Irish's pickup from hell, the 454SS.

[350runner]

This^^^ nice ride btw

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[Stewzer55]

Glad I'm finally seeing this thread, I've been curious about this truck for a long time now.

 

[Irishman999]

This project is back from the dead, I keep getting distracted but I finally realized I wont be happy in life until im driving it to work. It was actually a combination of events, I was at some ******* place in tuscon last summer eating breakfast with my wife and her family in an out door patio when some hooligan in something with a healthy V8 was going through the intersection. The rest of that breakfast I was just day dreaming about my truck.

I lost the keys to the impala so I had to take my toddler son to daycare in the truck, I got it sideways around a corner and he was laughing his ass off. It reminded me of my dad doing stupid **** with me in his 76 C-10 when I was a kid.

Copper is low, holidays are coming and I even have another baby due in march but I am balls to the wall continuing with the 454SS.

I will get pictures soon, just gotta link my photobucket to my phone again. So far I have found big block L29 vortec heads and installed them. They are fresh take offs from an exploded engine so they are brand new still. TBI sucks dick, all that ******** is gone. I decided to go with the multi-port fuel injection manifold GM made, All I have to do is make some spacers so the throttle body clears the tall valve covers. I have two different shops looking into it, its a custom part.

Fuel injection is going to be Megasquirt II I think, im still trying to decide which one to order but im going to tune it myself with my laptop. (I think).

Most exciting news is I am finally going to do the qwik performance modification that lets you bolt a small block serpentine to a big block. I just robbed all the brackets off a 98 Suburban last Sunday and the Kwik performance kit is in the mail.

It had a factory serpentine setup already but that **** has to weigh 800 pounds at least. Its big, ugly and stupid looking. Now the engine bay is going to be a pieced together masterpiece of GM factory stuff with a little bit of aftermarket stuff mixed in run by a home built completely tun able megasquirt efi.

 

[Old77]

Glad that you're going to continue on with this project!!

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Love this truck! I am especially looking forward to following your path with the Megasquirt. I have been thinking of using Megasquirt also with a TPI set-up on my SBC.

How much of a spacer do you need? It won't cause interference with the hood will it?

Keep up the good work!

 

[HotRodPC]

This project is back from the dead, I keep getting distracted but I finally realized I wont be happy in life until im driving it to work. It was actually a combination of events, I was at some ******* place in tuscon last summer eating breakfast with my wife and her family in an out door patio when some hooligan in something with a healthy V8 was going through the intersection. The rest of that breakfast I was just day dreaming about my truck.

I lost the keys to the impala so I had to take my toddler son to daycare in the truck, I got it sideways around a corner and he was laughing his ass off. It reminded me of my dad doing stupid **** with me in his 76 C-10 when I was a kid.

Copper is low, holidays are coming and I even have another baby due in march but I am balls to the wall continuing with the 454SS.

I will get pictures soon, just gotta link my photobucket to my phone again. So far I have found big block L29 vortec heads and installed them. They are fresh take offs from an exploded engine so they are brand new still. TBI sucks dick, all that ******** is gone. I decided to go with the multi-port fuel injection manifold GM made, All I have to do is make some spacers so the throttle body clears the tall valve covers. I have two different shops looking into it, its a custom part.

Fuel injection is going to be Megasquirt II I think, im still trying to decide which one to order but im going to tune it myself with my laptop. (I think).

Most exciting news is I am finally going to do the qwik performance modification that lets you bolt a small block serpentine to a big block. I just robbed all the brackets off a 98 Suburban last Sunday and the Kwik performance kit is in the mail.

It had a factory serpentine setup already but that **** has to weigh 800 pounds at least. Its big, ugly and stupid looking. Now the engine bay is going to be a pieced together masterpiece of GM factory stuff with a little bit of aftermarket stuff mixed in run by a home built completely tun able megasquirt efi.

Cool !!! Get it back on track. Though just a tip, if you want to keep having toys, you don't have to catch up with bucket and Cob on the baby making.

 

[Irishman999]

Cool !!! Get it back on track. Though just a tip, if you want to keep having toys, you don't have to catch up with bucket and Cob on the baby making.

Were having a FMLA party after my daughter is born, im gonna go ahead and get my balls rendered useless so we can just both stay at home recovering for a little bit.

I never planned on kids but this is going to be my third, I think im good now.

 

[Irishman999]

Love this truck! I am especially looking forward to following your path with the Megasquirt. I have been thinking of using Megasquirt also with a TPI set-up on my SBC.

How much of a spacer do you need? It won't cause interference with the hood will it?

