Marriage? 1986 K5 to 1998 C1500 L/B-X/C

[Joe In Montana]

My stepson zortched the 305 engine on his ultra clean SoCal 1500 long bed, extended cab C1500. He abandoned it here when he went to fight forest fires in California last week.

It has a new (last month) Vortec Injector. new (last week) fuel pump, new-ish 8 months old transmission and 35 inch M&S tires.

I have a rather unkempt 86 K5 with excellent running gear, transfer case w/straight cuts, a 7-speed auto and new 245R16s on 2002 Chevy PU rims. The K5 needs new seats, a paint & body rust job and some electrical work to help the windows, locks and heater.

Thinkin' here - and this is JUST thinkin' .... can the running gear of the K5 go under the C1500?

I'll put in my 377 stroker and transmission/transfer case and run his new Vortec injection and new fuel pump.

I know I'll need a special intake too for a non-Vortec 5.7 stroker - and that's a small price to pay. I'm thinking of the longer driveshaft, stock exhaust - a Cat-Back Thrush setup, and various other goodies he already has.

I can weld and fabricate what I need - and I'm absolutely junking the C1500 front end, putting on some 2"x4" box rails and mounting my leaf spring/front axle on them for a little more height. The rears too will get some height raising, so it'll be close to level.

Will the ECM barf if it can't find a 4L60-E and Electronic transfer case on the other end of the cables? Isn't there some sort of dummy load for the lack of electronic transmission and transfer case?

Anyone made this sortta changeover?

 

[sweetk30]

i am sorry but your info is so wrong i cant make heads nor tails of it .

here is what i am having trouble understanding .
7 speed auto ? ? ?
straight cuts ? ? ?
special intake to go backwards in engine efi = not that i have ever seen for these .


why not just get a brand new L31 replacment engine from gm for $1800 shipped on line fro m lots of places like summit / jegs / or big gm parts dealers .

and yes the ecm will not be happy with all these mods you plan with out major re-program .

also try this for a nice quality bolt on and run already figured out s.a.s kit for the front . http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/88-98SolidAxleConversion.htm or here http://diy4x.com/product.php?productid=17729&cat=250&page=2

 

[Joe In Montana]

I built a 7-speed Borg-Warner from a 2 1/2 ton dump truck about 20 years ago and it's been running just fine ever since.

B-W transmission long life depends on using 10/30 engine oil, not ATF!

The transfer case has straight cut gears. I have the original bevel-cut gears just in case.....in fact - everything I need for two complete rebuilds and one extra case.

I remember seeing a retro-fit Vortec-to-early-model SB Chevy plenum. It's designed to fit the different angles on the intake surface.

The front suspension I can handle - the rear is simple - just R&I. Driveshaft(s) are also a cake walk. The exhaust is very much usable.

I guess the only real concern is getting the ECM happy without an electronic transmission and transfer case.

 

[sweetk30]

oh i see on the trans now . . . that info makes a big difference .

never played with b/w cases and hardly ever seeen them even tho b/w is in ithaca ny 45 min away from me .

ecm can be reflashed for stand alone engine use . and also best to do that on a dyno tune so the new engine will be happyest . but this generation vortec has limited support for major power boost levels so stock injectors is about it as far as i have seen .