About to get an early 80's Scottsdale Crew/SB...Questions abound...

[botboy]

Alright, so I just managed to score a great deal from a buddy of mine. Pulled the bolt-yoke NP205 out of my '71 K5, swapped it with a $100 slip-yoke 205 from a guy on craigslist, and traded the bolt-yoke 205 to a buddy for an early 80's Chevy Scottsdale/30 3+3, 2WD Crewcab with no motor or transmission.

If you have a slip-yoke for a 205 see this thread:
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1612240#post1612240

The truck was originally a 454/TH400 truck, and has hydroboost. I have a few questions regarding the truck that will help decide it's future, but either way I'll end up driving it and post progress as it gets closer to driveable.

1) This truck originally had an 454/TH400 combo. I want to put in a 305 (for now) from an '80's blazer that a friend of mine dropped a hot 350 in, just so this rig is driveable. Will the 305 just drop in, or do I have to swap out motor mounts? I also have a friend who is in the process of pulling out a 6.5 diesel for me (but won't have it out for a while), when I want to put that motor in will I have to change anything else?

2) This truck has a hydroboost setup. I can't say I'm a huge fan, as my dads '89 V3500 has hydroboost and seems to leak constantly, even after we've replaced 2 lines and lots of O-rings. I realize that when I get around to dropping in the diesel, I'll have to revert to hydroboost but in the mean time I'd like a regular vacuum booster (for now it can save me the cost of a hydroboost pump which I won't be getting with the truck). Any recommendations? I have a K5 vac booster from a '79 K5 that a buddy parted out, would that be "enough" for the truck alone (for now, espeially with a 305 I won't be towing with it) or were the one-ton boosters considerably larger?

3) I live in Minnesota. Having a Loooooong 2WD pickup just doesn't work here, especially in the winter. How much work am I looking at to convert this truck into a 4x4, with regards to swapping a solid front axle into the front? Anyone done this?

4) Relating to the first and third questions, the crossmember was hacked to get the transmission out. I want to convert this truck to a 4x4, so naturally when I'm swapping in a motor/trans I might as well swap in transfer case too. What donor vehicle should I look for a crossmember from next time I'm at the boneyard? Will I have to drill new holes? Planned combo for now would be 305/TH350/NP203, as cash flows 305 going to be dumped for a 350, and eventually hoping for 6.5/NV4500/NP241 or 6.5/SM465/NP205 & a gear vendors unit

Thanks for the help guys. Pic below:

 

[dremu]

#2 is the only one I can speak to for sure. For what you're doing, any double-diaphragm booster (the "big" one, came on heavy duty K5's, i.e. with a V8) is basically the same.

There are different masters, so get one to match a C30 pickup the year of the booster you have and it should all mate up.

I'd still stick with the hydroboost, as I find it makes my sixpack STOP, as opposed to the vacuum boost which was a bit iffy.

Crewcabs are, regardless of C20/30 designation, all 1-ton frames, i.e. narrow spring spacing in the back. I would bet, though I've not looked, that they are set up for the 4WD stuff in the front, as it wasn't cost effective to make lots of different crewcab frames. (Mine predates 4x4 in the crewcab, which I believe didn't come until '76 or so.)


As for #1, I'm pretty sure small blocks, big blocks, and diesels all have different motor mounts, so you'll need to juggle those when you switch motors. If you swap in a 6.2/6.5, you'll also want to clean out the tanks (duh), and there's some associated goodies like the glow plug controller, fuel filter on the firewall, etc to include for the diesel.

A 6.5, especially with a turbo, would be workable on a sixpack. A 305 ... will be gutless. Mine has a slightly worn 454 and doesn't exactly break any speed records.

-- A

 

[DavidB]

Come buy my tan 3+3...

 

[botboy]

Come buy my tan 3+3...

Sorry man, Cali is a bit far away for even a damn good deal on a sixpack, even if it were free I could get my sixpack customized like no other for the amount of gas it would take to get it back here...

 

[botboy]

I'd still stick with the hydroboost, as I find it makes my sixpack STOP, as opposed to the vacuum boost which was a bit iffy.

One more quick question for anybody in the know - My sixpack's hydroboost lines were cut when the engine came out (along with the TH400 Xmember...damn hacks!) Are the hydroboost and regular power steering pumps different, and if so - how so?

 

[dremu]

One more quick question for anybody in the know - My sixpack's hydroboost lines were cut when the engine came out (along with the TH400 Xmember...damn hacks!) Are the hydroboost and regular power steering pumps different, and if so - how so?

General consensus is that the pump is the same, but the reservoir has the extra return line fitting. Some people have done okay with tee-ing the line, others have had to braze another fitting in to get adequate pressure

-- A