'69 230 build w/LQ4 swap

[Coasttocoast]

After a weeks vacation, then a week trying to get caught up, I had the day to get back on the car.

Lots of parts came in, I purchased this intake as its low and will fit under the hood with room to spare.

But everythings a mess as I've been trying the fitment of various parts, first up, clean up.

[Coasttocoast]

Before I can rebuild the transmission tunnel I need the Lokar shifter I ordered to fab up the opening and make sure I have enough clearance for the linkage.

The Hooker exhaust manifolds almost fit between the frame rails. I need to trim about 1/2" off of the lower lip on each side. The rear dump is in the perfect spot and at a perfect angle to miss the steering rack and have a streamlined flow.

So today I focused on welding in the firewall panels and the vent covers.

After I sanded off the paint where the patch panels go I welded them in place. To keep from warping the panels and burning through I tacked about every inch and kept going around until it was just about solid. The metal I'm using is a little thicker than the body.



Then after grinding/sanding flush with my angle grinder I shot it with Nason Etch Primer.

[Coasttocoast]

Since the metal I'm building the firewall out of is a little thicker than the body, I could run just about continuous tacks without burn through. I'm really happy on how everything is coming together and like the shape and cleanliness of the new firewall. I ordered a new pneumatic mini angle grinder, it will make flushing out the welds easier than my full size one.

Since the vent cover panels are in the open and flat I went ahead and ground down the welds, cleaned with prep-sol, primed, and a coat of filler.



The W107 steering column I ordered arrived. I picked this one because it looked close to fit my W114, is more of a traditional shaft with outer sleeve type column and has the windshield washer switch on the lever for a powered pump, and no provision for a column shifter.

I need to make the last firewall patch panel, but need to place and install the new column. Started the fitment process, to keep the face of the new steering wheel the same as the old steering wheel, I had to move the bolting location forward 1 3/4" and remove the ignition switch. Looks like I'm going to update to the new style push-button-starter-switch with fob to fill the hole.

Tomorrow I hope to install the column and start on the rack install.

The goal here is to try and put as much together now, then pull the engine trans and paint before it goes back in again.

[Coasttocoast]

Worked today continuing the steering install.

The upper bolting locations on the newer rack are different than the old rack. Took a bit of time to organize a centerline to measure from. The recess in the bottom of the dash for the rack is not really centered as the rack runs a little out of square thought the firewall.

There are two long bolts that go through the dash frame and bolt into recessed nuts into the shaft. So after marking the two locations I drilled holes large enough for the nut to go through, using washered nuts. Then welded in place.



Still needs a little bit of angle forward, but that will come with some spacer washers and longer bolts.

[Coasttocoast]

Then started on the rack install. This is not going to be as easy as I first thought. Still in the realm of doable, I think.

I need to make some adjustable metal brackets to hold in place and move around for fitment. A lift would be wonderful as crawling in and out from under the car is tiring!

I ordered up a couple steering shaft u-joints and a section of shaft that will hopefully work. Still going to be close trying to get the shaft up and around the exhaust. Also concerned that I need to shift the rack off center to the drivers side to get around the exhaust, but then might be in the way of the tire hitting the end of the rack.

But this is all conjecture based on holding the rack with one hand and measuring with the other so far.

If you look under the brake booster location you can make out the shaft. It is about 1 1/2" high in this pic though.

If you look at the left side of the engine you can see the exhaust manifold bolted in place but tight to the bottom return lip of the frame rail. Will need to be trimmed some to give clearance for engine motion.

[Coasttocoast]

I'm getting new parts in daily, as you can imagine one buying decision leads into being able to make further decisions.

Today the front accessory brackets from Dirty Dingo came in. This was a $500 expense, but required to get everything under the hood. It uses the engines power steering pump and alternator and supplies the needed idler pully's and tensioner pulley. Does require a new Sanden 508 AC compressor.

I will be buying a new power steering pump and getting the engines starter and alternator rebuilt locally.

For a water pump to work you have to buy a 2002 Camaro water pump and a spacer kit.

I have everything on order, but couldn't resist to see how it all goes together.

This kit makes it look like it was made specific for this swap. Everything looks centered and just enough clearances to make it seem it was planned. The instructions and packaging was spot on and easy.

