Any LS Swapped 69-70 Catalina's Around Here?

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B52bombardier1

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Hello,

I've looked around the site here and haven't found much that's relevant for an LS swapped 69-70 Catalina. If there are any that I didn't find, what did they use for engine mounts, oil pan, exhaust manifolds and a transmission cross member? I'm thinking the transmission for me will be a 4L80E and I'm curious if I will need to snip any tin from the firewall or floor pan? I might have to look at other B-body GM vehicles for assistance.

Many thanks if you can point me in the right direction.

Rick
 
Hello Mel,

Ok, thanks. I have not purchased the Catalina yet but if I do, I will certainly start a build thread around here in the correct forum. And yea, if this one had a 455 in it, I'd rebuild it. But that's not the case, its a 350 that is out of the vehicle and likely worn out. But who knows, I might rebuild that and put a little fuel injection on top.

Rick
 
I'll help you as much as I can, this is my build:

My project, a 1968 pontiac catalina with a C5R 427 - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Conversions & Swaps - My project, a 1968 pontiac catalina with a C5R 427 - http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture197.jpg http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture056.jpg http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture198.jpg...
ls1tech.com
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Hello,

Yes, I've seen that over there. My biggest question for now is what did you use for engine mounts? Were they forward bias? Your post #1 didn't mention engine mounts or the oil pan used. Did you use electric fans? Did your LS engine with the stock manifolds fit between the frame rails and if not, what headers did you use? I'm hopeful the PCM can fit above the glove box. Did the floor pan need any metal massaging for your transmission?

Many thanks for the help and I hoped you would eventually chime in.

Rick
 
Yes, I've seen that over there. My biggest question for now is what did you use for engine mounts? I made my own motor mount from 1/4 inch x 2 inch flat stock.
Were they forward bias? I used to original mount locations but extended them farther back.
The oil pan used. ----- I'll find the info------
Did you use electric fans? 2 fans, set at 190 and the other at 200 degrees, also running and 3 core radiator and external 11'x11' Hayden trans cooler from amazon model 679.
Did your LS engine with the stock manifolds fit between the frame rails and if not, what headers did you use? -----I'll find the info-----
I'm hopeful the PCM can fit above the glove box. I mounted mine below
Did the floor pan need any metal massaging for your transmission? Yes The 4L60E trans is larger and lighter
I made this rear sway bar work: UMIperformance, item #3665-R , 65-70 GM B-body 1" sway bar
I'll send you pictures of anything you need to see.
 
Hello Again,

Excellent, EXCELLENT . . . EXCELLENT!!! Your answers here lower the risks and search time for me a lot, as you well know. For the fuel pump and sending unit, did they require any top of the tank mods to get them to bolt in?

Nice price on the oil pan. A lot of these swap oil pans have trouble at full left and right turns but I have a Holley 302-2 pan on my A-Body El Camino that solves that problem. The 302-2 pan is specifically designed for GM A-Body vehicles but I have no idea if it works the same for a Catalina B-Body. Probably but I would need to call Holley to see if their 302-5 pan might be better.

That particular part number for headers no longer pulls up on the Holley web site but it does cross reference to a set of small block Pontiac headers - new pn "4901-1HKR". But it doesn't mention anything about whether the new part number is for an LS engine (it mentions 350 and 455 cubic inches) and I'd probably need to add oxygen sensor bungs. Holley does make a proven good set of LS engine headers for an A-Body and a tape measure will tell me in advance if they fit between the frame rails of a B-body. Holley part number 70101518HKR in long tubed mild steel and with 1 and 7/8ths inch tubes work perfectly on my El Camino but the price is a little spendy these days. The same set of headers in stainless steel has a ridiculously insane price - Holley 70101318HKR.

I still haven't gone up to Tulsa OK to see if this Catalina convertible has a lot of rust. Maybe soon and I will keep everybody posted. Even if I wind up not buying this particular Catalina, these LS swap knowledge nuggets might help somebody else someday.

Again, many thanks. I really appreciate it.

Rick
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B52bombardier1 said:
Hello,

I've looked around the site here and haven't found much that's relevant for an LS swapped 69-70 Catalina. If there are any that I didn't find, what did they use for engine mounts, oil pan, exhaust manifolds and a transmission cross member? I'm thinking the transmission for me will be a 4L80E and I'm curious if I will need to snip any tin from the firewall or floor pan? I might have to look at other B-body GM vehicles for assistance.

Many thanks if you can point me in the right direction.

Rick
Click to expand...
I’m actually doing a 6.0L LS swap on my 64 Catalina base. A couple friends and myself just pulled the factory 389 and slim Jim trans out a couple days ago. I sold the motor and trans this morning.
My friend that’s helping has a built turboed 6.0l in his fox body. So he’s helping me with the build. We are doing a whole fully built motor. I’m a little stumped on the motor mounts as well. From everyone I’ve talked to, they custom made theirs. I just ordered the Holley terminator x max harness today. I’ll be running a 4l80e trans with mine as well. Keep me posted on your build.
 

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Hello,

OK, will do on keeping you posted. I've got two LS 5.3 truck motors sitting on my shop floor that I'm preparing and one of them will get dropped in - either an LM7 (Silverado motor) or an L59 (GMC Yukon motor). I'm also probably going to bring the already removed 400 cubic inch original 1970 Pontiac motor back when I pick up the Cat in Oklahoma. A coworker buddy of mine has a brother that needs it in an early Firebird. The family that is working this estate sale just wants stuff cleared out of their deceased husband / father's shop building so I will probably set this 400 C.I. motor back into the Cat temporarily for the ride back here to Louisiana.

Yea, I get it on making my own motor mounts but I think I will stay with either Holley mounts or something forward-bias adjustable from ICT Billet or maybe some Dirty Dingo mounts.

Rick
 

My project, a 1968 pontiac catalina with a C5R 427 - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Conversions & Swaps - My project, a 1968 pontiac catalina with a C5R 427 - http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture197.jpg http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture056.jpg http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv2/tramminc/Picture198.jpg...
ls1tech.com


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1966 Catalina LS1/T56 swap - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Conversions & Swaps - 1966 Catalina LS1/T56 swap - Well its taken a couple of false starts and too much time overall to get to this point, but Ive begun the process of trying to LS swap my old Pontiac. In some respects, Im glad I waited, because I now have the funds to build the car exactly how...
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