Deciding what mill to run under the hood of your truck is one of the most important decisions to make when it comes to building a classic hauler. To keep it nostalgic, leave it stock, or contemporize the engine compartment are choices that have few similarities. The differences between a Flathead Ford V-8, an inline-six, and an LS6 engine are not only vast in their appearance, availability, cost, and performance, but swapping one for another changes the entire aesthetic of the truck.
But it's hard to argue with the benefits that the latest and greatest from the Big Three have to offer, especially when it comes to what they offer in the way of ready-to-rock crate engines. Taking the majority of guesswork out of the equation, crate engines are a great way to roll if you're not too keen about blowing an old engine apart for a rebuild.
More and more late-model engines are finding their way into junkyards across the country or onto the internet. Sites like eBay and Craigslist(www.craigslist.org) are great for sourcing engines fresh from a wrecked or salvaged vehicle that can be transplanted into that truck thanks to the myriad of companies in the aftermarket industry. Everything from complete wiring harnesses to ECUs to complete carburetor retrofit kits are available to make that transplant even easier.
A company that has been in the forefront of engine swaps for years is GM Performance Parts (GMPP). Going back to hot rodding's heyday, GMPP has offered crate engine solutions for everything from high-horsepower applications to daily drivers; and today it's no different. Their 300+ page catalog features everything from a Gen I 350ci/290hp small-block engine that would be at home in any classic Chevy truck to the latest 7.0-liter LS7 that powers the Z06 Corvette.
In addition to crate engines, GMPP offers a vast array of components for all of GM's popular V-8 engine designs. From bare blocks and heads to ignition systems to accessory drives, if it's a GM V-8 variant from '57 and up, chances are GMPP can help set you up with the proper parts to get that mill fitting between those fenderwells.
Recently, we were out in Phoenix at Hot Rods by Dean shooting a project when we noticed an LS-series engine languishing in a corner. Destined for a future project, Dean mentioned that he just happened to have received a serpentine belt accessory drive kit from GMPP (PN 19155067) set up for A/C that needed to be installed on said engine.
Here's the iron block LS engine...
Here's the iron block LS engine that we'll be installing the accessory drive kit on. Note that the engine is equipped with a carbureted induction setup.
A direct bolt-on kit for LS3 and LS7 engines, the two-belt serpentine kit includes all mounting brackets, pulleys, and tensioners as well as an air-conditioning compressor, alternator, and power steering pump. Additional parts for LS1, LS2, and LS6 engines are necessary, such as a shorter water pump (PN 89018052) and harmonic balancer (PN 12620556) to get the kit to fit properly. Designed as a single-belt kit for non-A/C vehicles, adding the A/C system is simply a matter of installing the components and second serpentine belt.
Installation of the serpentine kit took about an hour, including swapping out the few LS parts that aren't interchangeable with the original engine. Once installed, all the accessories are ready to rock with none of the guessing games that usually come when mixing and matching different pulley and bracket combinations. So if you've got the itch for a crate motor or you want to scour the local wrecking yard or internet for a used engine, GMPP's serpentine accessory kit is one of the easiest options to mount all your accessories.
The stock water pump and damper...
The stock water pump and damper won't line up with the GMPP kit so these will have to be removed.
And here's why. Note the difference...
And here's why. Note the difference between the two pulley measurements from the block. The new pump (PN 89018052) brings the pulley in about 11/4-inch. It also changes the location of the water outlet from a straight up design visible in the previous photo to the current, forward location.
The A/C-equipped serpentine...
The A/C-equipped serpentine kit comes with a mounting stud for the A/C compressor...
...as well as the bracket...
...as well as the bracket that the compressor and lower tensioner attach to.
Here's the compressor installed....
Here's the compressor installed. Also note the location of the thermostat housing and heater I/Os.
On the other side of the engine...
On the other side of the engine is where the brackets for the alternator and power steering pump reside. That black steel bracket is where the power steering reservoir attaches.
This small bracket (left)...
This small bracket (left) needs to be bolted to the power steering pump before the pump is bolted up. Notice the bracket behind the pulley.