1967 Cougar build (over 700 pictures and videos)

[andrewb70]

So I had a chance to mess around with the engine today. I got it off the pallet and mounted on an engine stand. This makes working on the engine much easier since I can roll it around and rotate it. I got the water pump off, it will be replaced by a LS2 Corvette style pump. The balancer will also be swapped over to a Corvette style unit. I like using the Corvette style accessories because the alternator will be mounted up high on the driver's side. Since this car doesn't have power steering, I will only need an alternator. Holley makes some really nice accessory brackets for these engines that are affordable and look very nice without having that bling...bling look.

I doused the engine with some Purple Power degreaser and took the intake off. After getting rid of a mouse nest under the intake it cleaned up pretty well:



I then flipped the engine upside down. This is the stock LH8 oil pan that GM actually markets for doing swaps into various older cars. Frankly it doesn't work really well in any application because the sump is fairly deep so it tends to stick down lower than the front crossmember on cars like 64-72 a-bodies and 1st gen Camaros. It obviously won't work on the Cougar because I need a front sump pan:





So off it goes:



These engines have a full length windage tray that does a very good job of keeping the oil down in the pan instead of slinging it up into the crank.

However, when using different oil pans, you have to get the matching windage tray. Since I plan on using the 2004-2006 GTO front sump pan, the windage tray has to go too:



Here is the GTO windage tray:



Here I have the GTO pan mounted along with the Hooker exhaust manifolds. These probably will hurt ultimate performance, but I am not looking to squeeze every last ounce of performance from this engine, so fitment is more important. I am also able to reuse the MLS exhaust manifold gaskets.





Here is a close-up of the valve train.



I will swap the springs out for stock LS9 springs and also use titanium retainers which will reduce valve train weight even further. This makes valve control easier and will allow me to raise the red-line. I plan on setting the rev-limiter in the 6750RPM range and shift at 6500rpm.

The current plan is to run the GM ASA cam. I know it is an older design but by all accounts it makes great mid-range and upper RPM power. It is also easy on the valve train since it was designed for endurance oval track racing. These cams also sound fantastic!



Time to start ordering some more parts...after my next paycheck...LOL

Andrew

[minendrews68]

Does anyone remember the Cougar "Eliminator", of about the same time frame. That was a cool Cougar too.

[andrewb70]

Does anyone remember the Cougar "Eliminator", of about the same time frame. That was a cool Cougar too.

The guy who I purchased this car from was actually trying to replicate an Eliminator Cougar, but with a 1967, hence the Boss 302 engine and all the other bits. Mine will be cooler...and faster...LOL

Andrew

[Munssey]

Hood? Who needs a hood? This thing will go really old skool style...no hood...A hood will only hide the Holley Hi-ram...

Andrew

Ha! Love it!

[andrewb70]

Ha! Love it!

Hopefully the local police department won't mind too much...LOL

Andrew

[subtlez28]

Looks like they took pretty good care of you on the 5.3, and cheap shipping!

I'm surprised you did not upgrade the rod bolts before putting on your new pan. Especially if you want to spin it higher. My understanding is good rod bolts are "cheap insurance". I know you have a reason for what you do. Care to weigh in on that point?

[andrewb70]

Looks like they took pretty good care of you on the 5.3, and cheap shipping!

I'm surprised you did not upgrade the rod bolts before putting on your new pan. Especially if you want to spin it higher. My understanding is good rod bolts are "cheap insurance". I know you have a reason for what you do. Care to weigh in on that point?

The pan is not on there "for good." I have to get some of that special GM monkey jizz to put on the corners where the front and rear covers meet the block and the pan. The word on the street is that the Gen IV engines have much better rod bolts than the Gen III engines. I don't know...I kept the stock rod bolts in the L92 I got from you and I spin it to 6800 regularly. Am I asking for trouble? I have no idea.

Andrew

[andrewb70]

So spent a little time in the garage today. I specifically ordered the Hooker manifolds uncoated because I wasn't sure if they were going to work. Now that I know they fit great, I wanted to give them some protection so they wouldn't look like crap by spring.

On a tip from Ken, who has built some very nice cars, including a sweet 1966 Impala convertible:
http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversion...onversion.html

I ordered some spray on graphite lubricant:

http://smile.amazon.com/CRC-Graphite...y+crc+graphite

Ken used this on his Impala manifolds and the results were pretty stellar. The stuff is supposed to hold up to 850 degrees.

Here are the results:





The Hooker manifolds are also designed to use OEM hardware, so I took the studs off the truck manifolds and installed them in the Hooker manifolds:



Andrew

[Nicks67GTO]

Nice! How are the manifolds supposed to perform vs 4 tube headers? I'm guessing they're probably about as good at lower RPM and power levels?

