CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

'89 Blazer LS swapped DD/Adventure Rig

Start with a parts wanted ad here. Always guys parting trucks and I've seen the hydro pedals come up more than a few times...

Almost forgot, Russel ran an NV3500 in his old K5 wheeling rig behind a turbo'd 6.2, and on 37's. I don't think he ever killed the tranny.
Nice! I'll post something up and keep my fingers crossed
 
You could make a manual pedal set-up work. Gotta do a bit of math and fab...but doable. The clutch master just needs a push rod to activate. You'd need to figure the max depth of the clutch master and then figure where to attach on the clutch pedal to get that amount of travel as the pedal hits the floor.
 
You could make a manual pedal set-up work. Gotta do a bit of math and fab...but doable. The clutch master just needs a push rod to activate. You'd need to figure the max depth of the clutch master and then figure where to attach on the clutch pedal to get that amount of travel as the pedal hits the floor.
Definitely seems doable, I'd be happy with anything at this point, just to get the ball rolling
 
Your 5.3 is basically stock right? IDK, the 5.3/4L60E is a proven combo that normally lasts for 200K without a rebuild under normal conditions and regular fluid changes. I'd just rebuild the 4L60 and be done with it.
 
Your 5.3 is basically stock right? IDK, the 5.3/4L60E is a proven combo that normally lasts for 200K without a rebuild under normal conditions and regular fluid changes. I'd just rebuild the 4L60 and be done with it.
Yes my 5.3 is stock except for 100% TM deleted.

I screwed myself initially when I installed the torque converter improperly. I have no doubt it would have lasted much longer had I been more careful upon first installation.

Honestly I cannot afford a 2k trans rebuild, which is what I believe it will cost to have a reliable 4l60e behind a 5.3 turning 35" tires.

I believe I can get away with doing a manual swap around $1200 all said and done. And I'll be left with a more reliable drivetrain, better fuel economy, and more driving pleasure.
 
I recently installed a NV3500 from a '07 into my sons 73 K-10

it has an old worn out TBI 350, but the trans has survived a year of a 16 year old driving it, so Id say they are pretty strong,

it already had a 4 speed, so we converted the pedals to hydro,
took all day, but we could not find a hydro pedal assembly anywhere for under $500

lemme dig around and see if I can find what parts exactly we used,
I think it was a 87-91 squarebody mastercylinder and honda reservoir,
bought the hose for a 87, and took that and the slave cylinder to a shop that makes hoses, the input fitting for the slave cylinder is steel,but the GM quick disconnect fitting is some bizarre size that they couldnt work with, they cut it off and tigged a fitting on that they could make a flex hose fit onto.
I can get some pics later.

we mounted the master on threaded rod and used that to adjust the distance for the pedal, kinda hill-billy but it worked and we just couldnt think of any other way to do it.

probably the best way is to use a threaded rod end from McMaster Carr

we we removed the pedal assembly we discovered that the top of the clutch pedal where it swings, was badly worn, and that if you take a brake pedal from an automatic, and saw off the foot pad, and flip the pedal over, it perfectly fits in the clutch side, and the clutch pedal is in 2 parts anyway, so you can unbolt the pedal and bolt it to the flipped over automatic brake pedal. If you put a little thought into this procedure you can make a clutch pedal with adjustable height, with an adjustment screw.

you will absolutely love the NV-3500 5 speed,
it bolts right up to almost any T-case with the 6 bolt round pattern and 32 spline.

it was very hard to bleed, we would up using a hand vacuum pump to bleed it, using it on the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder and vaccing on the hose from the master cylinder, which actually did the most good, pull a good vacuum on the hose from the master and let it sit and you can watch the bubbles come out the top


I also have the Dodge NV-3550 version in my 75 Bronco

reading this thread because were pondering a engine swap, either a LS or a Isuzu box truck diesel.
so we will probably have some LS swap questions coming soon.

I have a non hydro pedal assembly I can part with if you cant find one locally.
 
Last edited:
Wow man thanks for all the info! Sounds like you got it all figured out. I found a sweet deal on a trans, now just waiting to find a set of pedals for less than $300. I had no idea they were going for that much.
 
Wow man thanks for all the info! Sounds like you got it all figured out. I found a sweet deal on a trans, now just waiting to find a set of pedals for less than $300. I had no idea they were going for that much.

oh one big thing

when you install the master cyl, drill the hole for the center of the cylinder, part of it protudes thru to the inside of the firewall, and then just drill the mounting holes by sticking your drill bit into the holes on the cylinder, dont try to drill the mounting holes using a pattern or anything, it wont work.

in the top picture, you can see where we just drilled a hole in the clutch pedal and used a bolt to hold the mc pushrod , crude but it works, and the 2 bolts below that, the small bolt , if you look close has another hole , thats where I wshed we had just welded or bolted on a L bracket with threads tapped in it and then we could have used a bolt to adjust the height of the pedal to anywhere we wanted it,

I have a set of good pedals but they are not hydro, those things are gold, unless you stumble across one in a pull a part yard where everything is cheap. but a good set of mechanical pedals is $100 or so and then you spend all day modifying them, so if I had it to do over again, Id have just paid the $300 for a set of hydro pedals and saved 9 hours of laying on your head under the dash....
 
oh one big thing

when you install the master cyl, drill the hole for the center of the cylinder, part of it protudes thru to the inside of the firewall, and then just drill the mounting holes by sticking your drill bit into the holes on the cylinder, dont try to drill the mounting holes using a pattern or anything, it wont work.
Mine has dimples in the firewall where the holes should be. I will confirm they are correct though. Thanks for the heads up!
 
Yeah, yours being an '89 will have the dimples. A 1975 was ten years before the hydraulic clutch setup, so no dimples.

Martin
 
Best bet, is to find a busted up parts truck.

I bought a complete 1987 V20 for $500, mostly for the hydraulic clutch setup.

Martin
 
Best bet, is to find a busted up parts truck.

I bought a complete 1987 V20 for $500, mostly for the hydraulic clutch setup.

Martin

I've found a couple sets, but everyone thinks they're worth $300. I get it, they're rare but my God...

There is a member that is going to hook me up pending he has the correct set. I'll know this weekend!:woot:
 
As a general update :

I have located a 100k mile NV3500 for $200! Evidently these transmissions are so rare that the prices are being driven up due to scarcity, the next cheapest trans with 151K miles was $700... I guess I got lucky, the recyclers I am getting it from considers it a "throw away" transmission so he apparently does not value it much.

Only problem is it is three states away, its a good thing I know the right people. My brother in law did a little horse-trading and is having a distributor of his (work) deliver the transmission to his store for $50!(Thanks Ryan) So i'll be in a 5-speed for less than $300.

I plan on ordering a "Core Shifters" short throw shifter since the transmission does not come with a stock shifter, I figure I might as well upgrade.

I have a flywheel, slave cylinder, master cylinder, and clutch set on the way. I hope to have this thing rolling in a couple of weeks.

Does anyone know if the NV3500 has the same external dimensions (length) as a 4L60E? I wonder if I will have to move my crossmember? My motor mounts are adjustable so that shouldn't be an issue, but locating the shifter hole and the crossmember in the correct place may be challenging.
 
I plan on ordering a "Core Shifters" short throw shifter since the transmission does not come with a stock shifter, I figure I might as well upgrade.

This is awesome news :waytogo:

Btw that's a damn good deal on the transmission too
 
I read in another thread that you had a core shifter as well, I hope I like it!

The trans apparently got pushed aside at a recyclers and forgotten about. They found it later on and now they just want it gone.
 
Top Bottom