84 C20 RCLB Single turbo LM7/4L80E

Well, i figured since i am going to be around a while, and i like to document , i would create a build thread for this.


I have decided in the last 5 hours, lol, that i am going to put my turbo kit to use and try to break some records with my GTO before i go force inducted.


Anyways the ole truck is going to be the tow vehicle for the gto, but as some of you will find out i get BIG TIME carried away with stuff. Building is my passion, and i am SERIOUSLY addicted to it.


I will start this out with some photos along with the plans for the swap and whats in store.. Possibly i may not even end up doing the turbo kit, but we will see. all of my friends are horrible influences and telling me to do it, and im a sucker for peer pressure. I also have some major attachment to this truck and want to make it seriously nice.


Anyhow. onto the project....

This rip started out about 2 months ago when i picked it up from the farm and tried to drive it home. Shaking, pulling to the right and diving to the right on the brakes made it evident i cant even drive it home, the brake hoses were shot. So onto the tow truck.


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMG_9363.jpg
i dont have any pictures (edit, yes i found just one!)before this unfortunately but this is after i buffed most of it and took these SUPER COOTER running boards and bug deflector it had on it off. It also had some agriculture tires that were blowing chunks of rubber off as i limped it down the road before finding out the brakes were done.
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...138/photo2.jpg
I really didnt like the 84 grill, and it was cracked from this farm hand dude that used it blasting it into something, so i swapped the front grille and core support with a 91 gmc unit i found on ebay. Well needless to say, the dude on ebay was a jerkoff and ripped me off and the grille ended up being an aftermarket pile of garbage that was already on its last leg. broken tabs, chrome peeling, the headlight bezel does not even match..
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMG_9359.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMG_9357.jpghttp://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMG_9351.jpg


as you can see i also swapped to the 33x10.5 bfg all terrain ta's and the duramax wheels, but ive just bought another set of new tires since the ones that came with the duramax wheels were dryrotted and cashed(just wanted to use them to see if i could fit them on here without lifting it or any of that nonsense)

The new wheels i got are the rebel racing sahara 16x8's (instead of the 6.5 duramax wheels) in satin black. Same tires going on, 285 75 16 33x10.5 bfg all terrain ta, just plan on putting the white letters on the inside now.


As for the interior, the interior is immaculate. It has the burgandy with black and brushed aluminum looking interior in it. The bench seat has zero imperfections aside from a spring broken under my side so i kinda have a detroit lean like this old turd fox body mustake i used to have. The wire steering wheel thats like 18 inches in diameter got on my last nerve so i added a momo competion steering wheel and a momo hub.


The gauges are weak as hell stock IMO, and the speedo makes this absurd squeeling sound the entire time you are driving, and the stock radio is not functional, so i said to hell with it and got one of these on the way.
http://www.classicdash.com/shopping/...type=W&id=2111
i dont like the sport comp series so i ordered mine with the phantom 2 backlit stepping drive full sweep electric gauges.







i will add more pictures as i upload them. Off to the garage to gather some stuff to write up in here. MORE TO COME!

good luck on the build! keep up posted man!

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0146.jpg poop city engine bay as is..


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0144.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0140.jpg
the new trans! *(thanks for everyones suggestions on this, really would have made the wrong choice without ya'll's help. it came from an 05-06 (cant remember which it was) gmc express 2500 2wd with LOW LOW miles. complete with converter also.. Will this oem converter be alright, or do i need to get something better? I am not going to be drag racing this, i just have these parts around and figured it would give it a little more pep.. see, i told you i get carried away.

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0142.jpg probably going to use these style mani's. They are the LS4 front manifolds off of one of the fwd lumina ss's i believe? Or the grand prix gtxrpRtype S or whatever clown letters it is, i cant keep up with that..
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0141.jpg better shot of the front. Clears the water pump just fine, comes out right under it. If you run the same manifold on the drivers side, it comes out on top and faces perfectly forwards as well.


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0138.jpg Prolly a BIT large for this, but whatever, ill just run lower boost levels. LOL..
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0152.jpg cluster of stuff going on.



http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0153.jpg look how clean this 5.3 i found is.. should be perfect when the ringlands on the stock cast pistons crumble even with a perfect toon eventually and its smoking like a freight train. LOL (i tend to be a pessimist sometimes, haha)..


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0151.jpg new chevy grille with intercooler laying behind as a mockup. May do BOV on the end tank just to clean things up a bit under the hood.



http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0154.jpgthat little guy just looks so nice together with his new friend :)


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0155.jpg another shot for reference.



http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0143.jpgThese are not for the truck, however they are the same setup the truck will have. White with black letters, then at night reverse lit bright white led numbers with a bright red led needle.. Should look similar to my GTO gauges do at night..http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/39a41736.jpgday..http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/4d29ac70.jpgnight..


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0135.jpg the new momo competition installed with hub. I peeled that silver sticker overlay off the bezel for the time being till my new cluster arrives.. Pretty stoked to get it in there, i have a feeling its going to make the truck a million times better to ride in.. Prolly just going to throw the radio away, and eventually fill in the speaker grill things in the dash and re-dye the dash back to stock color.. My door panels are seriously faded, but i may see what i can get some new ones from lmc truck for.. Possibly swap the interior to all black? Who knows.. I need some kind of cup holder or some to put drinks in though, its just a base model with no options, not even a cup holder! haha
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...IMAG0130-1.jpghttp://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0128.jpghttp://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0129.jpg started out with this...

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0136.jpghttp://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0136.jpg few cans of brake parts cleaner and engine enamel later lookin a little better like this....

