1991 Chevy Crew Cab "R" / "V" Conversion

[mckustomfab]

Update-ish

Small update, I was finally able to find someone to buy my stock 5.7l so 3 days before i had to go back to work we pulled it. So now I have a pile of clutch parts for the NV4500 swap waiting on me to get home.

Also, I want to get some opinions on this steering wheel. I stole it off of a 2001, I like the feel of it and I think I like the look. Still on the fence!

 

[mckustomfab]

Update-ish

Double post....

 

[78K30]

Put the center cap on the wheel and I think it'd look pretty good!

 

[mckustomfab]

Put the center cap on the wheel and I think it'd look pretty good!

I need to pickup a better wheel and a horn button if I stick with this style. Lucky you can buy the horn button from Classic Industries for about 50 buck, I just need to find a wheel that is in better condition. I found this one sitting in the bed of a truck in the bone yard, wish I had taken my steering wheel puller to get a nicer one.

 

[82355]

So you are swapping a 454 TBI in it? Are you still going to swap a Cummins in it?

Martin

 

[Babaganoosh]

How do you like that wheel? I thought about trying to add one and have blue tooth controls and everything

 

[mckustomfab]

So you are swapping a 454 TBI in it? Are you still going to swap a Cummins in it?

Martin

Yes and yes... The Cummins has always been in the plan but right now funds don't allow me to do it. I will pickup a complete running donor truck for the swap and right now its just not a priority. The 454 kind of fell into my lap, i was looking at swapping out my 4l80e and installing the NV4500. But it was getting to be more of a pain because i have a PCM and not a ECM. Then I started looking for a 7747 ecm and harness, that's when i found a low mileage 454 tbi with a turbo 400, complete harness and ecm for $650. I bought it and sold the trans for $150, then sold my 5.7L for another $450. I will sell my 4l80e and harness and should make a few buck on the 454.

How do you like that wheel? I thought about trying to add one and have blue tooth controls and everything

I like the feel of NBS wheel, and it fit good, but you have grind off two indexing tabs on the splines. After that it goes on fine, when I install the horn button i will have to splice the horn wire that goes into the column. Not sure about the blue tooth, the wheel i have is from one of the non-airbag trucks. I don't see any reason why the splines would be different on the airbag trucks but i'm not sure.

 

[82355]

I really like the '88-'93('94?) truck steering wheel. They are a direct swap.

Martin

 

[mckustomfab]

I really like the '88-'93('94?) truck steering wheel. They are a direct swap.

Martin

Yeah, i have one and I like it too. That's why I'm trying to decide which one I like better. I do really like the finger grooves and the bigger horn button though.

 

[mckustomfab]

454 and NV4500 are in!

So I got some work done in my little bit of free time the last few days.

I pulled the column and installed the manual pedal setup, I also stripped the 4l80e harness and ecm out and installed the "new" harness.

Got the 454 and NV4500 installed and also worked up a mount for my windstar fan setup. I still need to do some rewiring and need to hook up and fire up the engine. Now a few pics!

 

[GWeakland620]

Where's this thing at?

Running yet?

 

[mckustomfab]

Where's this thing at?

Running yet?

Soon hopefully! When i get back home in a few days I have to pickup a few things from a buddy. He has a trans tunnel cover, front driveshaft, and trans crossmember he has been holding for me. I also got started on my NP205 shifter mount but I need to finish it up.

I dropped the 205 tail housing off with a friend of a friend to machine a spot face, drill, and tap it for the VSS. Should be finished with it soon so i can get the tcase bolted to the NV4500 and at least start the engine. After that its just a few small things like shortening the rear driveshaft and welding up the exhaust.

I'm excited to see how this drives with the stock-ish 7.4L and a 5 speed, it should be a decent improvement over the 5.7 and auto!

 

[GWeakland620]

I'm excited to see how this drives with the stock-ish 7.4L and a 5 speed, it should be a decent improvement over the 5.7 and auto!

I bet it will be a huge difference!

 

[mckustomfab]

Finally got back home and got some parts in. I'm still waiting on a few things to show up but I'm also in the middle of rebuilding the fence at my house which takes priority right now. Of course I picked August in Texas to do this...

Anyway, here is a rundown, I got my transmission crossmember, transmission hump cover and I got my NP205 tailhousing back from the machinest. I'm waiting on transmission mount and a some exhaust pipe to show up so I can install the t-case. I'm also still finalizing my shifter bracket setup.

It's kind of hard to see but this is the VSS that was installed in the NP205 extension housing.

This is the fitting where the speedo cable attached, plugs that are this size are hard to find so I cut the top off and threaded the hole for a 1/2 oil pan bolt.

 

[GWeakland620]

There ya go

 

[mckustomfab]

I forgot to update this before i left for work so here they are now. I got the transfer case in and got the transmission crossmember installed. Got at crossmember from a buddy that i think came out of a mid 80's 1/2 or 3/4 ton. I mounted it inside the frame rails and it worked great, even lined up with the factory holes in the frame. The pics are bad because the sun was in a bad spot when i was under the truck and I didn't get very many pic.

I was hoping to have it at least running before i left to come back to work but my super special/expensive transmission oil didn't arrive in time. So when i get back home around the first of October and my plan is to get this thing back on the road. I have a few things left like cutting out the trans hump and installing a removable one, finish my t-case shifter bracket, filling up the transmission with the above mentioned super special oil and getting the engine running. After that I have to get my rear drive shaft shortened and then I can test my clutch setup to see if I get full disengagement. Then a little exhaust work and she will at least be streetable again!

 

[GWeakland620]

Looking good.

What fluid are you running?

What route are you going with the t-case shifter?

 

[mckustomfab]

Thank you sir. I'm running Amsoil Manual Transmission & Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 link. It's not as expensive as the deal stuff and it says it works specifically with the Nv4500 so we will see.

Shifter bracket will look something like this.

And mount like this.

 

[mckustomfab]

So I was able to get some work done on the truck in between the rain we got and family obligations.

Got the 7.4liter fired up after having a heck of a time with the timing and trying to burn off all my facial hair... Started when the timing was 180° out, got that straightened out and got it to idle decent at about 12° btdc. When we connected the single wire for the ecm to adjust the timing it turned it to about 22° btdc and idled good. When the engine started i was releaved that my wiring had worked out because I had to repin some connectors.

I was able to function test the electric fans and the thermostatic switch and they worked out great. Also checked my VSS and it is working and my speedo is reading (who knows how close though..)

Also a small side project was my low cost shift knob for my np205 shifter, I like it!

The next items are to replace my hydroboost master cylinder and get the driveshaft shortened and hopefully it will be driveable again! Those will have to wait till mid December when I get back though.

 

[GWeakland620]

That's a cool shifter. I like it!