Excuse my ignorance

[8ballautomotive]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum, new to c10's and pretty much new to American vehicles in general. I'm from the UK but moved to Dubai 3 years ago and since then I have really started to get into muscle cars as a lot of the cars over here are American.

I have recently bought a 1980 shortbed, fleetside, automatic c10 and have many questions but the first thing i need schooling on is upgrading the engine/transmission. I want to swap the tired old engine and gearbox and the easiest and cheapest option for me would be to buy a turnkey crate engine and gearbox combo and ship it over from the U.S.

I have seen this and similar ones on ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383-STROK....c100752.m1982

So I guess what i want to know is what are the potential problems i may face with buying this or similar.
- will the gearbox bolt straight in? The one on the link is a 700r4 or should i go for one with a TH350 (i believe that is what it has now)
- will the axle etc handle the power?
- is there anything else i need to consider before buying?

I'm not interested in top speed i want the 'throw you back in your seat' acceleration, I will use the truck as a second car just for fun.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

The th350 is a 3 speed auto, and very durable. But you will be turning 3000 rpm at 70 easily if not more.

The 700r4 is a 4 speed auto with overdrive. Which will make freeway cruising much nicer. Plus give the engine a broader power band since you can adjust the rear end gear for better results on both ends. I would prefer a 4L65E since it is computer controlled, and in my opinion works better. It is the computer controlled, and upgraded version of the 700R4.

As for a crate I would seriously consider a EROD swap. With a few parts they bolt right in. The power and mpg are very hard to equal with a traditional 350sbc.

Alot of this just depends on you. How good of a mechanic are you, and do you have friends that can help. Friends that will are good too

[geezer#99]

Welcome!
First we need pics.
Of your truck. Under the hood, under the truck, the rearend.
Of the big bucket of money you’ll spend!
This won’t be cheap.
It’ll be 20,000 before you know it.

Who’s going to install all your parts?
That’ll drive the cost up.
A motor like in the link needs constant tuning. Who’s going to tune it for you.

What kind of oil is available in Dubai. You need oil with zzdp in it for some motors. It depends on the camshaft type. Hydraulic flat tapper need zzdp, hydraulic roller cams don’t.

So I guess it all depends on what you have now, what your budget is, who will install and maintain it for you, what resources you have there.

So start us off with some pics!

[Bandit130]

[8ballautomotive]

Thanks for the replies, these are the kind of things i need to know before I spend my money. Maybe going for a lower power less tuned engine maybe a more sensible option, its hard not to get seduced by the big HP ads.
What is EROD?
My background is in race car building so in terms of installing the engine etc i have no concerns about that but building race cars is more putting things together and fabrication as opposed to repairing things or tuning carbs and setting cam timing for example. I have however always fixed and maintained my cars myself and have done most jobs at least once or twice just not on anything like a chevy truck. I don't have anyone to help me where i am but i work at a university which has a large workshop with overhead crane, car lift etc, i have become pretty good at improvising to work on my own. There are some garages over here that specialize in muscle cars but mainly newer post 2005 cars and trucks and the garages that are any good are very expensive. Part of the enjoyment for me in a project is learning new things so I very rarely use a garage. Thats the good thing I have found with american cars and trucks there is so much help and information on forums and youtube etc.

I believe the c10 i have bought is completely stock mechanically, original 350 engine etc. I will take some pictures.

I want to get the project finished relatively quickly, LS swaps are common over here but I wanted a direct replacement turnkey motor to save time and headaches. I have started too many projects in the past that have been abandoned due to slow progress and then losing motivation.

My plan by September is to fit a more powerful engine (at least 300hp), lower it, new wheels and tyres and that's more or less it at the moment, I am sure it will progress further in time. I am trying to get as much info on the engine swap as possible before i buy one, such as what is recommended for semi-reliable power, will i have to upgrade the rest of the driveline or cooling for example? I don't want to spend more than 8000 on the engine/gearbox install.

[8ballautomotive]

here are some pictures of whats currently in it. The engine runs but smokes and it hasn't been driven for years

[geezer#99]

It’s got good bones!
A small block of some type.
Lots of stuff to use from it on a new motor.
Home built tri-y headers, useable exhaust, strong rearend, a hydro boost brake set up.
Not sure if the tranny will be good. I don’t see a hooked up tv cable. Appears to be a 700R4.
Sounds like your best bet is an L31. Like this.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...0283/overview/

A good motor to build up. Good heads, roller cam, good compression.
The type of cam is your first consideration. Roller type needs no special critical break in procedure. Flat tappet needs break in oil with zzdp.
And if you search on summit racing or jeg’s you might find complete motor packages that include the intake etc.

[sweetk30]

thats a texas shaped oil pan = th400 3 speed auto . and its a deep pan on it .

good strong trans used in up to 1ton trucks and motor homes.

12 bolt rear axle .

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

The EROD is a carb legal engine from the LS line of engines.

It comes with almost everything you need to get one running. Except for a fuel system or mods to one, and connections to the fuel lines. Being the biggest I am aware of.

Look it up with online. It is a nice package if you have little interest in carbs.

[8ballautomotive]

The EROD looks good, I would prefer fuel injection as I am unfamiliar with setting up carbs and there is little support for that kind of thing here. However its over my budget and my main priority is for the swap to be as easy and quick as possible with limited extra parts and modifications needed. This was the package I was initially looking at:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383-th350...19.m1438.l2649

Is this likely to need constant tuning? It seems a good price and i like that it comes with the box as i am unsure what condition mine is in.

