What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

TBI swap

Clod_King

Clod_King

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Posts
1,094
Reaction score
0
Location
Grimsby Ontario
I am gonna buy another truck. Lookin' for something in the 70's, or very early 80's. BUt I want to put my TBI 350 into the truck, and I don't exactly know what needs to b swapped over.

I currently own an 89 suburban, and will be taking all the parts off of it.

I'd also kinda like to take the tranny out of the suburban, but it's tied to an NP241, and front output would be on the wrong side correct??

Also, will the tranny, and t-case supports bolt right up to an older truck?? I'd understand if new holes need to be drilled, but is that part of the frame rails the same across all the versions of chevy trucks??

I am just kind of trying to figure out everything before I dive into this. Thanks.
 
u probably should take the whole setup out of that truck, engine tranny x case, u will have to new holes in the frame depending on what truck you get. it would help to know what vehicle it is going into. then u would need some kind of fuel pump setup. the output should be on the correct side on the xcase. otherwise if u search for tbi swap it would turn it tons of results on this site. biggest pain is probably the wiring harness u can either pull it out of your 89 or buy an aftermarket harness like painless wiring.
 
I looked at the painless wiring harnesses a while ago and remember that they were pretty pricey.

This whole truck build is aimed at the cheap side of a build. Buy a cheap truck (blazer, suburban, pick up) that doesn't run, and put my new parts in it to make it a reliable runner.

There is gonna be no lift, or anything like that for now. I just want a nice running truck to go to work in. And maybe later to commute to school in.

I looked at a 2WD Jimmy of late 70's vintage. Not full convert. I know that my four wheel drive components won't work, but I found a 4l60E for sale in the tri-ad. So that's another route.

There's also a guy with a chevy graveyard on his front lawn. He has 7 or 8 early 60's to early 70's pick ups, both C and K versions. I want to talk to him too.

I'm leaning mostly towards a pickup. But a sub would be easiest. The exhaust would be a complete swap.


Now this is more of a question pointing in the way of a pick up. But can a suburban tank be easily swapped over to a pick up?? I know the pick ups have saddle tanks, and my burb has the tank inbetween the frame rails, but I don't have a pick up to take measurements on, or even to eye ball it...
 
Clod_King said:
I looked at the painless wiring harnesses a while ago and remember that they were pretty pricey.

This whole truck build is aimed at the cheap side of a build. Buy a cheap truck (blazer, suburban, pick up) that doesn't run, and put my new parts in it to make it a reliable runner.

There is gonna be no lift, or anything like that for now. I just want a nice running truck to go to work in. And maybe later to commute to school in.

I looked at a 2WD Jimmy of late 70's vintage. Not full convert. I know that my four wheel drive components won't work, but I found a 4l60E for sale in the tri-ad. So that's another route.

There's also a guy with a chevy graveyard on his front lawn. He has 7 or 8 early 60's to early 70's pick ups, both C and K versions. I want to talk to him too.

I'm leaning mostly towards a pickup. But a sub would be easiest. The exhaust would be a complete swap.


Now this is more of a question pointing in the way of a pick up. But can a suburban tank be easily swapped over to a pick up?? I know the pick ups have saddle tanks, and my burb has the tank inbetween the frame rails, but I don't have a pick up to take measurements on, or even to eye ball it...
Click to expand...

This guy sells adapter plates that allow you to pull the Injector, harness and computer out of a wrecking yard and run the whole thing on your pre-TBI carburetor manifold. http://www.tbiadapterplates.com/main.html?src=%2F What's cool about that is if your computer or something in the TBI system fails while you're out on the trail, you can still bolt your old carb onto the manifold and get home.
 
Last edited:
This guy sells adapter plates that allow you to pull the Injector, harness and computer out of a wrecking yard and run the whole thing on your pre-TBI carburetor manifold. What's cool about that is if your computer or something in the TBI system fails while you're out on the trail, you can still bolt your old carb onto the manifold and get home.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just read that too! hahaha.

