extra doesn't let the hood close. Everything else fits fine under the hood.



It's been over 7 months since the Jtruck left it's spot in front of the Integra.



I do have a minor PS leak at the steering box. Tightening the connector down pretty darn far didn't resolve. Might have to switch out to S10 or get the innards of a Jtruck PS pump as the GM pump may be creatign too much pressure? Steering feels great right now..

Tomorrow I take it to an exhaust shop. Wish I had a VideoCam I'd record the no exhaust running of the truck.