[andrewb70]

Nice! How are the manifolds supposed to perform vs 4 tube headers? I'm guessing they're probably about as good at lower RPM and power levels?

Nick,

I am really not sure as fitment was more important than ultimate performance. The product page for these manifolds state that t hey have 1 5/8" primaries and a 2 1/4" outlets, same as 5th Gen Camaros. If they are good enough for a stock LS 3, surely they will be fine of my little 5.3L.

Andrew

[andrewb70]

Ordered up a few specialty tool over the weekend and got some today.



There are some tools from SacCity Corvettes. The large one is used to align the rear cover and install the rear main seal, the middle one is used to align the front cover and install the seal, and the small one is used to align the oil pump. I didn't need them all but I figured they would be nice to have. Here is a video showing how the front cover tool works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuU4EoYuGqc

Andrew

[Rick Dorion]

This is great. I always enjoy your writeups. My Bel Air will be getting a 5.3 so your efforts have my full attention!

[andrewb70]

This is great. I always enjoy your writeups. My Bel Air will be getting a 5.3 so your efforts have my full attention!

Thanks Rick. The goal with my write-ups is to intrigue, share, and delight. LOL

Andrew

[subtlez28]

Cool tools! I wish I had known about them when building the Stalker's LS.

I may be interested in that pan Andrew. I wonder if that other 5.3 has one also. I picked up a winter vehicle yesterday. Another Jeep. It could use some LS power. Maybe in the spring I could put those tools and pan to work!

I also have a few of the L92 exhaust manifolds around. I like that graphite trick. I may put that to use also.

[andrewb70]

Not much actual progress, but I did get a few more goodies.

The Car Shop sells a couple of nice tools that make working on LS engines a little easier. I got their lift plate:



And I also got a little tool to keep the flywheel from turning:



Since I plan on swapping out the truck balancer in favor of a Corvette balancer, I also picked up an ARP balancer bolt:



More parts coming next month.

Andrew

[bonecrrusher]

I should have bought the ARP crank bolt - I've had to replace it 3 times!

That car shop plate works very well - I used one on my LS2/LS3 build in my C6.

As far as the special tools for the oil pump and the front seal - I had no problem putting those in my C6 with the motor still in the engine bay.

So you might not need them.

What are the spring rates for the LS9 springs? I kept the supplied LS3 springs on my GMPP CNC ported LS3 heads.

I've never heard of that ASA cam - have a sound clip of it?

[andrewb70]

I should have bought the ARP crank bolt - I've had to replace it 3 times!

That car shop plate works very well - I used one on my LS2/LS3 build in my C6.

As far as the special tools for the oil pump and the front seal - I had no problem putting those in my C6 with the motor still in the engine bay.

So you might not need them.

What are the spring rates for the LS9 springs? I kept the supplied LS3 springs on my GMPP CNC ported LS3 heads.

I've never heard of that ASA cam - have a sound clip of it?

Some of the tools that I got are probably overkill, but tools are always handy to have around.

I'm not sure what the spring rate is on for yhr LS 9 springs, but they are a good alternative for relatively low lift cams that don't have aggressive lobes.

Here is a sound clip of the ASA can in a 5.3L:



Andrew

[andrewb70]

Yesterday I ordered up a few goodies. I don't mind the coils on the valve covers, but the stock bracket that holds the coils is just hideous looking. So to add a little bling to the engine, I ordered a set of Holley valve covers in black:



The Holley valve covers really clean up the look of these engines.

I also pulled the trigger on the intake manifold base:



I also ordered up the stud kit:



Parts should be here next week and I can't wait to get them mocked up. I am thinking about having the manifold hard anodized.

Andrew

[andrewb70]

Messed around with the engine a little today. Borrowed a balancer puller from Advanced Auto and got the truck balancer off. Since it didn't have VVT I didn't expect to find a one bolt cam, but there it is:



So that means I need to order up a new cam gear that has 3 bolts and 4 pulse signal. That's what I had to do with the 6.2L in my GTO. No big deal.

I should probably oder the cam and get this thing buttoned up for good.

Andrew

[subtlez28]

Yesterday I ordered up a few goodies. I don't mind the coils on the valve covers, but the stock bracket that holds the coils is just hideous looking. So to add a little bling to the engine, I ordered a set of Holley valve covers in black:



The Holley valve covers really clean up the look of these engines.

Andrew

Good call on the valve covers.

That is the only thing I bought purely as dress up for the Stalker. I had a 98 LS1, and the coils bolted directly to the (perimeter bolt) valve covers. I like that idea much better. I'm certain the brackets are purely to speed up assembly. Less is more!

You could have at least stolen my pic...


That manifold is going to look bad ass!

Maybe the stalker needs a hole in the hood...