Project in mind!!!am i crazy

[chadis]

hey ive heard of guy droping 350 in sonomas and working....i want to build my own now is it a project i could tackle myself i no alot about mechanics no problem there but how will the suspension hold up am i gonna have to beef it up the truck im using is a 88 89 long box sonoma with a 4.3 engine now i now a 4.3 is a heavy engine will the suspension handle a 382 stroker???? my only fear is snapng somethign and making a huge mess of the frame

[EvilGrogg]

No. You are not crazy. I used to have a 85 Gmc S15 that I put a 220 hp 350 with the 700r4 tranmission. It ran very good and i had no problems with the truck during the 5 years I drove it. Check out the site www.jagsthatrun.com They have everything you need to do the conversion. Even a book on how to as well as the parts. I had to do a custom exhaust and use exhaust manifolds out of a camaro with a 305 as that is the heads that I had put on the rebuilt motor. I had a 3 core custom radiator and a custom exhaust system made. I had my 700r4 from my 2.8 v6 swapped into a v8 case as the bell housing is different. If your truck is a 4.3 v6 then you will only have to change the input shaft if I remember correctly on your tranmission. Also if yours truck has TBI then you will have to find a 350 donor with TBI and do a ECM upgrade so your original cpu will know how to run the bigger engine.. Or go with a Carb setup. Easier but harder starting in colder climates and not as good fuel milage. Hope that helps ... any other questions feel free to ask.

[bigd7315]

give me a couple of weeks and i can tell you all the tricks i am in the middle of a v8 conversion on my original 4.3 5speed tbi to a 350 tbi 5speed and i am usising my tranny and motormount from jtr and the original computer with fuel injectors from a camaro and a intake of a camaro and stock 92 305 exaust manifolds of a camaro and the starter of a camaro as well cause the 4.3 starter drags trying to start a 350 tried it on my suburban to check
but i am working late this week so i won't get to mess`with it but i go on vacation the 6 through the 13 and it will be running and driving by then