BRAAP

AWESOME news on the T-5 to LSx set up. I wonder if that would help with the early LT1 T-56 to LSx conversion?... (could've kept my other T-56 then.. DOH! )

Believe me when I say that I also hope/pray that what you are finding will work. You have no idea how badly I want your observations to be true, but after my various mock ups with trans and intake attached, and phone conversation yesterday with another that has done this confirming the exact same issue I have been calling out all along?.... Those specs I spelled out above is with a modified oil pan, F-bod or other wise. If you don’t modify the oil pan, it’s even worse! This picture is the absolute maximum you can modify the F-body oil pan and just clear the spinning crankshaft by ¼” inch. Set the oil pan only ½” above the rack, and the rack still has to be lowered ¾” for the bell-housing to clear the tunnel entrance and the Throttle body to clear the hood! GREEN is material to remove. MAGENTA is the rack! With the pan modified that much AND the rack lowered 3/4" this is all the hood clearance we have! ALL this and more dimensions clearly labeled, etc in this thread; http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=144469 Hurry up and get your trans bolted up, intake with throttle body installed AND an oil pan and mock that whole thing up! We are anxiously awaiting some one to find an easier, less problematic approach to installing an LSx without cutting the firewall, hood, or modifying the rack location!

Thank you for the offer. I am no longer in the market, recently picked one up from another member here. You might try the NICo forum. I think the 240-SX guys use the GTO oil pan for the LSx conversions. I also recall something about the BMW 3 series LSx conversions using the GTO front sump pan as well. Thank you again, Paul

Happy birthday Justin.

Maybe I didn't mention this already. If the x-member was in the way of the oil pan, yes, modifying the existing or constructing a new x-member is a great idea. Thanks. In this instance, the x-member is fine, x-member is not in the way, even where the oil pan is. It's the rack that is in the way, being 1/ 1/2" above the cross-member.

That would definitely help! The cross-member itself is not so much the issue. in fact, if the rack was removed, the cross member is fine "as is" and poses no real clearance conflicts. The Rack placement IS the issue! Custom cross member allows us to alter the rack location, but so does modding the stock cross member. As it is, the rack sits approx 1 ½” above and just behind the cross member, too high and too far rearward in the engine bay! If the rack was ahead of, and level to the cross-member, (front steer style like the S-30) the LSx would be literally, almost a bolt in with an LS2 or F-bod oil pan. The problem with lowering the rack is to keep bump steer to a minimum, you also have to drop the inboard LCA pivot points with the rack, (easier to just lower the entire cross member with the rack attached). The Z-32 front suspension is a double A-arm design, so lowering the inner pickup points of the LCA and and the rack will have some affect on the suspension geometry, most likely negative. Now to what degree of a negative impact that is, we don’t know yet. I do plan on plotting that out and running it by one our resident suspension guru’s for his input, if he is willing to offer his input. It just hasn't been that high on my priority list lately, sorry.

Thanks for the contact Hugh. Just got off the phone with Johnny. New shop, came from WA, (explains why we haven’t heard of him before). Really nice guy, enjoyed talking with him. We discussed a little about the V-8 Z-32 project he was involved in while working at the other shop in WA. We didn’t cover exactly which engine it was, the trans was an early 6 speed. He said the project was under a time constraint so they didn’t have the luxury of being able to do tons of R&D. Their solution to getting the engine in the car, under the hood without cutting the firewall, was a custom fabbed cross member that relocated the rack to make everything clear, (lowered the rack). We discussed the problem clearance areas at the firewall and tunnel entrance and he confirmed all the same points I found that need just a touch of BFH persuasion. He didn’t have any specifics such as how much the rack location was changed, but did recall they also ordered special outer tie rod ends, no other info as to why that was. He also mentioned they had a custom oil pan fabbed from scratch by a shop in WA as well. He was real pleased with final outcome and said the customer was also quite pleased. Thanks again Hugh, Paul

Interesting. Being essentially neighbor, I wonder how come we haven't heard of this before? Hmmm... Might have to drop by his shop... Giving him a call now.