[geezer#99]

That looks like a better combo for your goal of easy install.
Should be a bolt in project.

If it was my project I’d pull the tranny out and have it checked out. Can’t beat a turbo 400 for strength and it bolts right back in.
Just find a motor and choose a torque converter to match it.
What octane of gas do you have available?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

That is a nice combo on eBay.

But there are no engine builders in the middle East? I thought square body's were popular in Saudi. So I would expect to find someone around there.

[8ballautomotive]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

That looks like a better combo for your goal of easy install.
Should be a bolt in project.

If it was my project I’d pull the tranny out and have it checked out. Can’t beat a turbo 400 for strength and it bolts right back in.
Just find a motor and choose a torque converter to match it.
What octane of gas do you have available?

I think that ebay engine is what i'm tempted to go for, i might see if the guy will swap out the transmission and give me an A/C kit in its place and i'll get my transmission checked out as you suggest. Its tempting to go with a more modern engine but if i have to order conversion parts then there is the additional shipping cost, time and other associated problems. The only concern of mine is if i need to get the carb tuned up at some point as i don't have any experience of that and its not really something you can learn easily from the internet.

[8ballautomotive]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

That is a nice combo on eBay.

But there are no engine builders in the middle East? I thought square body's were popular in Saudi. So I would expect to find someone around there.

yeah there are a few c10's over here, most have had 6.0 ls swaps and I've only ever seen step sides for some reason. There are engine builders out here but Dubai is a place of extremes with nothing in the middle so I could find a garage that would attempt to rebuild my engine for $500 but it would be a guy working outside in the dirt wearing sandals and his only tools would be a screw driver and a pair of pliers (i'm not even exaggerating that much). There are some professional garages that i would trust but they cater for people with way more money than sense i inquired for a quote for a basic rebuild and the price was $2200 on the condition that i supplied all of the rebuild parts so makes more sense just to fit a new engine that i know has been built well. If i send a new engine over by boat it doesn't actually cost that much as they charge by crate size rather than weight.

[8ballautomotive]

I was also given this when I bought the truck. The guy said it was a 5.3LS, is that right? He said it was a good engine but it looks like its seen better days and i don't want to waste time messing around with a trash engine. What gearbox is on that? could it be useful?

[akart]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

It’s got good bones!
A small block of some type.
Lots of stuff to use from it on a new motor.
Home built tri-y headers, useable exhaust, strong rearend, a hydro boost brake set up.
Not sure if the tranny will be good. I don’t see a hooked up tv cable. Appears to be a 700R4.
Sounds like your best bet is an L31. Like this.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...0283/overview/

A good motor to build up. Good heads, roller cam, good compression.
The type of cam is your first consideration. Roller type needs no special critical break in procedure. Flat tappet needs break in oil with zzdp.
And if you search on summit racing or jeg’s you might find complete motor packages that include the intake etc.

Looked up that engine on Summit and there were some disturbing reviews and this person being in a foreign country would have no warranty. Also I like the flat tappet cam,simpler, and I don't think the break in is any problem as I have done it a couple of times also the ZDDP thing is fine w/me. I would suggest the Plane Jane 350/260 NAL 10067353 new Chevy Crate w/a cam swap right off (Lunati LUN 10120701LK 1,000-5,000 RPM) and maybe some heads now or later. I like the Summit cast iron heads 72cc for normal gas or maybe some 64cc or 72cc Dart SHP Aluminum heads,(Summit also)

[RotaryRocketeer]

Originally Posted by 8ballautomotive

I was also given this when I bought the truck. The guy said it was a 5.3LS, is that right? He said it was a good engine but it looks like its seen better days and i don't want to waste time messing around with a trash engine. What gearbox is on that? could it be useful?

That's not an LS series engine. You can tell by the exhaust port spacing on the heads. It's a Gen 1 small block. I wouldn't turn my nose up at rebuilding it though. GM engines aren't very complicated. Take your time, watch instructional videos, and consult forums. You can build a pretty fun SBC in your spare time without many special tools.

The transmission looks like a TH350 from the pan shape, but it's hard to tell from this angle. You can always tell what model an old GM transmission is, by looking at the shape of the pan.

[sweetk30]

Originally Posted by RotaryRocketeer

The transmission looks like a TH350 from the pan shape, but it's hard to tell from this angle. You can always tell what model an old GM transmission is, by looking at the shape of the pan.

texas shape pan = th400
square with 45* corner gone = th350
rectangle no real shapes cut off =700r4 / 4L60

[8ballautomotive]

I'm suffering from information overload a bit now trying to decide on an engine. I was emailing the seller of the 383 i was intending to buy from eBay but he doesn't really answer my questions in his reply. Then I came across a listing by Skip White performance which seem all together a more professional outfit. I like the idea of this engine:

https://www.skipwhiteperformance.com...-530-hp_85777/

With there more mild cam:

Cam choice #3
PART NUMBER: 08-000-8-13436
498/502 lift
220/226 duration
111 lobe sep.
Comp Cams SBC Step Nose Xtreme Energy Hydraulic Roller Camshafts.

Ideally i would take more time and build up my knowledge before throwing a bucket of money at it but I need to get the project done before September and shipping could take some time. Any thoughts on this would be great. Thanks

[geezer#99]

Yup!
You’re gonna throw a bucket of money at it!
The motor you got runs but smokes.
You’d be time, knowledge and money ahead if you found out it’s true condition and why it smokes.
Could be simply the non baffled pcv I see in your pics.

[Dayton601]

Prices not to bad, and they might ship

https://www.westcoastengines.com/383-stroker