Keep up the good work!

I sit around day dreaming about this truck! I still love it as much as the day I saw it on Craigslist.

This megasquirt stuff is going to be interesting, I highly suggest you do what im doing with it. If I can get the spacers made for the intake manifold I was hoping to order some of the megasquirt kit so I can get started on it. Im planning on just removing alot of the old wiring harness and wiring in the megasquirt. Im still trying to figure out details like what ignition I should go with, IAC valve control and electric fan control. When I actually get it and start messing with it I will post a thread about nothing but megasquirt.

As far as the spacer goes, it will most likely make my intake hit the hood, im most likely going to need a cowl hood. I only need to raise the top part of the plenum 1 inch so it might be alright.

So far the spacer is the biggest hangup, I actually followed a guys quest online who was trying to do the same exact thing as me and it just goes cold. It goes cold because the price to manufacture a custom spacer like that starts getting into the new intake manifold zone and it kinda seems like im heading in that direction. I got two different companies "looking into it" for me and I have not herd back from either one sooo..... I can get all hardcore and try to make one myself on my manual mill.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

This project is back from the dead, I keep getting distracted but I finally realized I wont be happy in life until im driving it to work. It was actually a combination of events, I was at some ******* place in tuscon last summer eating breakfast with my wife and her family in an out door patio when some hooligan in something with a healthy V8 was going through the intersection. The rest of that breakfast I was just day dreaming about my truck.

I lost the keys to the impala so I had to take my toddler son to daycare in the truck, I got it sideways around a corner and he was laughing his ass off. It reminded me of my dad doing stupid **** with me in his 76 C-10 when I was a kid.

I sit around day dreaming about this truck! I still love it as much as the day I saw it on Craigslist.

This resonates with me big time right now too! I have been witness to several amazing sounding, older generation trucks around my area. It always leads to me wanting to make my truck sound good! Couple that with the fact 3 out my 4 kids are absolutely in love with it, and I have soooo many memories of it with my dad, it's no wonder I am always dreaming of this truck instead of working on my SS!

This megasquirt stuff is going to be interesting, I highly suggest you do what im doing with it. If I can get the spacers made for the intake manifold I was hoping to order some of the megasquirt kit so I can get started on it. Im planning on just removing alot of the old wiring harness and wiring in the megasquirt. Im still trying to figure out details like what ignition I should go with, IAC valve control and electric fan control. When I actually get it and start messing with it I will post a thread about nothing but megasquirt.

As far as the spacer goes, it will most likely make my intake hit the hood, im most likely going to need a cowl hood. I only need to raise the top part of the plenum 1 inch so it might be alright.

So far the spacer is the biggest hangup, I actually followed a guys quest online who was trying to do the same exact thing as me and it just goes cold. It goes cold because the price to manufacture a custom spacer like that starts getting into the new intake manifold zone and it kinda seems like im heading in that direction. I got two different companies "looking into it" for me and I have not herd back from either one sooo..... I can get all hardcore and try to make one myself on my manual mill.

I told my wife I will wait until the SS is back on the road to tear into the truck. In the meantime I am doing very similar to what you are doing, in that I am seeing what is available for intakes. I am considering TPI first for it's inherent torque production, but am also seeing what out there for Vortec intakes, GM Ramjet, and also others like the SR, MR, and stuff from FAST. I am not prepared to buy anything new, but things may change with time.

As far as the spacer, I wish we were closer! I am a CNC programmer/machinist, and I would fab one up for you if I could. Do you have pics of the intake? Is it a two piece design? Have you thought about looking for a marine application intake that would put the intake straight forward? Seems from what I have seen they can be pricey $$$.

Seems as far as ignition, I was under the thinking you needed one that is able to be controlled by a computer, which the original TBI ignition should work. That is, if I understood the Megasquirt stuff when I was researching it.

 

[Irishman999]

This resonates with me big time right now too! I have been witness to several amazing sounding, older generation trucks around my area. It always leads to me wanting to make my truck sound good! Couple that with the fact 3 out my 4 kids are absolutely in love with it, and I have soooo many memories of it with my dad, it's no wonder I am always dreaming of this truck instead of working on my SS!



I told my wife I will wait until the SS is back on the road to tear into the truck. In the meantime I am doing very similar to what you are doing, in that I am seeing what is available for intakes. I am considering TPI first for it's inherent torque production, but am also seeing what out there for Vortec intakes, GM Ramjet, and also others like the SR, MR, and stuff from FAST. I am not prepared to buy anything new, but things may change with time.