It would be a cool idea, but the 350 in my burb runs like a champ. Plus the burb used to be owned by the OPP, and I don't know what kind of trickery got in the motor, (and by trickery I mean cop related upgrades).

Also the whole top end has been redone. Reconditioned heads (although stock, but like new), new steering pump, and when it was E-tested it got amazing scores. The guy was amazed.

Plus if I get a truck that runs, the price goes up. I am trying to find a truck that does not run, but has a good to decent body. Small holes are fine. I can fix those. But I don't want another cancer expedition.... I've done it once, and that's why I need another truck.
 
Alright, so I hav a truck in mind.

It's a 68 GMC High Sierra. The guy is selling 3 trucks as a group. Two chevy's and the GMC, and they are all around the same year range. So I can build one decent truck out of the three. Two are runners, and out of those two, one is a 350 with a TH350, and the other is a 6 with three on the tree. The third truck is pretty much a write off. I don't think I can salvage anything off of it... But still. The guy told me he wanted atleast 2 grand, but when I asked him it was for all three, he told me more, but didn't specify...

So I don't know how much he really wants. I'll try and get pictures.

So what would I need to take from my truck to make a 68 C10 a TBI 350 running animal??
 
On my 70 I pulled a tbi motor out of a 93 sub, I took motor from top to bottom and ordered new harness from Howell, new computer, and prom, I used the stock tank on the 70 and installed a pump mounted on the frame.

So you need engine, computer, wiring harness, should be a couple electrical do hickeys, maybe one on the firewall and one near the throttle body,

If it will work I would snag the TBI fuel tank which probably has the in tank pump, if it doesnt then you can buy an electric fuel pump to mount on the frame near the tank.

I can't help you on the T case but I am sure you could get an adapter so your tranny would bolt up to the T case that is in the vehicle. probably have to drill some holes to make the crossmembers from the sub work on the truck.

Howell industries also has good FAQ on the website and call up tech guys who were willing to help me with anything I needed. You will have to see what it will take to get the speedo on the truck working if the speedo on the sub is on the tranny????
 
Ok I will add my two cents into the picture, so don't be offended. You have a really cool burb that you built that no longer runs I don't know why but could venture a guess or two since we have all been in the same place more then once.

So back to my two cents buy one built already for two grand you can buy a mid eightes tbi pickup, Blazer or Burb all day long that runs has no issues at least major ones, and is done.
 
x2 ^

You should be able to find a decent runner for $2k pretty easy. The closer you get to 72 and earlier, the more expensive it'll be.

Swapping a tbi setup into a 68 is possible, but you need to buy a harness or modify an existing one and deal with how to route it through the firewall.
 
Ok I will add my two cents into the picture, so don't be offended. You have a really cool burb that you built that no longer runs I don't know why but could venture a guess or two since we have all been in the same place more then once.
Click to expand...

The Burb runs fantastic. Nothing wrong, insurance was too much, so I pulled it off the road. That's it.

I actually haven't been able to find a half way decent TBI truck online in my area. Atleast not for a decent price...

There are alot of good older trucks, but they're all show quality, or near show quality and out of price range.

I'd like another burb, really I would. But I'll take what I can get before my car dies.

Oh I looked at that Jimmy. It's a '78. I got pictures of the truck, and all the problem areas. The guy wants a grand for it. And it is 2WD.
 
buy it if its 2wd they are cool :D
Click to expand...

That's what I thought! The tail pan is shot all to hell though. Practically non exsistent. But the rear gate/hatch is in decent shape. And the truck is that nice chevy brown. I love that brown color. It's the best color an older chevy can come in.
 
Cruise. That's all I'd do with that '78 if I got it. Cruise, and camp, and drink by a fire, watching the flames reflect off of those perfect 70's chevy body lines.:D
 
I meant I have enough projects already don't need what I already have a 2wd fuel injected decent gas mileage all around vehicle. What I need to do is sell two that I have and buy one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom