The oil pan will be custom. A laser cut 3/4" plate will serve as the basis to mount the starter as well as be a lower engine girdle. Baffles and trap doors will be added like the moroso LS4 pan, however also have mounts for a few other bits

 

Here is the Jesel lifter retainer that I am seriously considering, or the dogbone retainers. the issue is they are a bit pricey.... originally went down a link-bar lifter rabbit hole. however the tie bar or link bar lifters have their own set of issues, especially if staying with a hydraulic lifter. Link bar lifters will be in the $600-800 range, these retainers are about $125 each, so a bit over $600. then on top that, the lifters that I am looking at are in the $500 range. that puts the lifters and retainers the most expensive part of the build so far to date. the cam and springs will be the second most costly part.

While the GM plastic lifter trays are perfectly fine 98% of the time, I usually am the unlucky guy with the one in a million failure. my luck, one missed shift, the motor bangs off the valve float RPM, the lifters hit a harmonic frequency, pound a bunch of dents in the lobe, and one hit too many, the plastic tray cracks and the lifter turns in the bore, eating the lobe and ruining the block in a fraction of a second.

being a pure luddite build, I prefer to have something that I can beat into position with a rock

 

I have a NEW low mount kit for the A/C $100.

 

however your low-mount has the serpentiene belt significantly forward of the block face with the standard type 1, 2, or 3 water pump locations.. I need to have everything behind the block face using the LS4 damper and shorter crank to fit. I may end up running the stock GM compressor they supplied with the LS4's on the left side as it simply bolts to the block. however did interfere with the steering on the fiat. may need to revisit that.

 

All you need now is a Bug Eye to put it in!

Bogie

 

its going in a Fiat Topolino https://www.hotrodders.com/threads/1952-fiat-topolino-belvedere-project.550685/ about 6" shorter than the bug eye sprite.

 

My best friend is doing an LS4 fiero build shortly. Im looking forward to it

 

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000123.html

He is a member at LS1 tech

88 Fiero Formula LS4/F40 6 speed swap - LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Conversions & Swaps - 88 Fiero Formula LS4/F40 6 speed swap - I have been working on this swap off and on for nearly 2 years, but it is finally getting close to being finished. The LS4 is the bastard child of the LS(x) family with a restrictive intake and a 303hp rating, no starter provision on...

ls1tech.com

I used a bit of his threads for inspiration

 

Co-worker was at local LKQ. There is a recent 2007 Impala V8..... Need to check it out

 

So to summarize:

5.3L LS4 10:1 Compression

Mild Ported 799/243 heads

Single plane intake and 830cfm Holley carb with annular boosters

Headers: Mid-length (ish)
Unboosted (no turbo, blower, or nitrous)

Going into a Fiat weighing 2200lbs+driver

3.07 or 3.54 rear with 26.85 tall tires

AR5 Trans: 3.75 first, 2.26 second, 1.37 third, 1:1 fourth, and . 73 overdrive

Mostly street use with occasional strip and autocross

Streetable at 1500 RPM without drive line rubberbanding.

Desire to push it up to 7k+

Pushing the RPM curve upward.

TSP MS3 or Comp XER281HR cam

Sacrificing low end torque for upper RPM power

Twin disc 7-1/4" quarter master clutch

Remote water pump

 

Are you planning on using a block mount or remote mount water pump? From what you are saying about clearance issues a remote mount (usually in the lower hose) sounds like it would be better. While closer to the engine and radiator is better due to hose lengths and routing, the pump can technically be mounted anywhere you have room. Maybe under the fender behind a headlight in that little Fiat. Just make sure you have a mud shield. I'd also consider an electric AC. you probably have more room for a bit larger alternator and higher amp battery (for surge loads) than for an AC compressor.

 

still vacillating between electric water pump and belt driven remote. the electric would be nice as I can package that in the cowl behind and above the motor. however the electric will not keep the motor cool on a road course. the down side to the mezier remote is max RPM is 7000 RPM. so I have to run a 1:1 belt ratio, so that means an 8" diameter pulley.

currently the plan was having the mezier belt drive pump up in the valley between the heads, however with low mount alternators in the current flood-prone state of florida, going to swap them and put the alternator up there, and the water pump down under the right head. AC compressor will be in stock location. not enough room for an alternator bigger than 90 amps. so an electric AC compressor is out.

There is no room in the fenders as the wheel/tire packages I am running are about 5" bigger than what was on the fiat originally.

 

Follow the link for another way to go with a Gen 1’ish block and LS heads.

