Steve-O's Silvy Build Thread

[Steve-O-08]

Hey everyone. Figured I'd start a quick build thread for my Chevrolet Silverado aka 'Racetruck'

 

Let's Start way back at the beginning...

 

I purchased the truck used November of 2009 and it was very different than she is now. She had 55K miles on it, W/T interior, 4.8L/4L60e, 2WD, 3.42 gears, Camper Shell with a BedRug, Chrome 20" Wheels

 

 

 

My plans to modify it began immediately. In the first week I sold the camper shell and the stupid-heavy 20's. Next came a set of 17" steelies. A set of DDM 6000k HID's, Spectre cold air intake and a Superchips programmer came next. I also painted the lower valance and grill black to match the upper bumper plastics.

 

 

I found a good deal on a set of aluminum 17's a little while later and swapped them on. This is when I started trying to make it faster. Ditched the Stupidchips programmer for a BlackBear Performance Tune and added a Cherrybomb Vortex muffler (dumped before the axle)

 

 

At this point I started taking the truck to Irwindale Drag Strip. It sounded better but still nothing too exciting. Best ET's at the time were 10.1's.

 

Another round of mods followed: LS1 E-Fans with the Blackbear Harness, a Transgo HD-2 Shift Kit, Corvette Servo, Detroit TruTrac differential, CARB legal Bassani Mid-Length Headers and a set of 2" drop shackles to level the truck out. These mods got the truck down to 9.6 in the 1/8 mile.

 

 

 

 

After a year of running the truck like this I got a nice black Friday special on a Harris Speed Works Dry Nitrous Kit and controller. Wanting to keep the 4.8L and 4L60E together i only sprayed a 50hp shot. This knocked of a few more tenths and I began saving up for a new Drivetrain and suspension set up.

[Steve-O-08]

As I began saving up for the new drivetrain setup I started working on the suspension. Another craigslist find was a Hotchkis 2/4 Drop Kit and a Rear Sway Bar and 1" Block Kit.

 

 

 

I didn't want to go the full 4" drop in the rear to leave some rake. So I used a 1" lift block with the 4" inch leaf springs for a 2/3 drop.

 

 

[Steve-O-08]

I came across a good deal on a used engine on ebay and went to pick it up. The guy thought it was a 5.3 but after I got there I saw that it was an LQ9 out of a wrecked Escalade. Took it home and tore it down. Everything looked good so i loaded it up and took it to school so I could begin all of the machine work.

 

 

Started with Baking and Steelabrating the Block to get it perfectly clean.

 

 

And then a coat of paint

 

 

Followed by Checking out the Main bores, Decking and Cylinder Bore and Hone

 

 

 

 

 

The Mahle Flat Top Pistons that I went with:

 

 

Then the Block was almost ready for assembly.

 

[Steve-O-08]

Installed Cam bearings and Balanced the Rotating assembly.

 

 

More parts started accumulating.

 

 

 

 

Once I got the rest of the parts I assembled the engine.

 

 

 

 

Then she was ready for her new home:

 

[Steve-O-08]

As I was building the engine I had the 4L60e built with the best parts I could afford at the time. I also ordered a Circle D Torque converter and a set of 42lb Fuel Injectors. Then once I was ready I got everything swapped in.

 

 

Out with the old 4.8...

 

 

...and in with the new 370.

 

 

 

New best time at Irwindale was an 8.2 @ 86 mph with terrible traction.

 

 

 

I daily drove the truck this way for a year and a half. Never had any issues with it until the beginning of this year.

 

Had the coolant reservoir crack on me and blew a head gasket...

 

So the stock 317 Heads came off and replaced with a set of ported and polished ones that I had been working on at school to eventually swap in.

 

 

 

 

 

Got the heads back in and the truck ran much better. For about two days.... Then the Built 4L60E lost 3rd and 4th....

 

 

The truck sat for a few weeks while I was mad at it. During this time I found my new daily driver Sierra.

 

Now that the Silverado was being retired from daily driver usage, This is where the whole project began to snowball...

 

The Transmission came out and I picked up a core 4L80e to replace it with. I decided to build the new trans myself. I also pulled the Hotchkis Suspension and sold it. The 4L60E converter was also sold along with a bunch more parts that I was hoarding.

 

 

 

 

 

The Suspension was replaced with a set of DJM 3" Drop Lower Control Arms up front and a McGaughys 6" Flip kit and notch in the rear.

 

 

 

I pulled the factory 3 bold intake manifold and replaced it with a NNBS/TBSS Intake and X-Link. As well as a pair of fabricated aluminum valve covers.

 

 

 

[Steve-O-08]

Once the transmission was finished up I fabricated the swap cross member, had the drive shaft balanced and got everything in. Also went back to Circle D for an 80E converter.

 

 

 

 

 

[Chris]

Good work

 

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[Steve-O-08]

So this brings up to date with everything I've done so far. I just sold the Bassani Headers and Y-Pipe and picked up a set of Cal Speed stainless long tube headers. I'm going to be installing them this weekend, so more pics to come:

[Steve-O-08]

duplicate...

[Steve-O-08]

duplicate...

[Steve-O-08]

Good work

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

Thanks man.

[Chris]

I dont want to do business with Cal Speed again. Hell I think they closed and I hope they did

 

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[Steve-O-08]

I dont want to do business with Cal Speed again. Hell I think they closed and I hope they did

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk Pro

 

 

What happened with them?

[Chris]

They screwed the tune on my LQ9. After they did the engine swap there was a lot of fit and finish stuff I had to do because I wasnt to happy about they way things looked.

 

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[oldscsc]

Hell of a thread so far! Looks like you do some killer work.