My vx IS HOME..

[WiSDoM]

the new motor is kick ***. 5.3l and above is the way to go. I love it.
More balls than Ted Nugent at Lilith fair and rasper than Deep Throat.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/uploads/2190/DSC00442_800x600.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/uploads/2190/DSC00443_800x600.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/uploads/2190/DSC00445_800x600.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/uploads/2190/DSC00444_800x600.jpg

[LittleBeast]

Wow looks awesome! Time to put some videos up on YouTube ;-)

[SlowPro48]

Congratulations man, that is fantastic! Looks like you have thrown down the guantlet for whoever ended up with CoachReed's project. I bet two more cylinders livened it up a bit. What's the 0 - 60 now?

[Gussie2000]

Congrats !

Can you share some info about the engine you drop in there ?
I looking foward to get something else besides the 3.5L for my horse.

[Scott Larson]

Holy crappin' Ole Wis, looks like you just knocked one outta da park!! I'd be interested to see the build thread on that puppy...:yesy:

[Triathlete]

And the alternator is up top where it belongs...out of muds way!

[Scott Larson]

Man, did you rearrange stuff in that engine compartment!!!!

[Ldub]

From the title of this thread, I thought you were LIVING in your VX...:laughing:

Nice job...:_wrench:.:thumbup:

[Grif]

Hate to be crude, but how much all that run you dollar wise, and did you document the build?

[VXorado]

:thumbup: looks like that 5.3L fits nice & snug. Did you change out the transmission/transfer case or were you able to keep the originals?

[Ldub]

:yesgray:.:_wrench:.:naughty:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=supercharged%205.3l&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CE8QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lingenfelter.com%2Fengine-packages%2Fchevrolet-ssr-2003-2006%2Fssr-53-l-2003-2004%2F53-l-m112-supercharger-package&ei=lwrsTqHGMIjbggfA4Y3oCA&usg=AFQjCNEmlZw4mzirtYK5Ejx7lNnsmfflDA&sig2=Y4DN9Z5cW2dFuBVw5mEZEQ

On average, only about $10-11 bucks per pony...:smilewink

They're claiming 90 @ the wheels.

THEN you could live in your VX...:yesgray:

[Paul_A]

Awesome!!!

[CoastieCosta567]

And the alternator is up top where it belongs...out of muds way!

agree

[Triathlete]

A few questions for you...
Did you maintain all emissions equipment?
Check engine light still work as intended?
Did you use a custom wireing harness or just modify the isuzu/donor harness?

[JHarris1385]

Wow!

Yeah great alt location!

Lets hear some more details.

[VX KAT]

And the alternator is up top where it belongs...out of muds way!

Cuz I'm not even a shade tree mechanic....can you tell me which is the alternator in the pic? :mbrasd:
The thing in front in the cage, with a black belt in front of it??:?:

[VXorado]

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC00442_800x600.jpg

Right on top, safe from mud & dirt.

[Scott Larson]

...and the fuse box is moved, the battery is moved, the intake is moved, and........

[vt_maverick]

Another build thread with minimal "after-only" pics and no write-up... but I guess that's the MO for most big upgrades. :rolleyes:

Hope I'm wrong dude... if you do have more pics and a write-up it would be a great contribution to the site. There are a lot of people who've talked about doing powertrain swaps and as our VX's get older they may become mandatory just for parts availability.

[VX KAT]

Thanks Jon!
IIRC this may be the first V8 transplant actually completed?

Hey WiSDoM...ya better do a build thread real quick since ya got about 25 grown men drooling all over their computers right now and it ain't pretty.....!:laugho:
Heck, when I saw the horsepower rating,.... even I drooled a little :drool2:......:thumbup:
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.....oh hunny, I've thought of one last mod I want to do....:naughty:...:slap:

[tom4bren]

Do it. You already have the rad for it.

[Triathlete]

. I've thought of one last mod I want to do....:naughty:...:slap:

Everyone knows there is no such thing as "one last mod"!:bwgy:

[Hiredgoon]

A build thread would be super but what I'd love to see is a short video so we can hear that thing growl!

[Gussie2000]

From 3.5L to 5.3L is a long shot wisdom.
Please share with us your " secret" man

[WiSDoM]

I didn't do the work on it. I had Mike from The Shop in Lisbon, Maine do all the work. I chose the motor and tranny 5.3l LH8/ m30 tranny I believe, dana 300 T/C. Drive shafts had to be redone on one end to marry the dana 300. New radiator, air intake, painless wiring harness, dual electric fans. No motor drivin fan wasn't enough room. Mike had to move everything around to make the new motor work in the space available.
Mike did a fine job on this project. He managed to get everything in and working without changing the look of the center console. Everything looks stock. I did lose my A/C no room. Not sure about 0-60 but I can tell you it is fast especially with the 4.78s.
The power steering pump is from the vx but all other motor parts are for or from the hummer motor. The original speedo and tach had to be recalibrated using http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=126/mode=prod/prd126.htm 1 for the tach and 1 for the speedo. We added the correct PCM/TCM for the drivetrain it was out of a chevy 1500 pickup. Would have to reference the painless install manual for correct one but make sure they are from the same vehicle and for the V8. Painless doesn't tell you that in the manual.
Mike would be able to tell you more about the job. I will ask him if he can post some comments. He mentioned about maybe putting together a kit. He is very busy there working on some interesting projects.
I believe one is putting a 3.8l out of a grand national into a jeep. That will be pretty sick too.

