SS Conversion - The Dream

[OctaneRider03]

I'm glad I stumbled across this portion of GMT Nation.. I feel like I've found the right place to just let my thoughts run wild at last. It's a good feeling for someone that feels like he's the only person in his entire area that may be somewhat knowledgeable of the Trailblazer.

Alright, you guys have all seen the threads before, what I'm about to say is nothing new guys. I've seen noobs ask, and I've seen ticked off repliers yell back. There's no need for that here. I'm talking serious talk. When I see something as an oppertunity, I go for it. And seeing as I'll probably be working with Lockheed Martin in the future, I can easily make this a reality.

I just want YOUR input in the meantime.

If you get in YouTube, type in "Sinister SS" in the search bar. Some of you have seen the video, some of you haven't. After seeing it a few times, it really got my mind to open up on a much broader spectrum of things. To sum it up, you see a guy take what looks to be a 2004 white Trailblazer LS and strip it completely. He repaints everything and throws a new hood on with side skirts, a front and rear bumper for the SS, and then drops a brand spanking new 6.0 in along with the transmition and everything else.

Now, given the amount of time this guy had much less the amount of effort he put into it, the result was suprising. He obviously had enough money to go out and just buy an SS if he wanted, but he didn't. He had a point to prove with the whole conversion and I'd say he made that point loud and clear.

Out of pure curiousity, I'm wanting to know what all he'd have to buy to do such a thing? I mean, come on! What if I didn't want the SS bumpers or the cute little fog lamps the front has? What if I wanted to just throw in a new motor and tranny, then install a new PCM, exhaust and speedo cluster? In other words, what if I wanted to give the appearance of an LT to the public eye, but have all the power and then some of an SS boosting ungodly amounts of boost from an STS turbo kit?

Do you think it can be done? Yes or no

Please don't tell me to just go out and buy a used SS because it's not going down like that. If I wanted to, I would have done so already.

I really enjoy the concept of a sleeper. Let me know what you think!

 

[Tarnished]

I know of one person who has swapped all of his SS stuff (carefully stored of course) and installed 2005 LS bumpers, trim, etc onto his SS. Though I advised against it, he even installed a roof rack. 3M tape installation, but still. He says it's just to complete the illusion, but I always worry about it flying off one day. In response to that, he is now going to install it permanently. Yeah.. me and my big mouth.

It is a priceless sight, to see someone who mistakes his SS for a lowly 4.2.. turn off at the next turn, doing the "turn-of-shame" after trying to stomp him.
A wolf in sheeps clothing. Watch out, and never underestimate the lowly "4.2 LS" you pull up next to at the red light..

 

[JosueLT]

I don't get why people get harpooned for questions like this (I've seen it before as well), the concept really isn't that hard to understand....a sleeper!

Hopefully you'll get some good technical info here, and all the "just buy an SS" people resist the urge to post that meaningless garbage in here. I can offer no technical advice, but it sounds like you're on the right track, and I'm sure you can find what you're looking for either around here, or elsewhere on the net. Have you tried getting in touch with the guy from the video directly?

 

[Tarnished]

Now, given the amount of time this guy had much less the amount of effort he put into it, the result was suprising. He obviously had enough money to go out and just buy an SS if he wanted, but he didn't. He had a point to prove with the whole conversion and I'd say he made that point loud and clear.

My sentiments exactly!

Who wants to be generic? Earn your stripes.

 

[OctaneRider03]

I don't get why people get harpooned for questions like this (I've seen it before as well), the concept really isn't that hard to understand....a sleeper!

Hopefully you'll get some good technical info here, and all the "just buy an SS" people resist the urge to post that meaningless garbage in here. I can offer no technical advice, but it sounds like you're on the right track, and I'm sure you can find what you're looking for either around here, or elsewhere on the net. Have you tried getting in touch with the guy from the video directly?

Negative. I haven't made the attempt to do so yet. I'll have to try it some time to day to see if I can get some word back. This is only food for thought guys! Nobodies trying to hussle a guy that has a true SS nor bash him for what he drives. I know we've all seen the threads before alright? If you're that guy out there that's just nipping at the bud waiting to throw out "JUST GET AN SS!!!" I'm going to smile, laugh at little, and continue on with my discussion. Please no foul play gents! I'm only an observer!

Now then, that reply regarding the guy that HAS an SS made me laugh pretty hard and yes, I feel extremely sorry for that poor soul that attempts to burn him and ends up a mile behind in a second. Absolutely hilarious bro!

If I wanted to take my LT, and keep my looks, but install the beast inside, what would I have to do?

I've started the fire.. I'll sit back and watch you guys burn it up.. Thanks guys!!

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Buy an SS

I know little of the PCM/BCM and such the new motor would need, but not sure if you know the SS's have a semi-float 9.5 14 bolt with 4.10 gears and g86 LS to hold up to the extra power of the 6.0. So you need to keep in mind that your current 8.0 rearend is gonna pop pretty easy.

 

[OctaneRider03]

Buy an SS

I know little of the PCM/BCM and such the new motor would need, but not sure if you know the SS's have a semi-float 9.5 14 bolt with 4.10 gears and g86 LS to hold up to the extra power of the 6.0. So you need to keep in mind that your current 8.0 rearend is gonna pop pretty easy.

HAHAHA! How did I know YOU'D be the first to say that?!??! Agh!!

Yes, I get exactly what you're saying man. All this would obviously have to be replaced as well because we all know if somebody were to actually do such a thing the frame would leave the tires and continue flying down the road.

I'd say, take a used SS, and completely gut it internally! Disregard all the parts you don't need and then throw all those parts onto the frame of an LT and viola.

I'm talking about the bulk of things that would need to be replaced here. This looks like a job for jimmy jam or the roadie!!!

