Chevy TBI?

I understand that I have a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old

 

SBC's are cheap......







While I like the idea of a FORD in a Chevy, will it fit? What about the oil pan, exhaust, are the rad hoses on the right side? Lots of things to consider. I know you will have to build mounts. I would stick with a carb, much less trouble. Manifolds or custom headers? I don't know of anybody with off the shelf headers to fit. Then custom built headpipes and down tubes. Unless you can do all this yourself Jamie, I'm thinking big shop bills for the custom stuff. I put a Buick 231 V 6 in a 1978 Toyota pickup one time. Had to fab up my own mounts and exhaust, which consisted of 2" tubing, pie cut and welded because I didn't own a tubing bender. Used the GM 4 speed tranny and factory shifter, had to fab a bracket for the Toyota hydralic clutch system. Factory 2bbl and one wire for the HEI, used manual temp and oil guages. Not saying you can't do it, but asking is it really worth it? A reman long block SBC would be cheaper in the long run. Maybe not as fun, but this truck is a daily driver, right? So I'm thinking it needs to be reliable, not a one off hot rod. Just my , take it for what it's worth....

 

I drive it regularly, but I wouldn't consider it a daily driver, though it served in that capacity for several months last year when the Maverick was down. From now on, it'll be used for what I originally bought it for, a backup vehicle and something to haul junk around with. We'll see how the 351 fits when ever I get around to pulling the 350 within the next month or so. I've measured a few key points, and I know that it will at least drop into the truck and bolt in with a few simple mods.

As far as shops go, the only shop I take my vehicles to is the Miles Back Yard Shade Tree Shop, and you're speaking to the chief mechanic on duty.

 

Lots of room under that hood, plenty of space for exhaust, aftermarket radiator can happen if it comes to that... No accessories I can think of that couldn't be adapted or replaced with Ford stuff. And all the more awesome if it can be done with the Chevy EFI. The major hurdles I see are the mounts, and maybe HVAC box clearance? I had to notch that and fiberglass it to retain the AC when I swapped an SBC into a Bravada, but it wasn't hard. I don't know if that will even be a factor in this swap, just another thing to think about.

 

Well, 351w idea is out. Went and looked at and payed for a 350 out of a '93 GMC Suburban today. Real clean engine, complete from intake to oil pan with all front accessory's. He showed me the rest of the parts he had from the truck, all in real nice shape including the instrument panel showing 72,000 miles! He said a tree fell on the truck in 1999 and he parted most of it out. Guarantee's it to run perfect, or he'll give me my $500 back. Can't beat that. Should have truck back on the road again in about 3 weeks.

 

Good deal!

 

Nope, can't beat that at all...

 

Well, hopefully the truck will be back on the road next weekend. It's taken way longer then I expected, and way longer then it should have to get it swapped out. Just haven't been able to find the time to mess with it more then an hour or two here and there. I don't have any pics of the new engine sitting in the truck, but it's in there, just have to finish hooking a few things up. Not that it looks vastly different then the engine I pulled out.

Do have a few pics of when I had both engines out sitting on the ground. I was in the process of swapping the accessory's and sensors from one to another when I snapped these pics a few weeks ago.

Empty engine bay.



Old 350:



"new" 350:



Will throw a video of the last time I ran the old motor up on YouTube tomorrow. Or facebook members can click here.

 

wheres the new 350?

i cant stop staring at that boss 302 stang in the background.

 

Never thought about using an old seat belt to pull a motor with....

 

me either. we have used them to flip cars over with though. hope you get the truck running again

 

Those are tie down straps, rated at 650 lbs. each. I don't believe it's a safe way to do it, and don't recommend anyone do it that way. They were just convenient at the time... I stayed the hell away from it while it was in the air. The straps seemed to have no problem supporting the weight though.

Here's the video of the last time it ran. Crappy quality, taken with my cell phone.

Knock knock... who's there?



... just my 350!

Here's to hoping the next year is a better one for this old truck. Feb. 2009 - Feb. 2010 was a rough one.

 

That car is just scratching the surface. Like the rest, it's made of unobtanium, and will continue rotting into the ground... you know, until "someday" rolls around.

 

I hope your on your grandfathers good side

 

That car in particular belongs to my uncle. It was his high school ride in the late 70's. The back of the car got munched in the late 80's, repair was half completed, then just left to sit. That field is a flood plain, and the car has been flooded several times in the past 15 years. With two kids currently in college, another on the way in a couple more years, him working crazy hours and driving 230 miles a day back and forth to work, there won't be anything left of the car by time he ever gets around to messing with it, if he dosen't work himself to death first. But it seems to give him something to look forward to.