Well it sure looks like you wrote the book on G Van LS swaps, that's for sure. Your hard LS work is appreciated by all those who toil, sweat, and bleed on their Vans.
Really nice job, on a really nice little Chevy! Thanks for the excellent write up, Nice work Sir. Go 327 !!
BBC Blue 1990 Chevy G30 L19 7.4 EXT Church Van, maternity division
DogVan 1988 Dodge B250 LA series 318 Wedge 5.2 TBI A500
Cabin Cruiser '94 Dodge B350 www.xplorermotorhome.com/ Xplorer MH model 230 230 hp LA series 360 Wedge MPI 5.9 A518 OD auto
A little update. I finally did a longer roadtrip in the van and I'm thrilled with the results. She cruises wonderfully at 70mph with plenty of passing power. However these vans weren't meant to go that fast and it gets pretty rattly in the back over 75mph or so. 70mph cruising is fine! I still haven't hooked up cruise control and I certainly miss that.
But.....but....18.6MPG on this trip. Mostly 70mph with a couple passes to 80mph. Easily a 5mpg increase on top of the doubled horsepower, easier starts, better sound, etc. I love this van!
Nice van sir!
I have not been on here in a while but I am still messing with G-vans myself.
I pulled the TBI 305 and TH400 out of an 87 last year and swapped a DBW 6.0L and 4L80E into its place. With the engine on stock location front mounts the 4L80E trans mount bolted right into the hole in the TH400s crossmember. I used a bracket setup built to mount a Vortec 350 compressor in place of the alternator and relocates the alternator to the passenger side. I used a vortec 350 Tahoe a/c manifold assembly and the fittings from the 87 van to have a custom hose created. The Tahoe manifold has a refrigerant pressure sensor port that I used to wire up the LS refrigerant pressure transducer. I used a dual fan assembly from a LT1 F-car and a 1988 454 G30 replacement radiator. The 6.0L truck PCM has been programmed to fully control the fans with temperature and a/c pressure. With the DBW hooking cruise up was simple. Just connected the 4 wires from the cruise switch to the TAC module and then hooked the stock van brake switches into he correct TAC and PCM pins. You can use the factory set, accelerate and coast functions and it turns off when you tap the brakes. If you are DBC you could use the cruise control module from a Vortec 350 truck or SUV as well. I used a 2005 Hemi ram accelerator pedal on a newer GM truck pedal bracket. The angle and pedal spacing was near perfect for a stock feel. I kept the 3.08 gears but added an eaton locker. 19-20 mpg is what it gets with the cruise pegged on 80 mph.
The 87s LQ4 has Lloyd Elliot ported 5.3 heads, an Elgin 1839P cam, NNBS 5.3 intake and flex fuel injectors, speed engineering C10 shorty headers and dual 2.5" exhaust to the muffler with thunderbolt 2.5" cats. I also choose to replace the charcoal canister with one from a 1999 Tahoe. It had the vent solenoid built onto it. No more fuel smell when parked in hot weather.
My 83 has a cammed 8.1/4L80E in it with 2nd gen camaro 454 long tubes.
Last edited by 1983G20Van; November 16th 2019 8:08 pm.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
I actually built an air cleaner heatshield out of fiberglassed cardboard that holds a massive Airaid 2200cfm filter that was part of a nissan titan cold air kit. It is sealed to the hood with rubber weaterstrip and lets cold air come in from under the hood enter the engine.
I would get more pics of it but my mom has been running around in it for a month out of state.
I mounted the OBD2 connector in place of the OBD1 connector even.
Attached are some pictures taken during my build.
Also worth mentioning the NNBS fuel rail is returnless. I mounted a Corvette fuel filter directly to the rail and ran AN line from the filter to the steel lines on the frame. I left the OEM style van filter on the frame. Hopefully changing the cheap "prefilter" allows the $$$$ Corvette filter to last a long time.
Last edited by 1983G20Van; November 16th 2019 8:05 pm.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
Do you know, would the Dirty Dingo kit, would it be capable of running rear AC?
I have not heard of the Dirty Dingo Mini A/C
I doubt that low mount dirty dingo setup with its tiny honda civic compressor would pull the front evaporator well much less a rear added in.
The high mount L31 Vortec sanden style replacement I used in the 87 above is the same compressor that I have on my Express van with a L31 based 383. My Express van has front and rear air. With the fans blowers on high and recirculate it blows 42°F at idle on a 105°F day and gets down to 35°F at highway speed.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
One other little swap tip I have. About 1991 or 1992 the G-vans were gifted electronic speedos. Grab the junkyard cluster and matching connector. You can pin your existing harness into the correct pins of the newer connector. Add a single wire from the cluster to the PCM for the speed signal and get a functioning speedometer and odometer really inexpensively. The later vans also have a 0-80 psi oil pressure gauge that matches LS sending unit. I also used a 1998 LS1 Camaro temperature sensor. It has the gauge sender built into it. Uses one of the newer T-shapped TPS connectors. 2 of the wires run the PCM and the 3rd runs your OEM gauge.
1983 G20 Conversion Van, 350 TPI, Reed Hydraulic Roller cam, Ported 906 Vortec, Edelbrock 3817 TPI-Vortec Base, Doug Thorley Tri-Ys, Dual 2 1/2" exhaust, Speed Density 7730 ECM tuned by ME, 700r4 by ME, Stock 1,600 rpm converter, Rebuilt Stock 10 bolt with posi by ME, 3.08 gears, 358 RWHP @ 5,200, 384 RWTQ @ 3,400, 14.66 @ 95.43 w 2.28s 60'
I just put in new rear leaf springs to fix the saggy rear end. Lifted it 2 1/4"! Now it sits level and looks so much better. I took it on a little road trip out on some Minnesota gravel roads and was amazed at how much nicer it rides. I'll get it all polished up again this week and take updated photos. Not only is the viral van nats coming up, but it's also the 1 year swap anniversary!
Of course that means the price just went up SeattleVanDude!
Jason 2008 Ford E-250 4x4 1984 Chevy G20 5.3L/4L60E (SOLD)