In looking at this a little closer I’m seeing the T-5 bell-housing as having more issue than the T-56 bell-housing, requiring the engine to be set even further forward, creating more clearance issues between the oil pan, rack, and hood. Again, I may be wrong and I hope that I am, but I’m struggling to see it working out that easy. The LSx T-56 bell-housing starts its downward slope earlier than the T-5 bell-housing, which is where the T-5 bell housing is going to crash into the firewall. The T-5 one piece bell housing is approx the same length as the T-56 two piece design, not even an 1” difference, as depicted by the green lines in the pics below. The T-5 bell-housing goes rearward at the top before it drops down which is exactly how I recall my SBC V-8 W/C T-5 bell housing in my first V-8 Z car. (LOVE that trans for mild V-8’s). The W/C T-5 with GM V-8 bell-housing will bolt up directly up to the LSX engine, same bolt hole pattern etc, sans one hole that is not available in the block. Issue in being able to use it that way is the input shaft is just a wee bit short in engaging the pilot bushing/bearing in the crankshaft of the LSx, (LSx crankshaft does not protrude out of the rear of the block as far as the traditional SBC). That T-56 pictured above is a T-56, but definitely not for an LSx or SBC. Gear shift lever is too far forward and bell-housing is NOT GM. Maybe Mopar Hemi/Viper, Ford, BOP? Below is a GM T-56. The GREEN lines represent the bell housings-to-gear box distance, T-5 and T-56 are approx the same distance here. Baby BLUE line represents the T-5 bell housing and start of the gear box. The MAGENTA lines represent the Z-32 firewall, tunnel entrance, and tunnel. RED represents the stock Z-32 shifter location. This is with rack lowered ¾” to clear the spinning crankshaft and ½ oilpan-rack clearance with a modified oil pan that has only 1/8” clearance to the crank windage tray. The T-5 being a shorter height gear box will allow the engine to sit higher, but I see the bell-housing clashing with the firewall forcing that forward further crowding the TB into the hood and creating more issues with shifter location. To get a true accurate representation of how much clearance, or lack of, you rally have, you need to mock up the whole assy together, block, oil pan, and trans all together. Did you get the GM V-8 bell-housing with your T-5? If so, bolt it on the trans and bolt the T5 up to your LSx, add your oil pan AND intake with TB and test fit. I have a strong feeling things will change.

So the ONLY mod to get your LSx in the car, without cutting the firewall, notching the oil pan, lowering the rack, or cutting the hood, is merely relocating the heater penetrations through the firewall? I'll be honest, I'm struggling to see that, without at least lowering the rack and/or modifying the oil pan etc, even with the T-5 trans/bell-housing. I pray that I am wrong and this turns out to be just that easy. Looking forward to seeing your pics with transmission, intake, and oil pan attached.

Very nice...

On/in the GM LSx engines, ALL threads, are metric. You will not find any SAE pipe threads on the LSx. In fact, I don't think there are any metric tapered pipe threads either. At any rate, the the plug/CLT temp sensors in the LSx heads are not a tapered pipe thread, just a straight metric thread. I just took a quick look at my LSx head plug and stock Datsun water temp sender for the gauge. (I don't have my LSx heads handy) Fortunately the Datsun water temp sender is larger diamter so you should be able to drill and tap the head for the datsun sender. Unfortunately, I don't recall what the threads are for the Datsun sender, other than it is metric and possibly tapered pipe? (Mine was still installed in a Thermostat housing. I think the JTR manual might callout the threads, I'd have to go out and dig that up to be sure). Also, the Datsun gauge sender is a little longer/deeper so be sure there is ample room in the head for the sender in that location, i.e. it doesn't crash into the chamber/port wall etc.

Very nice. Like the color scheme.

On the Vi-PEC home page, right hand side of the page is a list of dealers. Contact the dealer listed nearest you for pricing. http://www.vi-pec.com/

I have no intentions of being in competition with Sikky, actually, on the contrary. We would prefer to be in collaboration of sorts in bringing this to fruition. As close to a bolt-in as possible. Our input and testing, their fabrication. I have no desire in fabricating kits. We have already shared much of the specific dimensions with Sikky, in the end we would like be a dealer for this kit, hence my confusion over your public announcement right now...

Saey haah-low to mah littel frahnd...

Hmmmm.... Vetty vetty intah-essting...

Looks GREAT! Nice work.

That is correct. The overdrive wasn't available till later.

Just contact Kevin directly. His contact info is in the first post.

Transmission shop in California is paying $100 per auto trans, as many as they can get their hands on. I just got off the phone with Kevin, the owner and this is still a GO! Others have verified this is legit as Kevin bought their trans. For those local to me in the Greater Portland OR area wanting to get rid of your old Z car auto trans, I have agreed to be a drop off for combined build shipping, I get nothing for this, just trying to help out. If you can get me your old Auto Trans by Friday, March 13th, that would be great. He is paying $100 per trans! We are in Sandy OR, just east of Gresham. PM or Email me for exact address. Paul Ruschman braapZ350@hotmail.com

Hmmm.... Been in touch with them regarding some of the details and dimensions for this conversion, didn't know they were going public with the announcement yet! Their kits are thorough and custom parts are well designed, quality craftsmanship. Looking forward to it.

Did someone say Bathroom scales? During the VH45DE vs VG30DE weight dispute I spent a good deal of time searching for a hanging/crane scale. You wont find one in the weight rage for $100 new. Used, I never found one. I finally bought a new one. I think I paid between $300-$390, don't recall the exact amount. Any how, I am satisfied with it. Accurate, repeatable, and precise.

"...No no no no no no... there's TWO A's in BRAAP, boys..."