Engine question please?

[McCoyAZ]

I am NOT a mechanic. Knowing that up front will help you answer my question.

I am looking for a 350 motor and trans to put in my 64 stepside C10.

There are tons of motors on Craigslist available but I am not savy enough to ask the right questions.

Someone please tell me in simple terms about new motor vs old motor and the complications involved with computers and such if I opt for a motor out of a late model wreck?

I want to keep it simple, make it a daily driver and have decent fuel economy.

I am also not adverse to the idea of a 283, 327 etc.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

[kieth]

I bought a 91 suburban, it had a fresh 350 TBI (Throttle Body fuel injection) 700r4 over drive trans mission, tilt wheel, front crossmember for disc brkes, vacuum brake booster and dual master cylinder, power steering, tilt wheel, cruise control, complete wiring harness.......I paid $1100.00 for it (it had been hit in the passenger side front) That is what I built my 66 gmc with.

15-18 mpg-----2000 rpm 66mph Kieth

[kieth]

Originally Posted by kieth

I bought a 91 suburban, it had a fresh 350 TBI (Throttle Body fuel injection) 700r4 over drive trans mission, tilt wheel, front crossmember for disc brkes, vacuum brake booster and dual master cylinder, power steering, tilt wheel, cruise control, complete wiring harness.......I paid $1100.00 for it (it had been hit in the passenger side front) That is what I built my 66 gmc with.

15-18 mpg-----2000 rpm 66mph Kieth

1. Fuel injected 350

2. 700r4 automatic transmission with OD

3. Tilt wheel--we used the shifter from the 91 burb steering column

4. Front crossmember, with disc brakes (5X5 lug pattern) this can be converted to 6 lug for $50.00 per side.

5. Wiring harness, we used the complete 91 burb fuse panel etc to avoid having to reinvent the wheel as far as the wiring was concerned.--by using the tilt wheel we just plugged in the burb wiring harness to the steering column, engine, transmission. (only special requirement was a trans sender that does mechanical and electrical speed signal---for the computer and the cruise control.

6. Power steering--used captain fab adapter for steering box)

7. Power brakes

8. Cruise control

9 Large Alternator

10. We could have used the A//c compressor but are going with vintage air.

11. late model motor mounts

12. had to add a electric fuel pump (aertex 9-22psi)

Woogeroo I cannot see how this is expensive ???? Kieth

[SulphuriousSam]

Originally Posted by kieth

1. Fuel injected 350

2. 700r4 automatic transmission with OD

3. Tilt wheel--we used the shifter from the 91 burb steering column

4. Front crossmember, with disc brakes (5X5 lug pattern) this can be converted to 6 lug for $50.00 per side.

5. Wiring harness, we used the complete 91 burb fuse panel etc to avoid having to reinvent the wheel as far as the wiring was concerned.--by using the tilt wheel we just plugged in the burb wiring harness to the steering column, engine, transmission. (only special requirement was a trans sender that does mechanical and electrical speed signal---for the computer and the cruise control.

6. Power steering--used captain fab adapter for steering box)

7. Power brakes

8. Cruise control

9 Large Alternator

10. We could have used the A//c compressor but are going with vintage air.

11. late model motor mounts

12. had to add a electric fuel pump (aertex 9-22psi)

Woogeroo I cannot see how this is expensive ???? Kieth

kieth, I bet it would have cost me (a relative novice wrencher) more than it did you. Your route is great if you know how to do it. Not so great if you have to pay someone to put her in or together. Although, that being said if somebody is that mechanically un-inclined it would cost just as much for labor to put a crate in *shrug*

[Woogeroo]

decent fuel economy and our trucks don't go together.

as kieth wrote you could swap out to the comparatively more modern fuel injection and the 700r4 which is a 4 speed automatic with OD, but it's a lot of effort and cash.


-W

[bama63]

if you want efi as stated above the least costly way is finding a wrecked vehicle and having everything you need in one unit,piecing it out one piece at a time could get expensive. the wiring can be a little difficult and depending on vehicle could need a few tweeks to remove the VATS or defeat any other anti-theft programming in the computer so you could spend between 1000 and 3000 dollars depending on which direction you go,or as i did a 3:08 rear gear,7004r trans and a properly tuned 600cfm holley on a 355ci with 16mpg and 1600rpm @65mph

[pdxhall]

If you don't want to go through all the electronics involved with the new motors, go out and get a carbureted gm crate motor. You'll find there are many variations and stages of completion. There are even ready to run motors for a reasonable cost. These are new, not rebuilt, engines and come with GM factory warrenties. Check Summit Racing, they have a good selection and there are many other companies that carry them.

[Wildcats_95]

I am in the middle of replacing the engine in my '64 chevy longbed. I found a 350 engine out of a wrecked '72 C10 for $100. I am still not sure if I will use this engine or not...here's why. It is a 4-bolt main which is a positive, but still waiting to see what heads it has to determine if I can rebuild with higher quality 'guts' to get between 330 - 350 hp...something to keep in mind I think. Most important reason is that I found that GM Performance parts sales a 350 HO Turnkey engine rated at 330 hp for around $4600. Sounds steep up front, but then when you consider that it comes with a 2 year / 24,000 mile warranty AND it is ALL brand new parts (to include the block) not rebuilt like the ones you see on craigslist/ebay. Then it is really hard to not go this route. IMHO.

For what it worth!

[Wildcats_95]

Forgot to put the link:

http://store.gmperformanceparts.com/...-19210009--%3E

The price is crossed out but when I called the local Chevy dealer parts department they quoted me right around $4600 + tax but no shipping.

[towersddg9]

I can't help with the fuel economy, I drive a nissan vag*na for that, Jegs has a 350/290HP GM crate with everything you need for around$2500, I would'nt use summit or jegs on the tranny, you can get a rebuilder to build it much cheaper and they prolly got a core, the TH-350 would be cheaper, but if you want a few more miles per gallon spend a few $ more for the overdrive. 700r4 is a bit cheaper than the 200r4 there is info on this site for those swaps as well, if its the 700 you go with study up on the TV cable or check the free info on BOWTIE OVERDRIVES website

[jocko]

I'd buy whatever motor you want, if you're mech averse, then a crate is probably the best bet, a reasonable 250-350 horse from gm perf parts or any of the major suppliers. As for fuel economy, you make your best money for that by swapping to an o/d trans such as 2004R or 700R4, etc. If manual is preferred, any 5-speed will do. Sounds like you are leaning automatic in your original post, but not sure, so a good 700R4 should do the trick nicely and make highway cruising much more enjoyable. Then again, if you're just gonna trot around town every once in a while with it, save the $ and stuff a TH350 in it, they are a dime a dozen these days because everyone wants o/d.