 

[jimmyjam]

Do you think it can be done? Yes or no

We can put men on the moon and a rover on mars. anything can be done given enough resources.

I'm in the (slow) process of converting my 96 impala to an ls2/4l65e, so i've gotten pretty deep into whats involved.

get your drivetrain. engine with all the fixings. all of them. wire harness, ecm, hoses (AC lines, power steering, trans, etc) the accessories will nickel and dime you to death. for trans, you can build a 4l60 stout enough for around $2k. then, will the 8" rear end survive? probably not, you'll need to source a 9.5" SS rear end (eventually)

physically mount the engine. the trailblazer engine mounts bolt onto the shock towers on the frame. hopefully you can just bolt ss mounts in place of the i6 ones, otherwise you have to fab. then you have to worry about where the trans mount will end up. if you are super lucky it will be close, however i would guess that the i6 is longer than the v8 and you'd have to compensate there. is there a difference between v8/i6 trans cross members? can they be interchanged? have to make a custom cross member? dunno... once the engine/trans is mounted you'll need an appropriately sized drive shaft. either find one or make one. do something about an exhaust system.

is the radiator going to be up to snuff? dunno. if you have a return style fuel rail you'll need to convert that to returnless, easy enough, use a corvette fuel filter with built in fpr. might want to upgrade your fuel pump while you're at it.

wiring. oof. this is where swapping into an older car is much easier. the question is, will the new ecm talk to the existing databus? bcm? icp? hvac? ebc? i have no idea. what will work, what won't, what can you work around.

the big reason to talk someone out of it is, if you are going to do an ls swap, why do it in a trailblazer? ie why do something thats already been done better than you can do it for a lot less money?

get a beat up miata and throw it in that. d e s t r o y anyone on the road Flyin' Miata : V8 conversions : Turnkeys and tradeins
or porsche conversions :wootwoot: Renegade Hybrids

heres a v8 s2k at the shop that did my harness...

 

[OctaneRider03]

Well gentlemen, I think that just about sums this thread up. He's said it all guys! Thanks so much for being so responsive!

I'd say just as fast as this fantasy thread opened, it's time for it to close!

Thanks again you're awesome!! -Lee


I now run back to my garage and cry while hovering over my ripped apart 4.2 with carbon build up while eating ice cream. Listening to Justin Bieber... Wearing pink... Still in denial that it'll never happen no matter how I try to word it!

Hah!

 

[jimmyjam]

a lot of times the question 'can it be done' gets overshadowed by 'should it be done'. i'd never stop anyone from fulfilling their dreams, you just have to be realistic. plenty of reading out there. Conversions & Hybrids - LS1TECH
however there arent a ton of "late model" swaps, so interfacing with present day data-linked modules isn't well documented.

i'm hopefully picking up my harness soon. I paid a company Current Performance Wiring LT1, LT4, LS1, LS2, LS7 Engine Wiring Systems to take my original harness, strip out the LT1 engine wiring, and make a custom gen4 v8 harness while keeping the ABS, washer, lights, etc wiring. These guys are in the buisness of engine swaps. so i'll pick their brains a little about the wiring issues. for example, the instrument cluster gets speed and tach discretely, and all the rest of the gauges are operated off of the databus. are these signals standard across gm platforms? how about the compressor on signal from the hvac (also via databus). I'll report back

 

[Meltdown211]

To me, there are more differences than the engine and tranny. Its suspension (air bag rear) and rear end (4.10 rear end), interior, exterior, brakes and so much more. I guess my thoughts are "why"? If it were me, and I had the dough? I would buy an SS, convert it to a 2 door. Now you have something that is completely unique and has the respect of both communities.

I have an SS and honestly, most people think its just another trailblazer. Now if I had to go thru ALL the work involved, and still have people think its just "another" TB? To me? a galactic waste of time, money and energy.

 

[jrSS]

Most people are not 360 enthusuasts... we all know what a tbSS is... but I do see ur point.

 

[Regulator]

How about sourcing a totaled SS and just doing a body swap? Provided the frame is straight of course....

 

[OctaneRider03]

How about sourcing a totaled SS and just doing a body swap? Provided the frame is straight of course....

Okay let's be real here. By the time I managed to actually find a busted SS, somebody would have already gotten to the motor and snatched every other major component out before I could blink! Haha, that would be an awesome project though, I can't lie! Haha!

 

[OctaneRider03]

To me, there are more differences than the engine and tranny. Its suspension (air bag rear) and rear end (4.10 rear end), interior, exterior, brakes and so much more. I guess my thoughts are "why"? If it were me, and I had the dough? I would buy an SS, convert it to a 2 door. Now you have something that is completely unique and has the respect of both communities.

I have an SS and honestly, most people think its just another trailblazer. Now if I had to go thru ALL the work involved, and still have people think its just "another" TB? To me? a galactic waste of time, money and energy.

Gooood night! What the heck is that? Batmans next ride into town? Dang you keep that thing clean! I saw those pictures before reading and about fell out my chair!

 

[Meltdown211]

I am the first person to say do the conversion, if the reward is there. You know what I mean, when people see your ride they say "god damn that looks cool" But for the amount of work you will go through to bring it to the SS level, in my opinion you will say, that was a waste of a year and $15k+. Not trying to be a dick hole here, I just want to make sure you understand the end game. Most look at mine and say "thats cool, too bad it has no balls" as they think its another 6 cyl. (until I rev that bitch). Then, they think I took a stock TB and modded the hell out of it, most dont even know they produced these trucks.

If you decide to do it, everyone will support you and look forward to all of the updates!

Yea, It looks like Batmans "daily driver"....lol

I wish you the best of luck with it and cant wait to hear what you decide.

Melty