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Elite Veteran
  
Location: Medford, OR | Nice! You bastard. Good job Len. Stephan stopped by my place with 1046 a week or so ago....He was topping some of our local mtn passes at 68 mph....that's impressive! |
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | dkarnath - 2016-04-18 ..... Stephan stopped by my place with 1046 a week or so ago....He was topping some of our local mtn passes at 68 mph....that's impressive! Some times you just have to do what you have to do! It was a relatively short, but steep grade and I just had to see what it would do. Len, you will really enjoy how nice it is to merge into traffic at speed and to just roll over hills in the middle or left lane. |
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | LCAC_Man - 2016-04-18 11:59 AM Major milestone met...engine fires and runs like a champ on the first attempt!! https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=4YGbliSGILc[/QUOT...Congratulations Len! I remember what it was like when we turned the key on my coach the first time. It fired up just like yours did and we were all greatly relieved and estatic at the same time. Now you will be even more anxious to slip it into gear and go for a test drive! |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | I've got a lot of work to do at the dash, finish wiring and new component installation. Also have to get back on the airbag suspension system...going the right direction though!
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Water fill relocation, PCV catch can, rear fairing modification/installation:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Added a couple pic's of the pass-thru cut outs and access panel dry-fits. |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Inverter install, dash work, AC wiring, differential shaft refurb:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Mocked up the dash with new gauges/switches:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p... |
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | I am enjoying the pictures. Keep them coming! |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | I do it as much for myself as the group, as I'm going many times I have to remove items that I've installed to work on others, being able to look back at the pictures reminds me of how much space I really have to work with in those areas and keeps me from interfering with them. It's good inspiration as well, some times on a large project you get to feeling that no matter how hard you work it you're not making much progress...a little review of the pictures shows just how much you really have gotten done.
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | LCAC_Man - 2016-06-05 ...a little review of the pictures shows just how much you really have gotten done.
I have gone back and looked at the pictures of my conversion and can't believe I actually did it!! |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | More air suspension work complete: http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | House battery and all disconnect switches installed: http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p...
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Finished dash installation/assembly. Started rear panel removal and prep for structural improvements to rear frame:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid... |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Good stuff Lenny! Keep'em coming. Won't be long now till that first puff of smoke hits the tailpipe. Can't wait.
Terry
#846 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Back down off jack stands and mobile under it's own power. Tackling rear sag/structure as well as a few cosmetic issues:
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p... |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Well? How did it run/drive? Pull like a scared rabbit?
Terry
#846 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | The acceleration from stop is fantastic(I've owned two duramax pickups so I had a good idea of what to expect), I couldn't get up to any real speed but the torque difference is huge! I was most happy that the brakes seem to work well, they are completely different than stock now with the remote hydro-boost system and unproven until yesterday. The air suspension works excellent! |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Raza-raza!
Giver'!
Terry
#846 |
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | LCAC_Man - 2016-07-12 7:05 AM The acceleration from stop is fantastic(I've owned two duramax pickups so I had a good idea of what to expect), I couldn't get up to any real speed but the torque difference is huge! I was most happy that the brakes seem to work well, they are completely different than stock now with the remote hydro-boost system and unproven until yesterday. The air suspension works excellent!
It is really great when they move as expected!! Good news on the braking system. I have kept the hydro-boost master cylinder as a potential future change to my coach. Right now, I am just enjoying traveling in it. Right now I am in Michigan and have put 11,678 miles on my Duramax. I have been running the stock engine tune to date, but have now switched it to an economy tune just to see how it goes. It does have less of the power that Len talks about so don't know if I will keep running it or not. Len, enjoy the power!!! |
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Contributor
| Truly remarkable work Len! Very impressive. |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | It has certainly been a beast of a project...and my allowance for "scope creep" has put me a solid 2 months behind...but...it will pay off in the long run as I won't have to reopen areas that I've closed up.. |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Drivers side structural improvement complete (needs spray foam and outer qtr panel reinstall): http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=127&p... |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | I've been asked a few times "what does it cost to do the Duramax Swap"...
That's a tough one to answer...but...if I contain it to just the engine/trans swap and enough wiring to make that work then I'd say I spent $14-$15k, with the lions share of that being my purchase of the donor vehicle package of material ($9100) which included two transmissions.
But I didn't really try to keep that cost as low as I could have. I bought the most desirable(LBZ and 6spd) of the Duramax/Alison combos, which really isn't necessary.
A good LB7 and 5spd donor package could easily be had for $5500 and would be an excellent choice, the LB7 has no EGR system and is known to get a little better MPG than the LBZ(just get one that has had recent injectors or low mileage). If you sourced one from a C4500/C5500 it would already be equipped with the trans mounted parking brake. You could send your harness out to be modified to run "stand alone" for about $700, then $600 for an upgraded prop shaft, $500 for intercooler...
I think if you tighten your belt, did all the work yourself and controlled the scope-creep you could complete a swap like that for $11k. The key is being able to do it yourself...if you have to hire out/pay shop labor rates you should not even consider going down this path..
I've expanded my project well beyond just the engine and trans with all new air suspension, tires, AGM house batteries, inverter, roof A/Cs, diesel generator, structural mods, converting to hydroboost brakes, etc...so my budget is considerably larger than just the eng/trans conversion..
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | I concur with what Len has said based on my experience with 1046. |
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#1027 Duramax Conversion Project
