I’ve spent two years, had two different engine/trans combo’s in it, spent hundreds of hours sorting out hundreds of tiny little orange and pink wires from the factory wiring loom, re-routing them and moving dozens of tiny little pins around in computer connection ports, all for this morning. I put some gas in the tank, changed the engine oil and filter, dumped 6 quarts of trans fluid in the 4L60 so it wouldn’t be dry, and hit the key.
In typical LS (or any fuel injected engine for that matter), it fired up instantly and settled into a smooth, although as yet un-muffled idle. The tach works, the voltmeter works, the fuel gauge works, all the interior lights light up. No vital fluids leaked out, no alarming noises, no ominous clouds of smoke from the 100K mile engine. I couldn’t be any happier.
I’m pretty proud of this project. I can thank Kim for encouraging me to upgrade from the tired old 350 TBI engine I had in it at first, and going with the (very complex) 6.0 LS and 4L60E trans. It made for lots more work, but it’s all worth it after hearing it fire up at the very first turn of the key. I’m so glad I decided to dive into building the wiring harness myself, rather than spend the long dollars for an aftermarket harness. Very rewarding to have waded through the job, armed with a couple printouts from a website, a wire stripper/crimper, several boxes of connectors and a couple rolls of electrical tape. Amazing. I still can’t believe EVERYTHING works!
This is a major milestone for the project. I’ve been almost afraid to try to start it, for fear something wasn’t wired right, or that I’d missed some important step. Now, I know it’s good to go. Next up, finish up the small amount of body work yet to be done, really just finessing what’s there and it’s ready for primer and paint. There is probably a couple of weeks of work in prep before it’s ready for color, but having it run makes that seem like a very small task. I have to have a driveshaft made, and run brake lines, but after doing my Silverado, this will be a piece of cake. No rusty fittings, no flakes of rust falling in my eyes. I’m actually looking forward to it!
I can’t upload a video to this blog page, but here’s a link to the You Tube vid. Enjoy it. I sure did!
Cool McCool's Garage 
Congratulations buddy! That has got to be one of the happiest moments a car-head man can experience.
I’m still smle’n like a cheese-samich!
You are welcome! Love you.
When everything is done right with quality workmanship, turning the key seems nearly anti-climatic.
Congratulations.
Well done.
Paul McClain
Congratulations!!!!
It is an awesome milestone, and a very singular feeling when something that didn’t work, and isn’t supposed to work how you are MAKING IT work….. works! I had my “it’s alive” moment last night, and i waited about a week too, afraid i had missed some small but critical detail. Funny! Congrats again on the progress, full steam ahead!