May take the valve covers and have them powder coated black wrinkle

Want to take all of the chrome trim off the truck and have it done black wrinkle, gloss black, or satin black depending on which pieces are which.. My theme is monochromatic black, gloss truck with satin, flat, and textured black accents. That way it matches identical to my car and its more suiting!
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...IMAG0148-1.jpg just need to notch the center support, or design a different style center support, then put 90s on the end tanks and hog some holes in the back side. around each radiator end tank.. Ac is getting the boot im sure.
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...IMAG0132-1.jpg oem 06 gto m6 cam, oem 06 gto beehive springs.. Hopefully alright for this.. gotta be better than the 5.3 cam id assume, or do i get larger?!
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0127.jpg new kickers
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...IMAG0139-1.jpg 16x8 +0 ET




Thats all for tonight.. More as more progress gets done.. Items i need yet are .

ecu
harness from nelson?
injectors
fuel pump/filter/a clue how to do it
electric fan(s) possibly a new radiator if i can get one affordably that works better? Mines got some pinholes so i may as well get a good one now if i need one.
flexplate to work with what ive got or a clue what the hell ill need, hehe?
Driveshaft or a clue whats going on with the driveshaft
MAF
alternator
starter
hot side piping
24" or longer magnaflow 3.5 in 3.5 single muffler
3 to 3.5 inch downpipe
atmospheric wastegate dump
intercooler pipes

i also am trying to find this thread some dude on a diesel forum did about some disc brakes he put on the back of one of these. He was saying converting to the discs saved him like 60 lbs on each side or something crazy and he felt a BIG TIME difference when going to the pump as far as gas mileage goes. I just feel like i would like to get these odds and ends taken care of while the truck is apart. Looking into perhaps some upgrades to the master cylinder/booster, my close friend is a hose and fitting guy, so im sure ill have braided hoses on the brakes before long since ive only replaced the one that ruptured and the other 2 are living on borrowed time. The hardlines are is awesome shape as is the rest of the underbody, so i need not have to worry about redoing the brake hardlines. May pull the rear end out and clean it up, freshen everything inside with a different diff perhaps? then powder coat it and re-install it.. also contemplating some new springs/shocks also. I really want this truck to be like a brand new truck when i am done with it.



If any readers come across any suggestions, please speak up, id love some advice from some guru's... I am a builder, it just takes me some time to get things how i wnt them

well after a few hours of searching around ive come across two different setups..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...#ht_500wt_1182

http://www.blackbirdscustomtrucks.co...x7.html#1fbolt

one has an ebrake option, the other does not. One has a 2 piston option the other does not.


Now just lies on the master cylinder and booster. Im wondering if there are any larger units i could use to really make the brakes on this way better and less squishy.

Awesome build, I would throw a transgo hd2 kit and a sonnax pressure regulating boost valve in the 80e for a little added insurance. Boost and weight might be pushing the limit stock.
I'm not familiar with the 06 gto cam, but if its similiar to the ls6 cam, thats a favorite budget boost cam around most of the forums.

well the brakes are a must now. I was driving around last night and managed to notice the master cylinder is leaking now and i was low on the rear brake fluid. I popped the cover off and the was smoking something fierce.

Im just wondering now if there is some sort of upgraded master cylinder/booster i could use since i will be swapping to rear disc brakes from these large rear drums on my 14 bolt.

Ive searched and searched and am just not finding anything aside from a chrome plated deal. Im wondering if there is a larger unit or a way i could like run a corvette unit or something to that degree if i wanted to without much fabricating and so forth.. The hoses are so old i am just going to get my friend who builds braided hoses to set me up with some nice hoses while im at it..

At this rate this son of a is going to be a full restoration!

So i think i have concluded on the manifolds i want to use, just may end up using a gto alternator bracket if i can fit it, and use the ls4 front manifold on the passenger side, and maybe a modified 6.0 truck manifold on the other, either way both sides id weld a v band fitting on so i could clock things at better angles.. This way the hot side piping can run directly out forward with a shorter charge path IMO and i can just jig up the union in front of either the water pump (if there is room between my radiator), or off to the drivers side more and just end up doing a back door setup from the turbo clocked directly into the end tank of the intercooler on the passengers side..
Like i have it setting here just into the opposite side so the downpipe wouldnt have to clear the column and so forth..http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0179.jpg Probably just do the bov on the other end tank, and have a clean pipe coming out of the radiator support directly beside the radiator up and into the tb.
With the particular radiator i am going to use(copped it out of my rx7 im parting with), i have a 25"x21" radiator as opposed to the nearly 35"x21" stock truck radiator.http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0178.jpg
Now i dont know if this is enough radiator? But it NEVER gave me problems in other setups with these motors? Perhaps with the added weight and towing with the truck this entire concept is a dumbass idea, lol..
heres some different setups..
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...8/IMAG0180.jpg The ls4 front manifold on the drivers side...
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u...IMAG0141-1.jpg The ls4 front manifold on the passenger side

either way like a nut job im hard at work in my lab at 343 am, so i better get my ass back to work here.. more to come..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Trans...#ht_1393wt_898

http://atransmission.info/4l80e-pres...ost-valve.html


is this the right one to get?

That's the kit I run and it comes with a boost valve. I also run their 48vac-mod kit along with a boost-bypass tee valve they sell so my trans pressures are analog instead of being controlled by the PCM. I've had a lot of luck with the vacuum modulator kit, haven't lost an 80e clutch set yet through over 100 bottles of nitrous and now boost.