GM LS1 swap into Bronco...

48951 Views 69 Replies 51 Participants Last post by SEMO, 9 d ago

cobra2411

Discussion Starter · Jan 26, 2011

Ok remember guys... This area is flame free...

First let me say I love all things American made - no real brand loyalty. I love Ford Trucks, Old GM Muscle cars, Ford Pony cars and anything Original or 2nd Gen HEMI. The New Challenger is pretty cool too.

Anyway all I've been hearing about is how the LS motors make stupid power and get great economy so I've been itching to play with one. If I wasn't so far into building a 454 for my 70 Chevelle I'd put one in there.

This is most likely just a hypothetical build but what about swapping an LS motor, 4L80 and NP241 into a Bronco? Right now I'm planning on buying a roller shortblock 351, heads, built AOD, rebuilding my t-case, custom exhaust and changing over to a MAF setup. Other then mounts it seems like almost the same to do a LS swap... Maybe driveshafts.

Anybody else think about this or am I the only one?

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Madcat455

· #21 · Jan 27, 2011

IDK...

Can it be done... Sure. Should it be done?? up to you.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but for off roading, isn't torque the thing we should be after?? LS1's put out some decent torque, but you have to get it to 4k just to break 400lbft. Not very practical for the trail.

I've personally been tossing up either a turbo straight 6 for the bronco, or a built Buick 455.

The 600lbft of torque, at 2400rpm, of the Buick is appealing as all getout to me.

But the challenge of building a turbo inline 6, along with the apparent rarity of such a thing, has it's own luster.

Either way you go, good luck. Your biggest challenge is going to be the trans/tcase... as stated before. Maybe a trans adapter to use the Ford Driveline?

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3StangJohn

· #22 · Jan 27, 2011

Umm, no. Don't do it. Period. Of course, I do bleed blue, so maybe I am biased. If you want to do something different, put a Ford engine in a Chevy!!

BigMatt302

· #23 · Jan 27, 2011

Ive been thinking about it too

Andrew James

· #24 · Jan 27, 2011

Anything is possible, I'd take a Chevy engine over a Ford engine any day. The 302 is better than the 305 though... But I have more experience with Chebbys and like their engines.

jon6.0

· #25 · Jan 27, 2011

I'm thinking about it since I have the old motor out of my GTO. Ironblock forged 370. MSD makes a box that will fire the coils and all the sensors plug in to it. Then you just run a good carb and you're done. A turbo six is appealing also.

RyanDS650X

· #26 · Jan 27, 2011 (Edited)

I think its a badass idea. Ive seen LS motors shoehorned into ford rangers out at the dunes so it can be done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JTKgKaK4J4

hav24wheel

· #27 · Jan 27, 2011

Why not look at Fords new 5.0? They sell a whole crate motor n ECU.

But I'm kinda against any Chevy drive train in a Ford. Nuthin pisses me off more than a sweet Ford with a Chevy motor under the hood. (More so in Rods)

AussieF100

· #28 · Jan 27, 2011

joshmillslane said:
That's kinda like banging your sister. It might feel good, but it's just not right. :beer

x 2. Just buy a Blazer and be done with it :goodfinge

AussieF100

· #29 · Jan 27, 2011

Scoop said:
An LS1 would fit nice . . . in a blazer.

Seriously, the 68-72 blazers are pretty nice. Why screw up a Bronco when you could have a nice blazer?

(I am trying to be as positive as I can in a no-flame zone, but I don't think it worked out well!)

opc1:

x 2.:thumbup

sirus270

· #30 · Oct 3, 2011

hey cocbra, im doing an ls in a s10 as we speak..but i also have a 90 bronco that i will not part with i to am sitting here looking at the bronco thinking about giving her a new heart...just thinking should i keep it fe or go carb on it.

magnumpi

· #31 · Oct 3, 2011

Before you buy anything....go read the article on pirate4x4 about chevys "LS" engines. Its got tons of good info about swapping them into different vehicles and what to do about the fuel injection.

It also goes into detail about the different engine models. Alot of people throw LS1 around like "small block chevy" The ls1 was only one of many different engines chevy used over the years. There were different LS engines, LQs, LMs, etc, etc. Some were truck engines, some were Hi-po car engines.

bluesuper74

· #32 · Oct 5, 2011

I have thought of this many times. I looked for a-daptors to use Ford-Chevy Drive train combinations. The only ones I found were for Diesel swaps and to use GM trans with a Ford Engine. Another option might be a GM motor and trans and a divorced t-case but I never gave that much thought. Donno if it would work.

wyoranch

· #33 · Oct 5, 2011

Yeah, divorce case would solve the drivers drop issue. And if that's what you want I say go for it. No harder than doing a swap into a blazer really, except you're gonna have to make your own mounts. If you put one in a blazer it's not like you can just hook up the wires, all wiring is gonna have to be done anyway. People are always talking about putting cummins motors in these and never get flamed. If you wanna do it then go for it.

86beast

· #34 · Oct 5, 2011

3StangJohn said:
Umm, no. Don't do it. Period. Of course, I do bleed blue, so maybe I am biased. If you want to do something different, put a Ford engine in a Chevy!!

If I was ever to do a ford eng to chevy truck it would be for the 1997 Chevy Z71. God thats a sweet body style. Get the good looks of the Z71 truck and the raw and untamable power of 5.8 Windsor! My father in law is ford core like me and my uncle is a chevy master mech and chevy to the core. Both have threatend to :enforce marshall law on my ass..lol Problem is I won't buy a chevy so it would have to be given to me for free..haha

As for LS1 into bronco, if your going to go that route why not go ls7?

kidlightning5

· #35 · Oct 5, 2011

Why not the new coyote 302 or the 6.2L but don't do an LS1

disturbed_bronco

· #36 · Oct 5, 2011

uhhh a ls1 is a ford engine lol its based off the 460 and down sized but shhhhhh dont tell the f body owners ......want proof look at the exhaust ports chevy motors are Siamese and to get you started get 351 headers for a bronco cut flanges and weld ls1 flanges then it fit for exhaust wise lol now if ford would of done a 351 all aluminum block and heads the government would'nt been able to bale them out lol ......gm....government motors lmao.....

EastTN89

· #37 · Oct 5, 2011

I bleed blue. With that said, the new power plants that Ford has released would be a great option. They have some much power, The 3.5L TT mototr they have is sweet. If you want to use an LS motor just get a Chevy. Save the Broncos.

disturbed_bronco

· #38 · Oct 5, 2011

i do like the new 5.0 uh huh

magnumpi

· #39 · Oct 6, 2011

disturbed_bronco said:
uhhh a ls1 is a ford engine lol its based off the 460 and down sized but shhhhhh dont tell the f body owners ......want proof look at the exhaust ports chevy motors are Siamese

WTF is siamese exhuat ports? And I don't think the LS1 and 460 have much in common other than a v8 cam in block engine design.

79rustyk10

· #40 · Oct 7, 2011

Ive also thought about it, but I figure it would be more hassle than it would be worth with oil pan, and header issues.

I am planning (hoping) on removing the ford EFI and swapping to the FAST EZ EFI on a 351W, with a GM 4L60E. To me it seems like the easiest way to get decent power numbers because the SBF definitly has the potential, just the $$$ required to achieve it with an ancient "fuel injection" setup that is only marginaly better than a carburetor. I happen to be one of the lucky ones that doesnt have the smog nazis like many of you guys have though.

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