[samneil2000]

He mentioned about maybe putting together a kit.
That sounds like a great idea! :yesb:

[VXorado]

I did lose my A/C no room.

I would love the V8 power but I don't know if I could give up A/C :(

[nfpgasmask]

This is wicked. You need to do a YouTube video of you going from a dead stop and just hammering the gas, just so we can all see what you got now.

Bart

[Scott Harness]

I would love the V8 power but I don't know if I could give up A/C :(

Nope...not in Texas:)

[Jay-Fazed]

There are a lot of under dash AC kits you can purchase. A bunch of hot rod guys use them and they are pretty much universal.
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/ac-systems-parts/custom-street-rod-ac-units-c-1_32000000.html

[yellowgizmo99]

I think he means in the engine bay.

[VXorado]

There are a lot of under dash AC kits you can purchase. A bunch of hot rod guys use them and they are pretty much universal.
http://www.oldairproducts.com/catalog/ac-systems-parts/custom-street-rod-ac-units-c-1_32000000.html

Nice idea!

V8 Power + A/C= :)

[PK]

Looking good.

Sounds like a "bonnet bulge" is required to get the AC compressor back in there.

PK

[SilvrSRT10]

I think he means in the engine bay.
Ditto! Probably no room for the compressor and associated plumbing.
I love motor transplants. Specially when they come out looking that good. Almost stock looking. Very nice!

[WiSDoM]

thanks for the comments guys. I live in Maine, so A/c not so important maybe just for 3-4 weeks in the summer. I don't drive longer distance for owrk anymore so no real problem

[Y33TREKker]

I can only ditto all the positive comments regarding the finished results of the conversion. As much as the VX weighs, more torque to get it moving is definitely a move in the right direction. I'll also be interested to see and hear the new performance results when you get the chance to post some video.

[WormGod]

But... but... now it's just a Chevy with VX lipstick on. :(

Neat, but I am not a fan of Frankenstein unless it still held that TOD/AWD magic. :p

Kudos for pioneering though. :)

[WRBSTI]

Can you post pictures of the engine mounts that Mike made? I am currently in the middle of doing a NorthStar 4.6 swap using our stock 4L30E Transmission. We have figured out wiring and everything to make it work with TOD and still be reliable but we need to see about engine mounts. If we make it work we will be developing a kit that is universal for the aurora V8, NorthStar V8, and the 5.3 H2 V8. Any help would be great.

[vt_maverick]

So how do you mount an engine capable of 300 lb-ft of torque to a transmission rated at only 258 lb-ft of torque and make it reliable?

[Mile High VX]

So how do you mount an engine capable of 300 lb-ft of torque to a transmission rated at only 258 lb-ft of torque and make it reliable?

Hope and Pray man...just Hope and Pray...:bwgy::smilewink:bgwo::bgwb:

[WRBSTI]

Rebuilt 4L30E with brand new components. The way in which the NorthStar V8 makes its power is different from a standard LS. Obviously driving habits will have to change but in general it should hold up. I am not forcing anyone to buy the kit when it is done, nor am I promising your transmission will go 150,000 miles with this motor. What I am promising is a V8 kit that the average weekend mechanic could do themselves and have it be cheaper than any other alternatives.

[samneil2000]

Rebuilt 4L30E with brand new components. The way in which the NorthStar V8 makes its power is different from a standard LS. Obviously driving habits will have to change but in general it should hold up. I am not forcing anyone to buy the kit when it is done, nor am I promising your transmission will go 150,000 miles with this motor. What I am promising is a V8 kit that the average weekend mechanic could do themselves and have it be cheaper than any other alternatives.

Sounds great! :yesb:

Just because you have more power doesn't mean you have to drive with your foot to the floor trying to break it.

[WormGod]

Sounds great! :yesb:

Just because you have more power doesn't mean you have to drive with your foot to the floor trying to break it.

Not that old "with great power comes responsibility" thing.... *facepalm*

:p

I know the limits of the VX and most of all, I know the uniqueness and rarity, so I prefer not to go balls-silly with modding it. Hell, that's what my STi is for. ;)

[samneil2000]

Not that old "with great power comes responsibility" thing.... *facepalm*

:p

I know the limits of the VX and most of all, I know the uniqueness and rarity, so I prefer not to go balls-silly with modding it. Hell, that's what my STi is for. ;)

It just sounds funny to me that if you slap an engine making 50 more hp to our tranny and try to drive it, the tranny will just explode. It's not like you're using all those horsepowers anyway. eh.

I heard a new *facepalm* yesterday (new to me at least)
*headdesk*

[SilverBullet75]

I think it's safe to say that quite a few members are very interested in the progress of the Conversion Kit.

I'd like to suggest a new thread be started so we can follow it.
I kinda feel like Wisdom's thunder is being stolen in his own thread, in a way.

I'm one who is VERY interested, and a probable buyer.
I've already received approval from my financial department (wifee)... :winkgray:

[WRBSTI]

Consider it done. I will start a new thread and try to be as detailed as possible. I am still hoping WisDom can provide pictures of the motor mounts.

[SilverBullet75]

Hey Wisdom!

Please let us know how your VX is doing!
Love to hear some stories...
Or see a video or two... :)

[SilverBullet75]

Still hoping for updates...
:smilewink

[SilverBullet75]

Hoping to hear some updates from Wisdom...
I'm a persistent little bugga...

[WiSDoM]

I will try to get them tomorrow. I need to take it in to the muffler shop.