I'm planning a LS conversion - lots of advice please !
Discussion
Good people of PH, I am starting a chimaera conversion from scratch. I do not even have a complete car at the moment!, but I do have a nice shell with the quad headlight conversion.
I want to go the LS route, but need plenty of advice on the parts to use, chassis mods, exhausts etc etc.
The initial plan is to source a rolling chassis and refurbish it, preparing it as I do so for the LS. I do want to carry all of this work out myself. I am also planning on galvanising the chassis when it is ready.
My initial questions are:
What variant of SBC is the way to go? and what gearbox? I have my eye on this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321666874243?_trksid=p20...
What diff is the best option? have you guys who have already gone down this route kept the TVR diff?
And most importantly what chassis do I need: I.e off of what model if the diff is important?
Now I may sound a little clueless here, but I am mechanically competent. It's just a case of assembling the right parts. I do not want to find myself swapping parts later on, I want to get it right first time.
This is the little beauty it will be built around:
All help will be gratefully received. Maybe I should post a build diary?
Mark.
I want to go the LS route, but need plenty of advice on the parts to use, chassis mods, exhausts etc etc.
The initial plan is to source a rolling chassis and refurbish it, preparing it as I do so for the LS. I do want to carry all of this work out myself. I am also planning on galvanising the chassis when it is ready.
My initial questions are:
What variant of SBC is the way to go? and what gearbox? I have my eye on this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321666874243?_trksid=p20...
What diff is the best option? have you guys who have already gone down this route kept the TVR diff?
And most importantly what chassis do I need: I.e off of what model if the diff is important?
Now I may sound a little clueless here, but I am mechanically competent. It's just a case of assembling the right parts. I do not want to find myself swapping parts later on, I want to get it right first time.
This is the little beauty it will be built around:
All help will be gratefully received. Maybe I should post a build diary?
Mark.
tvr diff (btr) is fine, early gkn one weaker
t56 box is ok, but shifter is a PITA to sort. (t56 magnum has additional shifter point, like the 6060, so is ok too)
the later 6060 is ok. (the box in the ad looks like a 6060 to me, or at least its a 6060 shifter location
any ls will fit a std chassis with no mods to chassis.
exhausts are fun, a few options.
i did a ls conversion a while back, check winter refurb thread. its mostly there
t56 box is ok, but shifter is a PITA to sort. (t56 magnum has additional shifter point, like the 6060, so is ok too)
the later 6060 is ok. (the box in the ad looks like a 6060 to me, or at least its a 6060 shifter location
any ls will fit a std chassis with no mods to chassis.
exhausts are fun, a few options.
i did a ls conversion a while back, check winter refurb thread. its mostly there
Regarding LS7 vs. LS3, I can honestly say that in hindsight the premium is quite a lot for the extra power, trick internals and higher rev limit on the LS7 and I recall being told that the LS3 is a good base for FI so the first one can be trumped quite cost effectively anyway.
I'd probably still have gone for the LS7 though
I'd probably still have gone for the LS7 though
The ls7 has titanium con rods and valve parts inside as well as a lovely pair of factory cnc machined heads fitted with sodium filled valves. Iirc it was the first proper production engine to have ti rods. It's a jewel of an engine imo but expensive.
The ls3 is a good engine but a bit more modest and hence cheaper to buy. Still a good place to start if funds are limited. Pistons are a bit naff though.
A 'forged' bottom end with a pair of LSA heads would be a good place to start and use an ls3 inlet manifold. That way the bottom end's extra strong and the top end flows really well, offering further potential for less then the cost of an ls7. The LSA heads have good ports and lightweight hollow valves but without the sodium ;-).
The ls3 is a good engine but a bit more modest and hence cheaper to buy. Still a good place to start if funds are limited. Pistons are a bit naff though.
A 'forged' bottom end with a pair of LSA heads would be a good place to start and use an ls3 inlet manifold. That way the bottom end's extra strong and the top end flows really well, offering further potential for less then the cost of an ls7. The LSA heads have good ports and lightweight hollow valves but without the sodium ;-).
The LS engine is the right decision. The TKO gearbox is also used as it doesn't break and fits.
I agree with the others that Topcats are the ones to speak to as they have done this before with good success. You may be able to find the best balance of what sorts out with your budget. The bits Topcats make for this, the swirl pots, steering rack, radiator, dry sump kit, oil cooler, condenser, piping, exhaust headers, induction tubing, alternator and ancillary belt used.
I agree with the others that Topcats are the ones to speak to as they have done this before with good success. You may be able to find the best balance of what sorts out with your budget. The bits Topcats make for this, the swirl pots, steering rack, radiator, dry sump kit, oil cooler, condenser, piping, exhaust headers, induction tubing, alternator and ancillary belt used.
if you starting from scratch, i suspect your planning to do much of this yourself?
if so, pm me and let me have your phone number, and i can talk you through some of the options from experience of doing a few myself.
there are a few options chassis wise that make sense whilst you're starting from scratch
if so, pm me and let me have your phone number, and i can talk you through some of the options from experience of doing a few myself.
there are a few options chassis wise that make sense whilst you're starting from scratch
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