Buick Powered Chevy Luv

D

dr_frankenstein

Mad Scientist
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
ok ok, The boys in the Before Black Section have been pushing me to do a thread on her so I guess I will.

Here is my Buick Powered 1979 Chevy LUV.

not finished yet.... still a good ways to go... but its getting there slowly.

1a9.jpg


Engine:
4.1 stage 1
Cat crank
Oliver rods
Venola pistons
Engle Cam
8445 heads
Gear Drive
3 Stage Dry Sump
Weiand Supercharger.
Twin Mikuni PHH 44 Side draft carbs.
SMC Alky
Ford EDIS ignition

Trans:
700R4

Chassis:
5 lug swap to GN spindles and rotors on front with QA1 coilovers.
S10 rear on S10 Leafs
1 of the 7 stock cross memebers removed.

Body:
79 Chevy "LUV" truck.
Severe Diet on all excess weight. everything not needed removed.
no plans for paint or rust repair on exterior. sun faded "Patina" desired.
Engine compartment will be blacked out in gloss
Interior will be restored to factory.

As weighed now, 2367lbs. target running weight under 2600 lbs.

Goal
high 9s with the AC on.

A.j.
 
There was a Chevy Luv at the Oct. GS Nationals but it had a BBB. Ran 9s at 136+. Talked to owner and was told low dollar build w/Stage1 heads, cam, TA Intake w/4barrel carb.
 
Yup.

LOTS AND LOTS

of the good ol Pabst Blue Ribbon.

really... who else converts a GN engine to a Blower?

only a drunk.:biggrin:

A.j.
 
I like it. You seldom see Luvs. I think they all rusted away 30 years ago. Just like their counterpart the Ford Courier. Hell I think they were born with rust on them at the factory. I'll guess that's been a NM truck all it's life. Where did you get the blower at for a Buick V6? It's giving me an idea for a blown 4.1 liter.
 
87Regal3.8SFI said:
I like it. You seldom see Luvs. I think they all rusted away 30 years ago. Just like their counterpart the Ford Courier. Hell I think they were born with rust on them at the factory. I'll guess that's been a NM truck all it's life. Where did you get the blower at for a Buick V6? It's giving me an idea for a blown 4.1 liter.
Click to expand...


yea this truck has spent most of its life in the desert... but it still has its classic rust. all of my other trucks show the same spots! it is like the factory pre-salted-em down before shipping them out the door!

The blower system I made. There isnt a kit available to use the smaller 177 / 144 frame superchargers, and generally most use the larger -71 series and there very cost prohibited...... so I devloped a kit. A full kit should be available by the summer of next year.

A.j.
 
Buick powered Luv

Drfrankenstein: Your truck looks awsome!!!!!!!! Is there any car/truck at your house that is not heavily modded? You are a very busy guy! Skidman.
 
Awesome, love the Luv's! Had a Courier a year ago, used it as a daily for a few months. Sold it before I could convince myself it needed a 2.3 turbo motor in it... Was already shopping parts. Wife said I had to get rid of it.

Nice job guys, will be watching for updates!
 
Wow!!! Looks good.
It looks a lot better than mine did years ago.
In the eighties, I put a turbo V6 from a 78 Regal in a 79 Chevy LUV 4X4. It was a real intense project. There was not much help or information back then. I did a lot of talking to Kenne-Bell, Jim Ruggles, and some others that I have forgotten. Gale Banks would not even talk to me about it back then. The engine was low mileage out of a wrecked/burned Regal. It was a two bbl setup instead of 4 bbl.The carb. was melted. I later found a 4 bbl plenum in a salvage yard . I put a 1968 GMC 3 speed with an old, growling rockwell transfercase behind it until I got tired of the noise and failure to stay in third gear. Then a jeep B/W T90/Dana 20 T/C, and finally, a GM THM400 in front of the Dana 20 T/C.
It was really frustrating to put so many transmissions/Txfer Cases in one vehicle. I did not take any pictures of the engine bay, back then.
With the lift kit, oversize wheels/ tires, etc. this little truck was amazing not only in the mud, but it made many corvettes and camaros do double takes at red lights. Of course, it took being in 4WD Hi with the hubs locked in to get any traction, with out smoking the rear tires when I launched.
Rust finally got the body, but I still have all the engine, THM400/Dana 20 txfer case, and bell housing with TransDapt adapter for BW T90, flywheel and other extra engine hdw. I have the engine on an engine stand in my garage now.