As far as the spacer, I wish we were closer! I am a CNC programmer/machinist, and I would fab one up for you if I could. Do you have pics of the intake? Is it a two piece design? Have you thought about looking for a marine application intake that would put the intake straight forward? Seems from what I have seen they can be pricey $$$.

Seems as far as ignition, I was under the thinking you needed one that is able to be controlled by a computer, which the original TBI ignition should work. That is, if I understood the Megasquirt stuff when I was researching it.

TPI is a HUGE upgrade for a small block chevy, When I got the 95 Impala I could not believe how quick it was, it seriously shags ass. I was planning on replacing the intake manifold with an edelbrock intake for a corvette. You will need late model heads to bolt it on only because of bolt hole angles into the head, primarily around the bolts in the center of the intake. You could make the intake work on older heads if you read around on the internet im sure...

Other than the money involved in the intake, injectors and rails you could just bolt it all on and run it with megasquirt, its a beautiful thing. Im doing as much research as I can before I order stuff, im still emailing back and forth with megasquirt so I can figure out what I need. So far my biggest question is running a vortec style distributor or just going with msd and letting megasquirt control fuel only, there is a ton of variables.

 

[Irishman999]

This resonates with me big time right now too! I have been witness to several amazing sounding, older generation trucks around my area. It always leads to me wanting to make my truck sound good! Couple that with the fact 3 out my 4 kids are absolutely in love with it, and I have soooo many memories of it with my dad, it's no wonder I am always dreaming of this truck instead of working on my SS!



I told my wife I will wait until the SS is back on the road to tear into the truck. In the meantime I am doing very similar to what you are doing, in that I am seeing what is available for intakes. I am considering TPI first for it's inherent torque production, but am also seeing what out there for Vortec intakes, GM Ramjet, and also others like the SR, MR, and stuff from FAST. I am not prepared to buy anything new, but things may change with time.

As far as the spacer, I wish we were closer! I am a CNC programmer/machinist, and I would fab one up for you if I could. Do you have pics of the intake? Is it a two piece design? Have you thought about looking for a marine application intake that would put the intake straight forward? Seems from what I have seen they can be pricey $$$.

Seems as far as ignition, I was under the thinking you needed one that is able to be controlled by a computer, which the original TBI ignition should work. That is, if I understood the Megasquirt stuff when I was researching it.

When you said you were a CNC programmer/machinist my heart skipped a beat! Im at a dead end with the spacer, im getting stuff ready to try and manual machine it with my harbor freight mill.

This is a complicated part, to get this thing made so far is going to be as much as buying a new intake manifold and just going another route. I have really done some footwork on it, I talked to some important guy about a month ago at a big time machine shop here locally that does stuff for the mine I work at. I explained what I was needing and gave him a gasket as a template but I have not herd back.

I also talked to someone that works at a place in Phoenix that does water jet cutting. I emailed pictures of the gasket compared to a tape measurer trying to figure out if we could make these spacers. Still have not herd back.

At this point, I have priced slabs of aluminum, steel and plastic. Steel is actually the cheapest for the application. Last time I used autocad I was in highschoool. I have access to it thanks to my wifes work computer so I could stumble through a design if I watch enough youtube video's.

If you could help me out let me know, I pm my phone number and explain everything, I am more than willing to send the gasket as a template, I just need something in the same shape an inch thick... Oh, and I will pay you to do it. Paypal or whatever, I dont give a **** I can mail you a check.

 

[Stewzer55]

This is gonna get really good, might need more

 

[Irishman999]

I got the qwik-performance adapter plates installed, aluminum sbc brackets are back from getting cleaned. I got a new power steering pump, got the old one taken apart so I could re-use the reservoir. If any of you guys buy this kit and rob brackets off a sbc serpentine setup make sure you save the power steering pump.

Now I just have to put the power steering pump back together, put it back into the aluminum bracket and press the pulley back on. Then I can bolt the drivers side bracket on the front of the engine. Once I buy a new alternator and find the belt I need its done!

I will get some pictures later on.

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

TPI is a HUGE upgrade for a small block chevy, When I got the 95 Impala I could not believe how quick it was, it seriously shags ass. I was planning on replacing the intake manifold with an edelbrock intake for a corvette. You will need late model heads to bolt it on only because of bolt hole angles into the head, primarily around the bolts in the center of the intake. You could make the intake work on older heads if you read around on the internet im sure...

