LUVTruck.com

Maaaaaaan his truck is looking GOOD!
I wish I had the motivation that he did....
He has the two.....yes I said 2 nitrous bottles in the back along with the blower sitting on the BIG block.....holy crap....I think the whole truck is going to jump in the air when he mats it....
not long now I will be at the drag strip getting video and posting it.

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03Cobra

What does the truck look like? Can you describe it? Also, was he driving it or was it at his house? I've been following the progress on here and I am curious about the truck.

I went to his house.
well he has the cab on it (no fenders)
the frame is all finished and he has fuel lines and nitrous lines run very neatly.
there is no bed on it at the moment. His nitrous bottles are mounted above the rear end on the frame rails and in front of the fuel cell which is also on the frame rails.
he has a tray that will mount vertically behind the passenger seat that houses all his electrical components. (fuses, MSD box, solenoids, etc...)
the engine looks right at home in there.
the headers fit quite nicely and they are nice and shiny too! he has two of the mufflers run and is trying to decide where to mount the other 2.
He has polyurethane body mounts.
I purchased the same tranny crossmember he has installed in his from art morrison. it has bends for the exhaust.
He still lacks brake lines and some odds and ends to go.
it is looking good.

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03Cobra

Sounds like the truck is coming along nicely. I have a complete 454 in the garage that I've thought about putting in my Luv, but I don't really have the funds or the balls to do it. I'm building mine strictly for drag racing and will probably do the typical smallblock/glide thing. The big block would be cool, but I think it would be more of a project than I could handle. What do you think?

I think you should do it!! I am trying to put a 421 sbc together right now. Nothing special. just 11:1 and .640" lift, iron Dart heads, 2 stages, etc. BUT, I just picked up a 750 hp 496 motor out of my friends roadster. Damn if that wouldnt go nicely in the LUV truck. I'm trying to get the 6K together to pay if off. $$ situation is not looking good but I wanna go big block sooooo bad.

i still say he is insane

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I like my steak like I like my women, young, tender and bloody.

All I need is my weed, women, and wine. -Edge City Outlaws

he's crazy

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1980 luv sport 4x4 Just a memory now
Frame rusted from the inside. Truck stripped and now looking for a new donor in southern ohio

Hey Luvsadrag, what do you mean that motor is nothing special?? Sounds pretty damn healthy to me. There is nothing better than a big inch small block, I have always said that. The only problem is usually the cost. I knew a guy that had a 434 small block and he had about 10 grand in it. That is NUTS! I basically have a couple of small blocks that I can pick from and I have the 454 that is complete, just apart. The big block would obviously require a lot more "surgery" than anything else, I just don't know if I'm up to it. I've done Luv smallblock swaps, but not a big block. I would have A LOT of questions!

oh, I mean nothing special like no aluminum heads, no big compression, no 4500 series carb, no sheet metal intake, no foggers, small cam, small valves etc. This 421 will be a factory block, mild pump gas motor, iron head 2.08 valve, low compression, single 4150 series carb on a cast intake with 2 cheater plates. I may dust the cam down to .600" or so. I'm only shooting for about 500hp on motor. the rest will be throttle in the bottle.

Special to me would be a 450+" small block, Dart alum block 14 degree motor. Pro Action cyclinder heads, 15:1, .740+" roller, two 4150's or a single 4500 on a Hogans sheet metal intake, Pro Race fogger jetted for a 300 shot, Big shot plates jetted for a 250 shot, Jessel belt, Mezier pumps, etc. etc making about 750hp on motor. but thats getting into the price range of a BBC.

I've done a lot of conversions V-8 240Z, V-8 Toyota 4x4, and 3 small block LUVS but havent done a BBC LUV before. Shouldnt be anything a Plasma cutter can't handle. Oh and then theres the matter of me shelling out the money for fenderwell headers. Gonna have to tub it after that too..... its adding up! ARRRGH!

RATNLUVS headers are inside the frame......
they are full length headers at that!
he notched the frame on the passenger side for the tubes. the drivers side fit!
Note that he did have shortie headers on it with the stock frame though.

I have seen another LUV in Steele Alabama a few years ago with a big block in it. I can't remember if I could see any frame mods to it....d'oh!

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03Cobra

The headers are definately another issue, but what about the firewall? I guess it's pretty much a given that you have to cut it out with a big block, right?

RATs firewall is no more......well the stock one that is. the Carburetor sits there now.

im not sure about that other one I saw...im pretty sure it had a sheetmetal dash and the engine might have been under it.....

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03Cobra

I like the fenderwells even if they do have to be custom made. (I used to own a '66 Chevy II) ... us nova guys like fenderwells.

Way back in the day there used to be a yellow bbc LUV cruising the streets of San D. stock firewall but notched a little for the distrib, a little mod to the tranny tunnel and thats it. I dont remember exactly how the hell he did it but i will probably go the custom firewall route anyway for the weight transfer aspect if anything... btw its not a sure thing that this 496 will go in... its just something i am pondering. I would definitely have to tub then. I am trying to see how fast I can get it to go on a 28x10 slick before it gets a back half.

Fenderwell headers are great, there is a big block CHEVY in a Ford Ranger in Cleveland with them on it. I went with Nova headers because I don't know anybody that builds them and I didn't want to try it mainly for the time issue.

My firewall is set back pretty far and it does help on weight transfer. Several problems are solved by moving it way back but it also creates a few problems.

I would like to say if anyone wants to put a Big Block in a Luv remember it is a ton of work but it is also very rewarding. This is going to be my last project and I am not planning on building any more vehicle's so I wanted something different and the Luv fit the bill. This is also why I might have gone a little bit overboard on a few things like the blower but I always wanted one. This one is a keeper and I am going to drive the wheels of it.

As the drivetrain and chassis is winding down it will be bodywork and paint next year. Planning on silver with blue and purple flames.

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stripped and just a memory!

I hear what your saying. I don't feel that I'm ready to tackle that kind of project at this point. A Chevy small block swap is a no brainer on these trucks and that's what I'll end up doing. The 454 needs to go in my 71 Chevy drag truck, and the drivetrain out of it will likely go in the Luv.
A Luv can run damn strong with a 350 with some juice!

correct me if i,m wrong but dosen't RATINLUVs, truck have a mustang II front suspension in it ??? or was i looking at another truck and have them confused .

YOU ARE RIGHT HE PUT A MUSTANG 2 UP FRONT

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don`t have the luv no more but I still like em.72 el camino,
00 & 06 silverado one 4x4, turboed vw sandrail,99 banshee, 06 raptor 700, 02 polaris trailblazer.

Yes Mustang ll up front and one of the best upgrades I have done on it.
I was able to move it around the yard today on it's own power so I am getting closer. I hope to drive it on the road again shortly.

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stripped and just a memory!

hey RATNLUV what blower are you putting on your 427 ???

if ya ever need some drive parts or some info check out
http://www.supercharged.ca

this is a good friends shop and he,s got some killer drive systems and such .

I will be using the Weiand 177 that is on it now. It is not a top in the performance,but a good street blower and I will be driving on the street most of the time. I don't have room for a 6-71 or a 8-71 because of the windshield,and the 177 clears about right. The panel that goes between the fenders and back of the hood is probably going to be 2 small pieces reaching from the fender to just under the cowl hood. The hood was ordered with the scoop left long enough to reach the windshield.

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stripped and just a memory!