NJGreenBudd
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2013
Well, this will be a place for me to share my attempt at a now common theme. I'd like to say that when I planned most of this out years ago I didn't realize how many 240s already were out there with various levels of V8s and power adders. I remember reading the old jags that run manual on V8 conversion and I recognized that folks had been doing the SBC and Ford 5.0 swaps since they started making the 240s. I just didn't realize it had exploded to the current level of LS swap insanity, which is kinda amazing, it's hot rodding and I love seeing what folks have done with the spread of information like YouTube and Car Craft etc, Sloppy Mechanics and stuff makes this accessible to most gear handy folks. My hero amongst men, Michael Borggren, was the inspiration for me to pull the trigger. I have Soo much respect for you guys who are engineers and rocket scientist and can build cars like NASA builds satellites. This will be the most complex build I have attempted and I've set a goal of 10.xx seconds for $10k by the time she's done.
Some how I bought a complete LQ9 from a guy in Buffalo NY off Craigslist or something. $1000 shipped to NJ. Upon receiving the motor and inspection it was determined the motor was actually a LQ4 variant. Both are 364ci 6.0L iron block LS motors but the LQ4 has slightly lower compression pistons. I got a $200 refund from the guy to cover the cost of a set of used LQ9 pistons if I chose to swap them. At this point I think the lower compression won't matter at all and we'll put the money towards other parts. I'm not going to be keeping a hard budget but I'll try to note costs.
With a hunk of V8 awesomeness in the garage I started to ruminate about possiblly swapping it into my C4 Corvette or my grey 1992 240. I couldn't convince myself to kill my 240 and had plans for it to stay Red block but getting a +T K24 and M47 swap. It was too nice of a car and my first 240 and didn't want to lose it. My Vette has cool Crossfire Fuel Injection motor and I didn't want to ruin the nostalgia of that. So I looked on CL and found this white 1993 240 down the shore in NJ and went to pick it up with my Cummins dually and equipment trailer.
It was listed as non running and needed a new motor due to knocking. I went expecting to be able to pull it up on the trailer at least but it won't start, won't crank, all the wires are broke off the starter?? The PCV box was missing, hmm, I think someone salvaged a new PCV for one of the other 2 240s they had sitting there, idk but long story short I had to pull it up the trailer ramps, not meant for a Volvo wagon lol, with a 10 ton come along by hand . I actually paid $500 which I think was stupid as the lady was saying she was glad she didn't have to pay to get rid of it. This is after she had it listed for 2 months at $2700 for the car with blown motor. I had emailed and said if she ever got realistic I'd be interested but im not paying three times the amount inosid for my Running 240 lol. Anyways I guess we saved it from the crusher in the end and gave it a new life.
Towed home and stashed away until I got time to pull the old B230 and automatic transmission. I cut and welded the cross member but now not sure I had to do that, my mount kit said too but the TPS oil pan kit ($200) O think may have cleared without cutting, oh well, will have to see how it actually sits.
So I got the Griffin Performance LS Engine mounts ($200) and 4L80E Transmission 240 Chassis mounts ($135). Also used them for the 8.8 rear axle mounts ($299).
Picked up a local 4L80E with 70k miles for $1000, way more than I wanted to spend but prices seem to have gone up... eventually got a BTR converter for $300.
Elgin E-1840-P Sloppy Mechanics Stage 2 Camshaft for $275.
Tons of seals, bearings, couple small tools, rebuild parts like Summit high performance oil pump and billet roller timing set. ($$$)
The motor was torn down and inspected as best I could with some bore gauges and stuff and ultimately me and my father decided to get it machined to make the most of the build and give us a reliable and fast powerplant. Should be back from the machine shop any time now, lol, they are slow but very good. Went with stock bores, will do just a rehone at home and fresh moly rings. Using the stock rods and pistons. Had the heads and valves done, added PAC 1216 valve springs.
Turbo is a VS 7875 billet wheel unit ($640), building a single setup trying to use some Edlebrock tubular headers that came on tbe motor but might go cast truck manifolds depending on the piping for the crossover, planning to run dual 50mm waste gates. Probably just straight pipe out the rear, maybe a muffler and cutout, will see.
EMS is going to be Holley Terminator Max to control the 4L80E and handle the fueling and ignition tuning easily with new plug and plug harnesses. Will run premium pump gas, not doing E85 or anything. Will probably go deka injectors and Bosch pumps. Planning to use the stock truck intake and accessories.
I found a nice 10 pt (I think) 8.50 certified cage manufacturer locally in PA, will source the kit for ($350) and tig weld myself.
Going to do maybe some coilovers in the rear with the 8.8 and probably leave the front alone. I am planning to try to run my stock 1984 Corvette wheels which are 16x8.5 and 16x9.5. the sectioned rear axle should allow good choice of adapters to fit the wheels, I hope. Those wheels aren't good for much else, no major tire companies make street tires that fit, only track type tires from my research, thinking the softer sticky tires could be fine for this type of project. For my Vette I went to some really cool C5 N34 special order SpeedLite Magnesium lightweight wheels in 17x8.5 and 18x9.5 for modern tire choices.
