My 1999 OBS C1500 LQ9 6.0 LS Swap

[ChevyMan90]

Ive been visiting this forum for quite a while now and have slowly made more and more progress on this swap. Started collecting parts about a year and a half ago and just wanted to share my progress. Here is my truck along with a bunch of pics of the progress that Ive made up until now. Im sure I may have some questions as I get closer to that first start up. I know you guys have been helpful on builds that Ive followed in the past so hopefully I can come here for help. Anyway on to the Pics!

Here's the truck, 1999 Silverado 1500 which had about 50K on it when I got it. It had a 5.7L Vortec w/4L60E. The truck treated me well until it rolled 150,000 miles and I discovered oil was getting into the coolant. It had either a blown head gasket or a cracked head, not sure. Decided to go ahead and pull it and do the LS swap.

[ChevyMan90]

Here's where it started. Gen IV LY6 from a 2500 Chevy van.

[ChevyMan90]

First thing I did was make a lift plate to get this thing around easier.




Then took it to the machine shop to have it hot tanked and decked. Just had a clean up pass done to get it true.

[ChevyMan90]

Painted the block and got new LQ9 pistons and a 24X Crank. Then me and a friend built the shortblock.


Also had new cam bearings put in.

[ChevyMan90]

More progress. Got the cam in with an LS2 timing chain and cam gear. New front timing cover and the oil pan and balancer.


Then made an engine cradle to get it back home!

[Mickeymotormount]

Nice looking shortblock. I wish I were stuffing that in my project vehicle.

[ChevyMan90]

Thanks, its been a very slow build. Can't wait to get back behind the wheel. Heres some more progress. Getting closer to where its currently sitting..

Here's what showed up next!


PRC Heads from Texas Speed. LS6 heads (243/799 Casting)


Starting to look a little more like a motor here.

[ChevyMan90]

Then I ordered the Schoenfeld swap headers. I sandblasted them then primed & painted with the VHT Flame Proof paint from Oreilly's.



A little mock up..




These are the headers and ORY off the 5.7, sold them not long after I pulled them off

[ChevyMan90]

Decided to keep the 4L60E and got one for cheap from a 2001 Silverado that needed a rebuild. This way I could run a LS1 style converter and not have to worry about adapting to the older style. A good friend builds them all the time so I got all the parts needed and we did a full rebuild. Then got a 9.5" PI Vigilante triple disc converter. Its supposed to be a 3800-4000




All bolted up!

[kewljay223]

lookin good man. word of caution tho. i see your truck is dropped a bit... im guessin 2/4 or maybe 3/5?? your gonna wanna check clearance on that pan. mine is a 4/6 and i had about 2-3" from ground to pan and was forced to get an ls1 pan for clearance. just letting you know now cuz you will have to pull the motor back out if you end up having to swap it. but anyway keep up the great work!!