Inside The World Products Motown SBC/LS Engine Block - EngineLabs

Combine the availability of inexpensive parts for the small-block Chevrolet engine and the superior performance of the LS engine, and what do you get? World Products' hybrid Motown block. Check it out!

www.enginelabs.com

Bogie

 

The only issues with the motown block is the block is iron, a bit longer than the LS, and will cost more than the rest of the build..... LOL. and I still have to adapt it down to the 60 degree flywheel housing for foot room.

 

Dirt guys use these, you can mount it where you can find space and plumb to and from it. needs to be lower than the radiator.

Electric Water Pump Remote Mount Black ALL31120

Electric Water Pump Remote Mount Black ALL31120 on sale now plus all the racing parts you need at Allstar Performance

allstarperformance.com

Bogie

 

No we don't.

 

I like the Allstar inline pump better, but it mounts in the lower radiator hose. Might not have room for that in this application.

 

If I run an electric pump. It may end up living behind the front of the block

 

Been focused on interior, etc.

however just looked at replacing the 0.051" head gaskets with 0.027" cometic gaskets on a stock bottom end. it bumps the compression ratio up to 10.6 from 10.3 Not bad, about an estimated 11+ hp bump across the board from 4000-6000 RPM. whole lot cheaper than milling the head.

also went down a few rabbit holes on using the small ford duraspark dizzy with the GM HEI module. That is another chapter.

the motor may have to raise up slightly from where I have it. currently the crank is at 12" off the ground. may not seem to bad, however. even the solstice GXP daily whip is at 13.5" and when they are LS swapped, there can be clearance issues. Thinking the motor needs to come up to at least 12-3/4" and a skid plate

Radiator I currently have will cool a 540hp big block. however...... running out of room in the Fiat as I add things. so If I can keep this radiator, it will most likely be modified to nest around the damper and run a pair of pusher fans.

Alternately may mount the radiator in a horizontal up-air flow manor just under the cowl area, forward of the windshield. This would turn the louvered hood to a mesh hood. unorthodox, however the whole build is to date. would have to move the front axle centerline forward about an inch or two and also move the motor forward for this.

 

Move radiator to trunk area? I'm assumning this isn't going to be a daily driver where you really need/want trunk space...

 

This will be driven often. I am trying to keep the rear seating and the cargo area

 

SOME must be using them somewhere!

 

The drive home solidified my desire to not have anything more complicated than the electric starter in the car.

Daily whip has a BCM / VATs communication issue that left me stranded on the side of the road. I couldn't even roll the windows down as everything goes through the BCM. And because the security system was active, I couldn't do anything.

 

LS4 acquired...... Time to start working on the motor.

 

looking to sell off the LS4 front accessories to those FWD folks that need spares. Since the motor only has 110k on it and looks really clean. going to do a compression test, then yank the heads.

starting to make a list of must-haves

more simple green
a gallon of coil cleaner (to clean the aluminum block)
get a new long burr for porting because it came to work with me and got damaged.
verify the tootsie roll situation
New LS7 style lifters (going DOD delete)
New lifter trays
new head gaskets
new billet "dogbone"
finned valley cover
New timing chain


New cam.......re-visiting the cam discussed here. https://www.hotrodders.com/threads/...ations-and-why.551115/?post_id=4857062&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-4857062

Quarter Master twin-disc 7-1/4" clutch and button flywheel

mini starter to modify the mount for the LS 4

F-body or vette oil pan (with baffling) or add baffling to the pans I have.

 

there is a Summit 8712 cam for $50 on facetube marketplace. awaiting for the seller to respond.

would allow me to put the motor together with the other LS parts I have and get it running as DOD/AFM delete for nothing more than the $50 until I get the cam/lifters/springs I want. would result in just shy of 400 at the crank.

 

May throw $200 on new LS springs and a set of thinner head gaskets. the 8712 is a truck cam, so it builds power further down low. since it only has a 0.500 lift, looking into 1.8 roller rockers to move the torque back up.

 

Market place listing for new speedmaster 1.8 roller rockers for $100. Going to low-ball the seller. Not a bad price, but 2 hours away

Between the two LS4 blocks, I have 16 of the LS7 style lifters, an early timing chain set from the low mileage (busted) 2006

Working on a Victor JR intake for cathedral port heads. Trying to get the motor completed for under $800

 

Use the Summit 8712 cam as a good core, send it out and have a better cam spec ground onto it.
Could be a possibility.

Before you pull the trigger on those rocker arms....SpeedMaster, (aka ProComp) has a rather poor reputation on pieces that have moving parts like rocker arms, or on any electronics.
Do your due diligence there.