Need to pick up the rear axle assembly so we can start mounting the hard parts.
Body and paint and most other stuff will stay the way it is. It's not a show car but should look fine, might do E Codes or something with LEDs.
Hoping for between 700 and 800HP the initial build, like I said if we can scoot below 11.00 in our local 1/4 mile we will be thrilled. My pops is an old drag racer from way back and I am hoping we can both get some runs in next season.
Some how I bought a complete LQ9 from a guy in Buffalo NY off Craigslist or something. $1000 shipped to NJ. Upon receiving the motor and inspection it was determined the motor was actually a LQ4 variant. Both are 364ci 6.0L iron block LS motors but the LQ4 has slightly lower compression pistons. I got a $200 refund from the guy to cover the cost of a set of used LQ9 pistons if I chose to swap them. At this point I think the lower compression won't matter at all and we'll put the money towards other parts. I'm not going to be keeping a hard budget but I'll try to note costs.
With a hunk of V8 awesomeness in the garage I started to ruminate about possiblly swapping it into my C4 Corvette or my grey 1992 240. I couldn't convince myself to kill my 240 and had plans for it to stay Red block but getting a +T K24 and M47 swap. It was too nice of a car and my first 240 and didn't want to lose it. My Vette has cool Crossfire Fuel Injection motor and I didn't want to ruin the nostalgia of that. So I looked on CL and found this white 1993 240 down the shore in NJ and went to pick it up with my Cummins dually and equipment trailer.
It was listed as non running and needed a new motor due to knocking. I went expecting to be able to pull it up on the trailer at least but it won't start, won't crank, all the wires are broke off the starter?? The PCV box was missing, hmm, I think someone salvaged a new PCV for one of the other 2 240s they had sitting there, idk but long story short I had to pull it up the trailer ramps, not meant for a Volvo wagon lol, with a 10 ton come along by hand . I actually paid $500 which I think was stupid as the lady was saying she was glad she didn't have to pay to get rid of it. This is after she had it listed for 2 months at $2700 for the car with blown motor. I had emailed and said if she ever got realistic I'd be interested but im not paying three times the amount inosid for my Running 240 lol. Anyways I guess we saved it from the crusher in the end and gave it a new life.
Towed home and stashed away until I got time to pull the old B230 and automatic transmission. I cut and welded the cross member but now not sure I had to do that, my mount kit said too but the TPS oil pan kit ($200) O think may have cleared without cutting, oh well, will have to see how it actually sits.
So I got the Griffin Performance LS Engine mounts ($200) and 4L80E Transmission 240 Chassis mounts ($135). Also used them for the 8.8 rear axle mounts ($299).
Picked up a local 4L80E with 70k miles for $1000, way more than I wanted to spend but prices seem to have gone up... eventually got a BTR converter for $300.
Elgin E-1840-P Sloppy Mechanics Stage 2 Camshaft for $275.
Tons of seals, bearings, couple small tools, rebuild parts like Summit high performance oil pump and billet roller timing set. ($$$)
The motor was torn down and inspected as best I could with some bore gauges and stuff and ultimately me and my father decided to get it machined to make the most of the build and give us a reliable and fast powerplant. Should be back from the machine shop any time now, lol, they are slow but very good. Went with stock bores, will do just a rehone at home and fresh moly rings. Using the stock rods and pistons. Had the heads and valves done, added PAC 1216 valve springs.
Turbo is a VS 7875 billet wheel unit ($640), building a single setup trying to use some Edlebrock tubular headers that came on tbe motor but might go cast truck manifolds depending on the piping for the crossover, planning to run dual 50mm waste gates. Probably just straight pipe out the rear, maybe a muffler and cutout, will see.
EMS is going to be Holley Terminator Max to control the 4L80E and handle the fueling and ignition tuning easily with new plug and plug harnesses. Will run premium pump gas, not doing E85 or anything. Will probably go deka injectors and Bosch pumps. Planning to use the stock truck intake and accessories.
I found a nice 10 pt (I think) 8.50 certified cage manufacturer locally in PA, will source the kit for ($350) and tig weld myself.
Going to do maybe some coilovers in the rear with the 8.8 and probably leave the front alone. I am planning to try to run my stock 1984 Corvette wheels which are 16x8.5 and 16x9.5. the sectioned rear axle should allow good choice of adapters to fit the wheels, I hope. Those wheels aren't good for much else, no major tire companies make street tires that fit, only track type tires from my research, thinking the softer sticky tires could be fine for this type of project. For my Vette I went to some really cool C5 N34 special order SpeedLite Magnesium lightweight wheels in 17x8.5 and 18x9.5 for modern tire choices.
Need to pick up the rear axle assembly so we can start mounting the hard parts.
Body and paint and most other stuff will stay the way it is. It's not a show car but should look fine, might do E Codes or something with LEDs.
Hoping for between 700 and 800HP the initial build, like I said if we can scoot below 11.00 in our local 1/4 mile we will be thrilled. My pops is an old drag racer from way back and I am hoping we can both get some runs in next season.
