please help 4.3 to 350 swap

[prepneck41]

i have a 1994 chevy 1500 2wd. it have a 4.3 and 700r4 trans the truck has 234,000 miles on it and still runs good but i need more power. ive got a 1972 c-10 longbed that is rusted all the way out but have one hell of a 350 4 bolt main in it and a new 350 trans. the 350 isnt stock but isnt to wild for the road. im wanting to put the mototr and trans out of the 72 in my 94 and keep it carbed. i like the 350 trans b/c it does not have od and i pull a 16ft. trailer with 4 4-wheelers on it about every weekend. im wanting to know what all will i need to do to pull the swap off. thanks alot. Paul

come on please more people help me out. if i do go carbed what all will i need to change. i did find a 305 out of a 89 caprice with a trans. i knew the car and it ran good and the trans shifted great all for $200.00. the 305 has got everything on it tbi, a/c everything. would that motor drop right in a plug up. please i need some in put.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by prepneck41

i have a 1994 chevy 1500 2wd. it have a 4.3 and 700r4 trans the truck has 234,000 miles on it and still runs good but i need more power. ive got a 1972 c-10 longbed that is rusted all the way out but have one hell of a 350 4 bolt main in it and a new 350 trans. the 350 isnt stock but isnt to wild for the road. im wanting to put the mototr and trans out of the 72 in my 94 and keep it carbed. i like the 350 trans b/c it does not have od and i pull a 16ft. trailer with 4 4-wheelers on it about every weekend. im wanting to know what all will i need to do to pull the swap off. thanks alot. Paul

A lot of stuff off the donor truck will help on the change over.
You may need to beef up the front suspension and brakes to carry extra weight.
But the red tap and laws and regulations on a change over could kill you.
I would check with your state and local inspection rules and regulations.
Also insurance and registration vehicle tax rules and regulations.
Federal and EPA clean air act will require to to keep the cat and computer fuel injection on it.

http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/caa203.txt

http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/caa205.txt

[wyatt_earb]

Or you just dont tell the lawman, always has worked for me.... We put a 350 in am astro van, fairly similar to what your doing. Suspension definitly needs upgraded, we just took the springs out of an old 1ton and rigged them in, works great. Riggged the leafs on the rear aswell, rides rough as hell, but its better than what it was. Also would reccomend upgrading breaks, we just found some bigger calipers on a truck and used truck drum pads, they're wider, worked good enough for us. I know its pretty hillbilly, but sometimes it needs to be done, unless you want to spend a small fortune.

[silveradoHO]

Originally Posted by wyatt_earb

Or you just dont tell the lawman, always has worked for me.... We put a 350 in am astro van, fairly similar to what your doing. Suspension definitly needs upgraded, we just took the springs out of an old 1ton and rigged them in, works great. Riggged the leafs on the rear aswell, rides rough as hell, but its better than what it was. Also would reccomend upgrading breaks, we just found some bigger calipers on a truck and used truck drum pads, they're wider, worked good enough for us. I know its pretty hillbilly, but sometimes it needs to be done, unless you want to spend a small fortune.

He shouldn't need to upgrade springs or brakes. His truck has the same springs and brakes that came on any other 1500 with a 5.7 from the factory. I can understand why you needed to upgrade on an astro van, which would be lighter duty than a 1500 silverado.

Also, I know you said the 350 tranny is new, but if you shift the 700r4 in to 3rd and tow that way, what would be the difference? Plus you would have od when your not towing. I think( you can measure to make sure) that the current tranny is longer, so you might need a new driveshaft. You can pull the swap off, but it would be alot easier to to keep as much as possible from your 94.