[Coasttocoast]

The power steering pump is nasty so I didn't install. The alternater looks bad but not nasty, so I stuck it in.

Nice clearance to the frame rails and the alternator is just a tad lower than the top of the intake manifold. The AC compressor will be right at the same height for a balanced look.

[Coasttocoast]

The AC compressor is moved higher and outward from its stock location, this gets it out of the way of the frame rail and basically over the frame rail.,

This will be good for the hose placement and makes the engine look balanced.



Looking forward to the rest of the accessories coming in to see how this engine placement all comes together.

[Tomguy]

Looks nice! I love seeing the updates, keep them coming

[Coasttocoast]

Originally Posted by Tomguy

Looks nice! I love seeing the updates, keep them coming

Thanks for following and your comments.

More posts to come!

[Coasttocoast]

More and more parts arriving. I now have everything for the front drive assembly.

I'm really happy I ran across Dirty Dingo. The front assembly relocation brackets I purchased from them is really working out great.

I purchased the brackets, AC compressor and water pump extension kit from them. FYI, the extension kit uses a 2004 Camaro water pump and the Dirty Dingo parts to push the water pump out away from the engine about a half inch to align with the truck based drive pully's.

I also purchased a new water pump and a new power steering pump. I'll have the alternator rebuilt locally.

I turned to Holley for the fuel rails, they arrived.



Everything looking good for fitment so far.

[Coasttocoast]

The power steering pump is the close the top flange of the frame rails, about 1/2". I will probably roll this lip a smidge just to make a little more room.

If you look close you can see the black cap on the return line tight to the frame rail. There is enough room to bend the line closer to the reservoir and away from the rail.

The Dirty Dingo brackets are well thought out. Even though the power steering pump is tight under the alternator the cap and dipstick can still be removed for checking and filling.

[Coasttocoast]

So far I feel good about my front to back location of the engine/transmission.

I ordered a tail mount shifter from Lokar for shifting duties. This shifter mounts directly to the transmission and locates the shifter shaft at right at the factory shifter penetration in the original location in the transmission tunnel.

The center of the front axle is right at the center of the 2nd row of cylinders from the front. So most of the weight of the engine is rearward of the front axle.

I have good clearance between the engine and the firewall. Easy to access all the engine/transmission bolts, etc.

I have stuck in the stock radiator and my electric fan as a placeholder for measuring. Right now I have 1 1/4" clearance between the front of the water pump pulley and the fan motor. The snout on the water pump is by far the most forward item. I actually plan on using an aluminum radiator that will be 1/2" thicker than the stocker and I also plan on an aluminum shroud to hold the fan so that it draws air through the entire radiator surface as opposed to just the diameter of the fan. So the front gap is going to be close but doable.



The pulley on the AC compressor is an 8 groove, the rest of the assembly is 6 groove. I guess they make this unit for different applications. In mine the belt be will be toward the rear and the front two grooves will be unoccupied.

[Coasttocoast]

Made some good progress today.

Finished mocking up the front accessories with the Dirty Dingo brackets,



Everything fits good and the belt works. Now I can finalize fitment to order a radiator.

[Coasttocoast]

Then moved on to the power steering rack and pinion from a Cavalier.

Everything is a compromise. Basically I'm going to lose and out 2" of travel with this swap. That and the fact that in the location the rack needs to go the distance between the tires in their most outbound turn is less than the length of the rack itself. By about 1/2" each side.

So having accepted the fact that my turning radius has been reduced I set out to minimize any more compromises.

I cut up some sheet metal and bent up some fitting brackets to start dialing in the location for the rack. Several variables to consider. Maintain opening to keep tie rods in original locations, keep rack above bottom of trans and engine oil pans, locate shaft connection to accessible area, maintain clearance for oil filter AN line connection on bottom of oil pan, keep clear of exhaust, and maintain clearance for power steering fluid line connections.

After a couple of hours of playing with the final location I started fabbing up the final brackets. I used 1 1/2" wide 16 guage metal for the bracket form. This is strong enough to maintain position until the engine is out and I can further brace/fill the brackets.

This is a pic from the drivers side