82 GMC- motor swap 2

[BlueCollarRon]

Its finally time to post a thread and all my pics I have taken for my truck.  Just for a little background info, I have a short bed 1982 GMC Sierra Classic.  It had a 350 in it with edelbrock intake (performer 2101), and edelbrock carb (still not sure which one), headers, and edelbrock chrome valve covers.  I bought the truck for 1,700 (...buyers remorse...) and the motor lasted me for about 4 months.  Some how the crank busted one day driving down the road.

I had a choice between a SB 400 and another 350.  I went with the 350 for now because it was already out of a truck.  Once I get monied up I will do a nice rebuild on the 400, at the same time I will get 36in TSL's, and 1 ton running gear, along with a turbo 400 tranny!  I could see the truck with a bigger lift, but maybe I am wishing too much.

On to the rebuild!

Those dang headers are coming off, for good!



Viola!




Distributor, carburetor, and the other crap off







Surprise, surprise, a nice crack in the flexplate of my old motor





Check this out, only one has rust, and it has it bad.  Why would just one get rust? maybe the p/o put it together like that...


This is the old motor sitting with the new motors valve covers.


On to the next motor...


This is how she looked before I started ripping on her-well except the valve covers


Valve covers off, prepping for the chromies




The new motor had a cracked flexplate as well, so I had to dig one out of the yard, thankfully we found one.  The starter mounting area looks good on the new motor, what a relief.


Installing the new power plant





Installing all new exhaust pipe!!  I had to dig out an 80's king cab long bed (3+3), jack it up, and rip the exhaust out, it was a lot of fun in 3-4ft of snow.  We went ahead and put in the catalytic converters (i forget why, this wont pass IM ), but we ended up not using the mufflers pictured, we are swapping those for cherry bombs

[fitz]

it looks good, did you start it up yet?

[BlueCollarRon]

So after installing the new motor, the carb wouldnt take gas from the fuel pump.  The motor would stay running as long as we dumped gas down the carb.  The plan was to take that carb off, and use a spacer/adapter kit to install my edelbrock carb on the stock intake.


Everything was going perfectly fine until I busted a bolt in my intake manifold.  I was trying to remove that tubing coming from the intake manifold, left side of the carb.  The solution was to swap in my edelbrock intake manifold .  Time to drain the coolant and oil again, and take everything off.

Draining


Intake ready to be removed


Intake manifold removed


Old motor sitting with new motors parts


Intake dirty


Intake clean





Prepped for manifold


Manifold on


Distributor and other stuff added


This is how the motor sits tonight


Most of the welding is done on the exhaust, only 2 more joints to finish.  Cherry bombs are pictured, and I still need to cut off the end of the pipes.



I forgot to mention that I cut myself pretty good on my fan blade


At this moment I need 8 exhaust manifold plugs, and 2 nuts for my carb.  After that I should be good to go!

[ccz145a]

The blood sacrifice should ensure success. Looking good.

[Just-speed]

How do you get that many pics in one post?

[frito-bandito]

Cool pics!! I can't believe how much trouble you had with the flywheels!! Hope everything works out!

[beastie_3]

Please tell me you didnt install that 4 plug 110v outlet...Get rid of that! ha.

Did you install that missing bolt on the new flexplate before installing the motor?

[BlueCollarRon]

Ya, its been a while since I have posted.  Just to update you on my adventures, I blew that shiny blue 350 up, i spun lower bearings....  it was my fault because we dumped gas down the quadrajet carb trying to get her to start and i forgot to change my oil for a month.

That was last June when i spun that motor.  Now almost a year later I have a 400sb in her.  It just doesnt have enough power, it shutters down the road, hard to start, likes to die when u give her gas.  All a good sign that I need to adjust the carb and dist..

I need to get another camera, then I'll upload some more pics.

Please tell me you didnt install that 4 plug 110v outlet...Get rid of that! ha.

Did you install that missing bolt on the new flexplate before installing the motor?

Why not? In alaska everyone has one under the hood, yes even my truck
And yes I put in the last bolt.
Thanks guys

[Stewart G Griffin]

i'm curious how you managed to keep the truck virtually rust free----in alaska?

[BlueCollarRon]

We dont salt our roads up here in Alaska, so we dont have terrible salt problems.  Just a heads up I ran my truck in the Sulcha fair mud bogs and i didnt do too bad.  I ran 3 races (6 drags) didnt get stuck and had a good time.  I am still half ton now with 35in mud kings.  I put a newer edelbrock carb with high rise on the sb400 and shoot runs much better now.  Didnt new driveshafts and tcase so drivetrain works good.  I found a truck with turbo 400 dana 60 and corprate 14, that will be done within the next month or two.  I would like to go with a bigger lift but im not sure exactly.  I work in a large junk yard and have alot of things available to me.  Right now my 4 inch supsension lift is made with rear and front springs and rear 4in blocks.  What would be the eastist most sensible way to upgrade to 6 or 8in or even bigger?

[beastie_3]

New springs in each corner, eliminating the block. Think about getting steering arm and brake lines as well.