Jolene - '86 SWB budget 5.3l 4l60e driver build

[Mr.Chevy4x4]

Guess it's time I started a build thread. I've had this truck for about 4 months now. It was just too straight and relatively rust free to pass up. It started life as a 305/th350 truck (super rare, I know ). The dash doesn't even have a single crack!

When I got it home I knew it couldn't stay as it was....I can just never leave well enough alone. (it actually ran and drove nicely) I almost immediately pulled the engine and trans. I kind of had my mind on a LS swap, but I let a buddy of mine talk me into another big block build. I had the motor and trans built and in the truck as of this past weekend. All it lacked was some wiring and fuel lines. The more I looked at it, and thought about what I really wanted.... plans changed. I put an ad on CL and the big block was sold in a matter of hours. Pulled it out and picked up on the same day. As soon as the purchaser left, a wrecked 2002 tahoe popped up on CL about 10 minutes down the road from me. Went over, haggled, and drove it home.

And so it starts!

As I bought it: