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1983 C20. I have no self control.

Overview Gallery Discussion
Block and heads all cleaned up. Block got a new rear main and the heads got a quick lapping, valve seals, ls6 valve springs, and comp 787 retainers. I’m pretty sure I have all the parts that I’ll be reusing cleaned up. Time to start painting

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Chevy305 said:
Question: why build the small block vs LS swap?
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Main thing is that I have LS swapped before, I have never built a vortec headed SBC. While truck engines are cheap to buy, the little things sneak up on you price wise. The big thing that kept me from doing it this time was not wanting to buy an oil pan. ~$400 for an after market pan, $200-300 for an OEM F body pan if I could find one that would ship to AK.

I have $2k into this engine and transmission all said and done. and that's with a lot of parts I didn't really need. With a LS I would be at $2k with just buying the engine, intake manifold, ignition box, carburetor, and oil pan. I would still need a headers/exhaust system, cam/springs, fuel pump, filters, torque converter, motor mount adapters, crank spacer/flex plate. Easily another grand worth of stuff

This truck was never meant to be nice. I doubt ill keep it a year. Mostly just boredom driving me right now. I just want lots of cam lope, tire smoke, and to be ignorantly low to the ground. I shouldn't have a problem selling it for what I have into it considering the truck was basically free after selling the crap that came with it. If I intended on keeping it I would have gone LS, or big block.
 
TreeFarm said:
Main thing is that I have LS swapped before, I have never built a vortec headed SBC. While truck engines are cheap to buy, the little things sneak up on you price wise. The big thing that kept me from doing it this time was not wanting to buy an oil pan. ~$400 for an after market pan, $200-300 for an OEM F body pan if I could find one that would ship to AK.

I have $2k into this engine and transmission all said and done. and that's with a lot of parts I didn't really need. With a LS I would be at $2k with just buying the engine, intake manifold, ignition box, carburetor, and oil pan. I would still need a headers/exhaust system, cam/springs, fuel pump, filters, torque converter, motor mount adapters, crank spacer/flex plate. Easily another grand worth of stuff

This truck was never meant to be nice. I doubt ill keep it a year. Mostly just boredom driving me right now. I just want lots of cam lope, tire smoke, and to be ignorantly low to the ground. I shouldn't have a problem selling it for what I have into it considering the truck was basically free after selling the crap that came with it. If I intended on keeping it I would have gone LS, or big block.
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Ah I see. I figured since you did one before you would have some parts and knowledge and maybe the tuning software. I'm also surprised you said you'd swap oil pans and run a carb that definitely adds to the cost.
But hey keep on keeping on
 
Chevy305 said:
Ah I see. I figured since you did one before you would have some parts and knowledge and maybe the tuning software. I'm also surprised you said you'd swap oil pans and run a carb that definitely adds to the cost.
But hey keep on keeping on
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On a 2wd the truck oil pan hangs about 3 inches below the engine cross member. I'm not comfortable with a cast oil pan being the lowest thing on the truck especially with the roads up here. I sold my Tuning software, $400 to buy new one, even if I had the old one it would be $100 to license the Vin. Plus I would need $300 to piece together the fuel system to run EFI and the cost of time/parts to work the wire harness. Carb is not that much more expensive than staying EFI.
 
Engine is pretty much back together.

Stock bottom end looked good, nothing out of spec. Felpro 1094 head gaskets with vortec heads put the CR around 9.5 to 1. Comp XE274 cam, LS6 valve springs and Comp 787 retainers to fit the cam lift, Edelbrock EPS intake, Holley 600 CFM, Accel billet distributor/super coil, and a Hughes 2500 stall torque converter.

Should make for a good runner.


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mrk5 said:
I like the color! :waytogo: Why did you choose it?
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Alpine green or Detroit diesel green. No real reason on why I chose it for this one other than it is one of my favorite colors. I first tried it on my 66 C10 as it was the correct engine color and its stuck with me.
 
TreeFarm said:
Alpine green or Detroit diesel green. No real reason on why I chose it for this one other than it is one of my favorite colors. I first tried it on my 66 C10 as it was the correct engine color and its stuck with me.
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I was thinking it reminded me of the factory color for the 327 in my 66 C20.
 
Got the engine back in this weekend. Still need to remove the non factory wiring for the trailer brakes and clean up some stuff. Runs pretty good. Found some dry pavement and it moves pretty nice compared to what it was. So far the torque converter seems like a good match. I really need to do an exhaust. It sounds good, but is just too quiet. It has factory manifolds, into y pipe to a single glass pack. I wasnt thinking when I ordered plug wires, I got over the valve cover ones that really only work with headers. Ill save those for later I guess.

Here is an idle clip

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what the box looking thing on the fender by the battery
I have my set on a k20 with similar box
like the engine color, definitely different
 
MEMO43 said:
what the box looking thing on the fender by the battery
I have my set on a k20 with similar box
like the engine color, definitely different
Click to expand...

It’s a battery isolator for the trailer brake wiring. Isolates power to the trailer with the engine off.
 
Got the exhaust stuff in today. Set of headman 69090 headers, Some straight 2.5" tube and pair of summit 2 chamber mufflers. I seriously miss my old garage. The truck has been sitting out in the cold all winter and I just want to work on it.

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Clean looking
Looks like you drain plug gasket is either shot
Or could be tighten a bit more.
I like how the exhaust came out, but curios to why now H pipe or some sort of cross over
 
MEMO43 said:
Clean looking
Looks like you drain plug gasket is either shot
Or could be tighten a bit more.
I like how the exhaust came out, but curios to why now H pipe or some sort of cross over
Click to expand...
Yeah. It needs a new gasket. The things you forget when you slap parts on junk.

No H pipe yet because I can always add one later and it’s cheaper without. I’m really just looking for the exhaust to really highlight the cam. Figured the uneven pressures would do that. Like I said though, I can always add one
 
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