New (to me) K20 work truck, pics and a few questions.

[Oilbrnr]

So I've been looking for a 3/4 or 1 ton work truck to help with various projects around the home. Easier sometimes that hooking up the flatbed trailer.

Anyway I got this 1980 a couple of weeks ago and had not had a chance to get it in my shop and up on the rack until last night. Overall not too bad. Body is real straight with no rust. Some light corrosion on the frame chassis as it spent some time in OH before coming to AZ in '85. Originally had an I-6 which has been replaced with a 5.7 that I need some help identifying. See pics as I want to say it is out of an early nineties truck. Runs strong, but the new Edelbrock carb needs to be tuned with new leaner rod/jets as it failed emissions, but not by much. Not a big Edelbrock fan, but at least the shafts aren't worn out! SM465 and NP205 work as expected.

Interior is good/fair, but the seat springs on the driver side are SHOT! PO was rather stout. Figure I'll get another bench and attempt to make one good one out of the two and then recover.

Also need the bellhousing clutch cover plate if someone has one. PM me if you do.





Pretty well fitting front clip:




Note exhaust injection lines, which are not used:








Bellhousing access cover needed:






Nothing like a lil' shade tree improvisation!




Uh, hmm....

[arkracing]

Nice looking truck you got. As far as the engine goes, it has '87-'95 heads on it. Is there an adaptor on the intake for the carb?

[Oilbrnr]

Yup, there sure is. I'm getting ready to go pull the carb tonight after the kids are down. I need to pull the primary rods/jets and try to figure out what combo to run to lean her up a bit. It is not far off from passing the loaded test, but idle is rich. I did not alter the PO carb settings prior to testing, as I was WAY more worried about emissions equipment. As this truck, like my '77 K5 has nothing. No cats, vapor recovery, smog, EGR. Nada. GM skirted the Feds in both cases 'adjusting' the GCVW.

So what are the pros/cons of this engine? Given what I've got, what about getting a different intake manifold, and throw some decent Hedman's on there? It is a strong 350 as is. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the secondaries compared to a good QJet.

[bitchin85]

first off, i love the truck

as for the motor, the heads are newer. their either tbi.. or swirl port.. which suck, or tpi heads.. which are better, or vortecs which are awesome heads but is unlikely judging by the intake. that adapter just looks like a spreadbore to squarebore adapter on a stock intake. get some casting numbers.. heads and block and we can tell ya eactally what ya got. my guess is tbi heads on an older block with a carbed intake. if its got a mechanical fuel pump then its most likely an older block with newer heads. if it has an elec pump then it probly has the mech pump hole cast over and is a newer 87 and up block with an older stock intake on it. either way, it looks like a nice solid truck.. i love it

[Oilbrnr]

Thanks!

I does have a mech fuel pump so it must be a tbi. Last time I delt withone of those was in 1987! So I didn't fully remember how they looked. I'll have to look for casting numbers now but to be honest I'm not sure where to look. Guess I should look that up!

So is there a better intake match for this carb/engine than a pre tbi intake?

[bitchin85]

if it has a mechanical pump then its an older carbed block with tbi(or similar) heads on it. and yes, for a sbc, inkate possibilities are endless.. but for a stock motor im sure most will agree with me that the edelbrock performer, or performer rpm, or performer eps is a good way to go

[Oilbrnr]

I was thinking performer with some headers. Headman 630xxx are the only ones I know will fit a Z-bar manual. Thanks for the input. Pulling carb now.

[bitchin85]

my truck is a 2 wgeeler so i dont know what headers fit your truck but good luck on the carb tuning.