94 lb7 K1500 conversion

[kgoff6]

Yes, for now. After you've been around a while, and interact more, you'll be allowed more features and storage space. Keep going at your rate and it won't be long at all.

Oh I see!

I picked up the donor truck today, there's lots of work to be done.
It didn't come with a cab or bed, just the rolling chassis.

I've got the bed taken off of the half ton, as well as exhaust, transfer case and everything.
All that is still connected is the front suspension + axle and the cab.
The rear axle is still on, but I plan on swapping the 3/4 ton axle into it today. It seems like it will fit perfect, just move the springs. There's less than a half inch difference between the 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton mounts, so with the play in the shackles Im hoping it will fit.

The donor truck was a 4 door short bed.. And I know that it's an option to swap the cab onto the 3/4 ton frame but that seems like a huge pita.. Cutting the frame and all that.. Then fitting cab mounts..

I plan on swapping a Dana 60 in, but for now I'm going to leave the half ton front.
If it had been fairly easy, I wanted to swap the 3/4 ton front suspension and diff and everything into it, but that doesn't seem like it will work either.
So I get to go with my original plan! solid axle swap.

I'll post some more so that I can post pictures...
It's no fun without pictures 👎

[DieselDavy]

Kenny,
I'm concerned that the cab didn't come with the donor truck. I thought you'd need the wiring harness and dash. (I really don't know what I'm talking about, just what I think I remember reading here on "the page".)
Dave

[kgoff6]

Kenny,
I'm concerned that the cab didn't come with the donor truck. I thought you'd need the wiring harness and dash. (I really don't know what I'm talking about, just what I think I remember reading here on "the page".)
Dave

I really wish I would've got the cab, I planned on swapping the entire dash, seats, carpet, all kinds of stuff.
That did not happen.

Fortunately, when I bought the engine the guy gave me the entire engine harness, ecu, and tcu.
When I recieved the donor truck (from the same guy) it came with the entire harness for headlights, taillights and everything like that. I will be swapping that to the half ton and wiring it to my lights and such.

There is a Video on you tube and the guy is running an lb7 in a truck about this same year, and he has original gauges hooked up and working correctly.
Not sure what is involved in making this happen yet, but I will difenatly be researching. 12volt electrical is my specialty, not scared at all on (12v) wiring.

Debating on buying or building engine mounts right now.

Going to loosen the cab today and lift it up about 3 inches to get the engine in and mocked up, then cut the cab to fit as I go.
I would like to have a removable tunnel (bolted in) for easy access.

Thanks for the feedback!!

I've posted on 3 forums, this one is the best so far.

I was able to post more pictures!!

[trbankii]

The donor truck was a 4 door short bed.. And I know that it's an option to swap the cab onto the 3/4 ton frame but that seems like a huge pita.. Cutting the frame and all that.. Then fitting cab mounts..

Honestly, by the time you fabricate all the brackets for the engine and drivetrain and swap everything over, splicing the frame and some cab mounts seems like small potatoes...

Kenny,
I'm concerned that the cab didn't come with the donor truck. I thought you'd need the wiring harness and dash. (I really don't know what I'm talking about, just what I think I remember reading here on "the page".)

I seemed to recall the same. I know Jim did on the Duramax Diesel Power Project. It seems like if you used the original gauges, they’d have to be using engine sensors instead of going through the ECU.

[kgoff6]

Honestly, by the time you fabricate all the brackets for the engine and drivetrain and swap everything over, splicing the frame and some cab mounts seems like small potatoes...



I seemed to recall the same. I know Jim did on the Duramax Diesel Power Project. It seems like if you used the original gauges, they’d have to be using engine sensors instead of going through the ECU.

I'll have to do some more research!
seems like anything obdii would be easier to work with than my current set up.

We got the engine in today for the second time (rough fit).
I cut out the tunnel and that helped a lot with getting the engine and trans in and out.

We also broke the cab mounts loose and put 4x4 blocks between the mounts to get an extra 4 inches.
I didn't want to do a body lift, but I'm just fighting against myself if I don't.
The engine sits really high, with the engine sitting about where it will mounted (level) I have 7+ inches of space between the transmission and the crossmembers where it will mount.
Not sure what to do here.. Or if it's okay to have that much room in between.
I think the hood will still close.. But we will see.

We're going to weld the bottom engine mounts from the 3/4 ton onto the half ton frame.

I called and searched everywhere I could find with no luck of finding conversion engine mounts.




Pics included

[trbankii]

Do you have a copy of the book?

http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramaxconversions.htm

[Yukon6.2]

Hi
I would try to get the engine/trans lower into the frame.
I am pretty sure the stock trucks with the duramax in them run a 2" body lift.
By the looks of your last pic's you need to get more clearance,which will happen once you get the engine lower into the frame.

[kgoff6]

Do you have a copy of the book?

http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramaxconversions.htm

Just bought a copy of the book! Thank you for the link