Budget LS Swapping a Chevy C10 ~ Mounting and Wiring Made Easy

Dan from DD Speed Shop is back with another DIY for budget builders, this time all about LS engine swaps on the cheap.

With the availability of wrecked and rusted late model GM trucks, a 300 to 400 horsepower plant is a popular option to replace worn-out small blocks and run-of-the-mill 6 cylinder units.

The aftermarket makes simple solutions for wiring and engine mounts, but it can be done just as easy and almost for free in just a few minutes…

Dan does a good job explaining the very few wires the engine needs to run, and left all the extras he cut right in the harness, in case he wants them later.

Dan has been a die-hard carburetor guy, so this really shows how easy it is for any backyard builder to snip the right wires with a printout from LT1swap.com.

In about 10 minutes, Dan figured out the harness and had it ready to make everything down to the EFI work like factory in his project ’71 C10.

If you’re like him and prone to drive your hot rod far from home, getting 20mpg and the availability of parts at every automotive store is a nice upgrade.

More good news if you’re fitting an LS into a full-size GM truck or car — it fit right into Dan’s ’71 C10 with factory intake, accessories, exhaust, and oil pan.

For the price of a couple metal scraps and some time, Dan mounted his new LS right onto the factory frame and transmission with some small block mounts and a bit of scrap.

It might not be everyone’s idea of the perfect C10, but for around a thousand dollars total invested it’s pretty hard to beat.