99Sierra4x4 944 V8 Swap

Hi Guys,

I have been lurking for quite a while now, and I finally am to the point of taking it out for its first Auto-X and driving it this summer.

I have had 3 previous 944's before and while I built this car. A '85 that I couldn't get a title for, an '88 that needed some work and sold it, and then an '86 in amazing condition with all service history, which I sold to a local porsche dealer.

I picked up the car about 2 years ago, and it was all torn apart when I got it.  When I got it back to the shop and started to tear it down, i found out that it was in a front end accident, and someone had welded all the front body work together, and hacked up the front frame rails, so I decided that I wanted to put a turbo front clip on, and I made my own front end.

The main thing about this build, is that I wanted to go overboard and have something a little different than what I had seen out there.

Details:
- '84 944 N/A
- 5.3L L33 LS (All aluminum, "high compression" LS from an 05 silverado VHO)
- LS2 Intake and throttle body, with X-Link Adapter
- Stock Transaxle (Code indicates it has a factory LSD, not sure about that, stock for now)
- V8 Swap Kit from X-shop
- VSS Kit
- SS Long Tubes (Ebay)
- Full SS Dual 3" Exhaust, to a X-Flow Muffler (Car is quite loud)
- Full 6 Point Roll Cage (Hanksville Hotrods, All 1.5" .120" wall DOM Tubing)
- Full Coilovers front and rear (Ground Control Suspension)
- Stock front Steel A-Arms
- Turbo Front Spindles
- 944 Turbo Rear Suspension Setup
- Upgraded Front Bushings (Delrin from Racers Edge, Polyurethane from PowerFlex)
- Upgraded Rear Bushings (Delrin from Racers Edge, Polyurethane Black Series from Power Flex)
- Stock sway bars for now, going to upgrade eventually
- Full Custom Brake setup using Wilwood Master Cylinder and Calipers, including Boxster Front Rotors, and 911 Turbo Rear Rotors (Still working on getting the brakes tuned to my liking)
- Wheels are from an 04' VW toureg, 18 x 8.5's (Yes they fit, and go on the hubs)
- Tires are Bridgestone RE11's 255/35/18
- Custom Dash with Autometer Guages (No HVAC , I have windows for that)
- Turn One PS Pump
- Griffin LS Swap Radiator, with single fan
- Holley EFI Fuel Pump, LS1 Regulator, All SS Braided Fuel Lines
- ATL Fuel Cell (Still working on making a cover for it, original fuel tank was shot)
- X-shop Axle Shafts, with new CV's
- Turbo front fenders, nose, header panel and hood.


I re-did all the wiring in the car, as someone had been "in it", I used a Jegs universal wiring kit, I still need to finish cleaning it up.  Also did my own harness for the engine.

I still have a few things that need attention.  
- Upgrade the seats to some nice Sparco or OMP's
- Upgrade Sway Bars
- Alignment on the car
- Paint front body work to somewhat match
- Dyno Tune and some sort of Cam upgrade
- Install the wipers
- Finish Building the strut brace
- Finish the shifter adapter and boot

I appreciate all the help that those have given, this forum is a great place for knowledge and has helped me finish my project.  I will post a few more pictures as I get time, but all of them I am loading up to the internet.

Here are a few shots:

Engine:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]" />

Before Painting the cage and putting all the glass and doors on.
/image_preview.php?i=13&u=17288711][You must be registered and logged in to see this image.][/url][/img]

A Few more recent Pictures:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]" />

Primed the front body work
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]" />













Andy

So took the car out for its first Auto-X and did ok, until I started leaking fuel and had to stop.

My biggest problem now is that I find the throttle to be very "touchy". Its like it is super sensitive. I am running an LS2 intake and 90mm DBW throttle body, and an X-link adapter to the truck harness.

Anyone else have this type of problem?

It sounds like your TAC and fuel pedal are not matched. I've read about that before. Shoot me some part numbers and I'll do my best to see if your have matches or not.

All in all beauty of a car

Can you show some pics of the cage?

Thanks Guys!

