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Conference napalm::musclecars

Title:Musclecars
Notice:Noter Registration - Note 5
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Mon Mar 11 1991
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:182
Total number of notes:5467

77.0. "V8 LUV?" by COMET::LEWISJ (jim) Fri Oct 04 1991 08:06

    I have a friend that wants a small block installed in a 4 X 4 LUV
    
    truck. Has anyone done this  conversion. Are any "kits" available?
    
    Any input is appreciated.
    
                                          Jim
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77.1TINCUP::MFORBESThis Space Intentionally Left BlankFri Oct 04 1991 09:036
Jim,

Don Hardy Race Cars, Inc. in Floydada, Texas sells V-8 kits for bith the Luv 
and S10.  I use a Don Hardy kit in my Vega.

Mark
77.2WLDWST::BROGDENMon Jan 20 1992 16:0021
     I bought a chev luv with a 400 ci small block in it. The kit contained
    a radiator, short nosed water pump, mounting brackets for the engine
    and I believe for the automatic tranny, and headers. The tranny looked
    like a straight bolt in using original cross memebe, but not sure. The rear
    ends in these things are so low 4.56:1 or even lower that you need to
    consider this when doing a swap. I tried unsuccessfully to obtain
    different gears at the dealer or even a different housing unit...no
    luck. I finally obtained a complete rearend from a 79 ford granada that
    was the correct (real close) width as the original unit. I has a welder
    remove the brackets from the original unit and weld them on the granada
    rearend. It worked beautiful. The new ratio was 2.79:1. With a 400 ci
    engine this was perfect. I got 17 mpg no matter what I did. High rise
    headers, other than that it was stock.
     I had to make a new drive shaft which was no big deal. The nice thing
    was you could hardly even hear the V8.
    
     They run hot in a small compartment. Better get the thickest and
    biggest radiator you can get under the hood. Cut metal if you have to!
    The ones with the kits are marginal to undersized.
    
    Bruce
77.3Just stirring the antifreeze pot WFOV12::KOEHLERHost for the Unoffical ConfabTue Jan 21 1992 05:176
    Bruce, did your Luv have a shut off valve for the heater?
    
    
    :-)
    
    The Mad Weldor....Jim
77.4Yes It Did!WLDWST::BROGDENTue Jan 21 1992 16:039
    Ha ha! Yes, Jim it did! It's a foreign truck remember? :-)   1972
    
    It's all metric with a GM motor! The shut off valve didn't work
    (probably frozen from corrosion *big smile*), I had to replace it with
    one from a shelf of an auto supply store. They let me go look at them
    until I could find one the I could "modify" or "scab" into the truck. I
    have no idea what it originally went on! :-)
    
    Bruce :-)
77.5HSOMAI::FISHERWed Jan 22 1992 09:2810
    
    RE. The Shut off valve debacle:
    
    Jeeeesssuussssss,
    
    I haven't seen such a note file Farce since the "Help - I put brake
    fluid in every orifice" note in V4 of carbuffoons.  Anyone remember
    that beauty?
    
    Tom
77.6Knock It Off Jim :-)WLDWST::BROGDENWed Jan 22 1992 09:374
     Yeah Jim......Knock it off! We aren't talking that stuff anywhere
    anymore!!  :-)
    
    Bruce
77.7yuk, yuk.......WFOV11::KOEHLERHost for the Unoffical ConfabWed Jan 22 1992 10:593
    Ok......
    
    The Mad Weldor....Jim