Other than the money involved in the intake, injectors and rails you could just bolt it all on and run it with megasquirt, its a beautiful thing. Im doing as much research as I can before I order stuff, im still emailing back and forth with megasquirt so I can figure out what I need. So far my biggest question is running a vortec style distributor or just going with msd and letting megasquirt control fuel only, there is a ton of variables.

Thanks man..... you have me thinking about EFI 24/7 now! Damn you! I have been doing more research and came up with this... TPI actually has two different intake bolt patterns for the different middle bolt angles. But... it's probably NOT how we all think. The Corvettes used the old 45* on ALL their TPI intakes. Turns out the "113" aluminum heads they put on the Vettes used the old angle because those heads were also used on a crate motor, ZZ3 I believe. Anyway, in '87 the F-bodies DID go to the new 72* for the intake bolts. So I just need to decide on heads and make sure to get the correct intake for them.

There are a lot of variables, you are right! I was just looking at it again today. I don't see why you couldn't use a Vortec distributor and have MS control it. As long as the connections communicate properly, you should be good to go. Would your current TBI dizzy fit with the new Vortec intake? If it does, I know you could use that and have MS control it. DIY Autotune did that in their '77 Nova build, albeit on a small block. Either way, definitely have the ignition computer controlled. Don't do all this work and not take advantage of the technology.

I will get pictures soon, just gotta link my photobucket to my phone again. So far I have found big block L29 vortec heads and installed them. I decided to go with the multi-port fuel injection manifold GM made, All I have to do is make some spacers so the throttle body clears the tall valve covers. I have two different shops looking into it, its a custom part.

I have really done some footwork on it, I talked to some important guy about a month ago at a big time machine shop here locally that does stuff for the mine I work at. I explained what I was needing and gave him a gasket as a template but I have not herd back.

I also talked to someone that works at a place in Phoenix that does water jet cutting. I emailed pictures of the gasket compared to a tape measurer trying to figure out if we could make these spacers. Still have not herd back.

At this point, I have priced slabs of aluminum, steel and plastic. Steel is actually the cheapest for the application. Last time I used autocad I was in highschoool. I have access to it thanks to my wifes work computer so I could stumble through a design if I watch enough youtube video's.

If you could help me out let me know, I pm my phone number and explain everything, I am more than willing to send the gasket as a template, I just need something in the same shape an inch thick... Oh, and I will pay you to do it. Paypal or whatever, I dont give a **** I can mail you a check.

Do you have the L29 intake, or the Ramjet intake? I am assuming the L29 one, but I just wanted to be sure. Don't get your hopes up with this, but email me that same picture you sent the other guy with a tape measure for size reference. My email is [email protected] I have some chunks of aluminum laying around that followed me home from work.

I have a feeling you are not getting traction with those other places simply because you are asking for a custom one-off project. Once you are done working with them, you don't need to go back to them. They want repeat customers, so they are not going to put much effort into working with you. I say again, don't get your hopes up, but send me that picture, and if I can help you out, I will do my best!

 

[Georgeb]

Thanks man..... you have me thinking about EFI 24/7 now! Damn you! I have been doing more research and came up with this... TPI actually has two different intake bolt patterns for the different middle bolt angles. But... it's probably NOT how we all think. The Corvettes used the old 45* on ALL their TPI intakes. Turns out the "113" aluminum heads they put on the Vettes used the old angle because those heads were also used on a crate motor, ZZ3 I believe. Anyway, in '87 the F-bodies DID go to the new 72* for the intake bolts. So I just need to decide on heads and make sure to get the correct intake for them.

There are a lot of variables, you are right! I was just looking at it again today. I don't see why you couldn't use a Vortec distributor and have MS control it. As long as the connections communicate properly, you should be good to go. Would your current TBI dizzy fit with the new Vortec intake? If it does, I know you could use that and have MS control it. DIY Autotune did that in their '77 Nova build, albeit on a small block. Either way, definitely have the ignition computer controlled. Don't do all this work and not take advantage of the technology.





Do you have the L29 intake, or the Ramjet intake? I am assuming the L29 one, but I just wanted to be sure. Don't get your hopes up with this, but email me that same picture you sent the other guy with a tape measure for size reference. My email is [email protected] I have some chunks of aluminum laying around that followed me home from work.

I have a feeling you are not getting traction with those other places simply because you are asking for a custom one-off project. Once you are done working with them, you don't need to go back to them. They want repeat customers, so they are not going to put much effort into working with you. I say again, don't get your hopes up, but send me that picture, and if I can help you out, I will do my best!

If this doesn't work out try these guys.
http://www.bigbluesaw.com
I think having a drawing would really help you get this done.