I will grab the numbers when I go to the shop today, I never even thought about that, although I can't remember if I bought the pedal and the TAC together or not.

The cage is a basic 6 point, and then i bought every option that they had available, cross tubes for the rear, custom bottom door sill bars, roof bar for the sunroof, the dash bar.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Like that cage. Dins has those wheels on his OB 928 and they look great. Good work.

Hanksville cages are great - very well made and fitted. I've installed several, and only had to get a file out once. One also protected me well in an "endo" style crash in the racecar. Funny story about that roof bar. When I was building my 944 Spec car in 2009, I had to redo the dash bar, and had an extra piece with a couple of bends in it . Cutting one bend off made it follow the roof well, and I added it into the roof structure. Second time out with that car, I went off track onto very wet grass (like ice), over a berm, and stuck the nose in mud, landing it in it's roof. That bar helped keep the roof off of my head. Hank then incorporated that style bar as a regular production option.

The orional roof bar during the build in 2008: [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

You can see I cleared the culvert, and where the nose dug into the mud.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Now back to the regular thread :-)

Back on topic - I agree those rims look nice - much better than most truck rims. Conversoion installation looks great, too!

That crash looks wicked! Definitely helped to have the roof bar.  Does your helmet stick past the cage?  I think eventually I will need to lower my seats farther.

The Pedal # on the side is : 051703-02077-18K

The TAC#'s are:  TMD1-100A1 and below that 305-042078, and then under the barcode *12573059*

I got my new vent line run tonight, i just need to suck about 4 gallons out of the cell for sunday, hoping to get all 6 runs in this weekend for Auto X.  Anyone running RE-11's?  I had them down to 35psi but they started to really roll on me, thinking about starting at 45psi this weekend and working down from there.

XSHOP Thanks for all the help, your parts fit great!!!

Thanks,

Andy

I sit very low - my head is nearly 6" from the roof - I don't want my head to be the rollbar. My helmet was still just touching the roof when the car was on its lid. In a credit to modern safety equipment (mainly the Hans) I didn't even have so much as a sore neck or a bruise after this!

Man, I wish I could be that far away from the roof! Even with the seat mounted directly to the floor and in its lowest position I only have 1.5" to the roof with my helmet on...

It helps that I'm only 5'8"
I also have my seat somewhat reclined.

Good Success Today!

I didn't check for any engine codes, I assume I have a few lean codes from my possible MAF problem (codes are triggering at idle).

Went to the local AutoX today, and pulled 6 consistent runs at around 64 seconds each. The fastest in my Tire Limited class was 60, so I have some work to do. The throttle issue seemed better today, I took it out Saturday and put some beat down runs in the car, its stupid fast.

The biggest thing is that the car would just not turn in like I wanted, so I am going to hunt down a set of late offset a-arms so I can get some more camber in the front of the car.

Great build!
Have you weighed your car?
What spring rates are you running? And what class do you compete in XP or EM?

Also are you in the Mil. reg. SCCA?

I haven't weighed it yet ( I really need to). The guy next door has a set of scales I just need to go ask him again to borrow them.

I am pretty sure I have 600lb up front and 700lb rears with a TB delete.

Yes i am running in the Milwaukee Region SCCA. I am hoping to run into you at some point.

I am only a couple of hours away in NW IL (Sterling). I have a set of late control arms. They need a rebuild, but are yours for $100. That said, I'm confused as to why you need the late control arms for more camber. Camber is adjusted at the strut/spindle attachment, or with camber plates. Late offset control arms don't change that.

Ill Take em! When I purchased the camber plates with my suspension, with the original arms bolted up I could only get 1 deg or so, even though the plate was reading 3. I made some offset adapters for the time being to use the original steel arms.

OK, I'll be up at Road America around the first of August, or I could ship them before that at cost. Let me know.

Sounds good. I am in the process of making my first set of tubular A-Arms.

Also I am running the XP Class, but Tire Limited since for now I have RE-11's.

I am thinking about doing the broadfoot wide body kit this winter and putting some big meats under the car, when I do some power adding. We will see, the list of oooo I could do that is getting longer.

PM sent