What would be the simplest?

[choptop]

Fuel injection is cool as far as being easier to start and less adjustments, but as far as better gas mileage, I am on the edge. A fuel injection system is great, but a well tuned carberator will get similar mileage. It takes x amount of fuel to produce a certain amount of horsepower, so it is not necassarly fuel injection that makes the mpg, but it is more forgiving.

[Stewart G Griffin]

If you just want to tow some 4-wheelers around and not race it, the stock engine should be adequate.

Maybe i'm misunderstanding;  Do you just want more power?

The electric fan thing is a good move and you don't have to spend a whole lot to convert.  i'll probably be doing that myself.  There are some links pertaining to this which i'll post soon.

[Fordeatinz71]

It won't not with a 4.3 v6 in it, it moves like a square block of lead.

Naw its not rod reay let alone track ready now, I've got most everything off the truck(everything but one fender, the cab and hood) If you could give me some suggestions though on what to do with the motor I'd be very willing to listen.

i bet these two have something to do with how weak it is....have you done a full tune-up on it?  i mean a FULL tune-up, to include setting the carb up like it needs to be set-up?  don't get me wrong, i LOVE V8s but those 4.3's can put out some pretty decent power when built right.  if you wanna go "outside the box" then why not have a "rounded line" (73-87) with a 4.3 that runs BELOW a 16?  it can be done.  it's called turbocharging/supercharging.  if you haven't heard about it, research a couple lil trucks known as the Syclone and the Typhoon.  the Typhoon weighs just a LITTLE less than your truck (depending on options there can be as little as a 40 lb difference) and those trucks can run 12's in the 1/4...guess what's under the hood?  your friend and mine, the 262 V6.  it has a turbo and is intercooled but nonetheless, it is a V6. 

it's up to you what you do, but if you really want to be different, you have the "tools" right underneath your hood... 

[three8six]

Yea I've read into it. I've read two separate articles on how these guys built 300HP 4.3's naturally aspirated. I would be curious to see the article on the electric fan. Yea I mean it sounds cool to me sometimes to build it up, esp. when I look at the price of a crate motor(1800 plus freight on the low side) plus accesories and such. I have done a full tuneup though but I haven't drove it since.(rebuilt a good carb, wires, plugs, cap, air filter). Realistically what could I expect from the edelbrock intake/cam package(I know its mild cam) and shorty headers?

[Blue 82]

Bolt on a set of these


http://www.brodix.com/heads/v6.html

[85shorty496]

they look like heads, only smaller ;

[three8six]

haha I'm sure. I'd like to put a 572 or just big ass motor period in it, but I just can't afford it.

[team39763]

I nearly got smoked by a truck with a vortec 4.3L.  I was in my 2000 Sierra when it had the 5.3 with bolt-ons and tune.  It was at the track and he took me off the line,but right at the end I pulled ahead of him to barely win.  I was embarrassed.  He only had bolt-ons and a tune. I believe he was running low 16's before he swapped in a v8.