Sorry for such a long post and hijacking your thread, but your post brought back such fun memories.
I wish mine had looked as neat and natural as yours does.
 
skidman said:
Drfrankenstein: Your truck looks awsome!!!!!!!! Is there any car/truck at your house that is not heavily modded? You are a very busy guy! Skidman.
Click to expand...

As of right now..... only the caddilac isnt modded, but soon!

Squid4life said:
Awesome, love the Luv's! Had a Courier a year ago, used it as a daily for a few months. Sold it before I could convince myself it needed a 2.3 turbo motor in it... Was already shopping parts. Wife said I had to get rid of it

Nice job guys, will be watching for updates!
Click to expand...

I actually have the same plan! I have a 78 courier and an 87 2.3! I have got to get you some pics of that build!

Whistler6 said:
Wow!!! Looks good.
It looks a lot better than mine did years ago.
In the eighties, I put a turbo V6 from a 78 Regal in a 79 Chevy LUV 4X4. It was a real intense project. There was not much help or information back then. I did a lot of talking to Kenne-Bell, Jim Ruggles, and some others that I have forgotten. Gale Banks would not even talk to me about it back then. The engine was low mileage out of a wrecked/burned Regal. It was a two bbl setup instead of 4 bbl.The carb. was melted. I later found a 4 bbl plenum in a salvage yard . I put a 1968 GMC 3 speed with an old, growling rockwell transfercase behind it until I got tired of the noise and failure to stay in third gear. Then a jeep B/W T90/Dana 20 T/C, and finally, a GM THM400 in front of the Dana 20 T/C.
It was really frustrating to put so many transmissions/Txfer Cases in one vehicle. I did not take any pictures of the engine bay, back then.
With the lift kit, oversize wheels/ tires, etc. this little truck was amazing not only in the mud, but it made many corvettes and camaros do double takes at red lights. Of course, it took being in 4WD Hi with the hubs locked in to get any traction, with out smoking the rear tires when I launched.
Rust finally got the body, but I still have all the engine, THM400/Dana 20 txfer case, and bell housing with TransDapt adapter for BW T90, flywheel and other extra engine hdw. I have the engine on an engine stand in my garage now.

Sorry for such a long post and hijacking your thread, but your post brought back such fun memories.
I wish mine had looked as neat and natural as yours does.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliment! I actually have a 4x4 that im working on as well! that one will stay 4 cyl though! I will keep ya posted!

just plain john said:
I like the plan to not paint it, gives it the sleeper factor. Good call.
Click to expand...

I am a huge fan of the sleeper action, Thats why I went with the twin sidedraft carbs in attempt to try and keep as much of the supercharger under the hood.

charlief1 said:
You actually posted it.:eek: Looks like you've got a lot of attention so far bud.:biggrin:
Click to expand...

lol, yea im finally letting it all hang out.... the new ol'ladys smart in the craziest ways.

A.j.
 
sweet baby jesus! that blower looks the tits! :D

I've been wondering, didnt Eaton once make a small supercharger with mounting base being for a Holley square bore carb intake, and using a 76mm throttle body (LT1 or some such) mount on the rear?
 
If you need help on fittment or other LUV questions let me know, Ive been doing mine for 15 years in 1 form or another. I may still have some old pice of the Procharger D1R version, the turbo went waaaaay faster.
 
also , NICE spindle work! I finally found some drilled and slotted rotors for my stock front, and im running Willwood on the rear with the narrowed 9". Now that I have a chute, i guess the brakes aren not quite as important?
 
luv2fast said:
If you need help on fittment or other LUV questions let me know, Ive been doing mine for 15 years in 1 form or another. I may still have some old pice of the Procharger D1R version, the turbo went waaaaay faster.
Click to expand...

I would love to see how you set the procharger up! were you carbed or fuel injectected?

the only reason I went blower instead of turbo was just for the hell of it, I have another LUV that is turbo, plus I wanted the challange of the fabrication.

luv2fast said:
also , NICE spindle work! I finally found some drilled and slotted rotors for my stock front, and im running Willwood on the rear with the narrowed 9". Now that I have a chute, i guess the brakes aren not quite as important?
Click to expand...

oh the spindle swap has been one of my saving graces. I offer it as a kit now too if you happen to need to do another. I thought about doing a back half treatment, but im trying to see what my leaf limits will be on this particular truck. the chute definitly sounds like a good idea though.

Have you been on Luvtruck.com? you should stop on by, its a V8 ruled forum and they give me sooooo much **** about a 9 sec V6 luv. they dont think its possible.

sweet to see you hear man, you should do a thread as well!

:biggrin::biggrin:A.j.
 
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