L31 Extreme Budget Build

[Erik the Awful]

That right front fender is pushed back, and that's why the door's bent. I'll bet it's been in a minor fender bender and the previous owner never bothered to do anything about it. I need to fix the same problem on Roscoe's right side door and fender.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

Bbc in one would be nice

I put a low mileage 366 TBI in one years ago. The ~240 hp 366 would run circles around the 180 hp 1-ton 350. Stock the 366 has more torque than even a Vortec 350.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

That right front fender is pushed back, and that's why the door's bent. I'll bet it's been in a minor fender bender and the previous owner never bothered to do anything about it. I need to fix the same problem on Roscoe's right side door and fender.

Right front fender does not have damage. The edge of the door skin/door is bent out because the door check let it open too wide. Probably a gust of wind caught it and slamed it open at some point. The 1992 cargo van that I cut up as a donor van years ago had the same thing happen on the driver side. The door skin gets folded back when the door check fails and the door skin catches the lower hinge. The door check roll pin is still broken.

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[Moofus02]

I put a low mileage 366 TBI in one years ago. The ~240 hp 366 would run circles around the 180 hp 1-ton 350. Stock the 366 has more torque than even a Vortec 350.

I've always loved the td366. Don't get me wrong I'd prefer the td427 but the 366 was the 305 of truck motors. Dam near indestructible and they always run good. Drove a lot of c60/Kodiak size stuff with them. They make a good motor for a K10/20 that's being used off road or plowing snow

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I've always loved the td366. Don't get me wrong I'd prefer the td427 but the 366 was the 305 of truck motors. Dam near indestructible and they always run good. Drove a lot of c60/Kodiak size stuff with them. They make a good motor for a K10/20 that's being used off road or plowing snow

Worked great in a G30 cutaway van dually RV pulling an enclosed race car trailer as well. They will run at WOT all day long without overheating or hurting them in any way. It had enough power to get the job done. All I did was rob the injector flow rate, spark timing table and VE table out of a C60 stock tune, put it into the 350 computer along with giving the 4L80E the 454 line pressure and shift points and all the 350 harness connecfions connected right up to it. 2" bore 454 TBI base bolted right in place of the governed TBI it had on it keeping the 366 injectors and injector pod. Almost could not have been an easier swap. Biggest challenge was finding an upper hose that fit the 366TD water neck and the 454 radiator. With the small oval port heads and TBI the 366 actually makes more HP than the peanut port TBI 454 does. The 366 would turn 4,000-4,500 rpm all day long without feeling like it was out of breath.

 

[tayto]

Not yet on this one. It is only ~4400# and the dual diaghram 9.5" booster and JB5 brake setup I added larger piston front calipers too stop it well. It is hard to find the hydroboost pedal and conversion parts on these now. If I find an OE hydroboost van to grab the parts off it will get it someday. When I swapped my 83 back in 2006ish there loads of 6.2/6.5L diesels in the treasure yard and it was easy and cheap to score the parts. Now not so much. My old 83 had another 900 lbs and less vacuum than I anticipate this engine to make. I bet this stops even better after I replace the OE brake components that were still on it. It had old OE hoses even. I should have changed the hoses but they were not easy to get at until I pulled the front end off.

With the light weight and punchy 350 this should be a hoot to drive. The 350 will make its torque 1,000 rpm earlier than the 6.0L that was in it and be happier with the stock ~1,800 rpm converter in the TH400 and the 3.08 gears.

are these the calipers with 3" diameter pistons? If so, I am running the same ones on my 1/2 ton squarebody. i believe these were the "light duty" 3/4 ton calipers. what master are you running? i found 1 1/8" straight bore off an early gmt400 1 ton dually IIRC. most of the masters were stepped bore for the "low drag" metric calipers, but the 3/4 ton calipers did not have this feature

 

[L31MaxExpress]

are these the calipers with 3" diameter pistons? If so, I am running the same ones on my 1/2 ton squarebody. i believe these were the "light duty" 3/4 ton calipers. what master are you running? i found 1 1/8" straight bore off an early gmt400 1 ton dually IIRC. most of the masters were stepped bore for the "low drag" metric calipers, but the 3/4 ton calipers did not have this feature

The stock G20 vans are 3" caliper pistons. I believe the ones I used are listed as 3-5/32"

Master is all cast iron, Raybestos MC39330. 1.125" bore. The one I have was allegidly made in the USA and it has Made in USA stamped into it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I just got back from Summit and have everything to finish the engine plumbing and cooling systems. Close to lighting this thing off and getting life in the machine again. I scored a pair of lower control arm shafts from the bargain cave for $50. Fingers crossed they are the correct ones.

 

[tayto]

vans always seemed to have gotten more HD stuff.... good to see you getting this thing running/driving I am still curious how the holley exhaust manifolds are. i am about 95% sold on them already for my squarebody.

 

[89gmc]

I started going back together this afternoon. GM 492' cam went into it first. Crank is in it on Clevite A bearings. Main clearence is checked. Standard bearings on the mains. Caps are torqued to spec. Cam retaining plate is on and torqued. I degreed the cam and the timing sprocket is torqued. The reluctor ring is in place. I dropped #1 piston into place for the degree check so I had an reference for TDC #1. I have since dropped all the rings into the bores in multiple places. Upper ring is 0.018" end gap and the Second ring end gap is 0.024". It was dead consistent across every ring and every bore in the engine.

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Finally have an intake soaking in Super Clean diluted with water. Its starting to get very clean.

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492 cam ??? I don't remember that one. I remember you back in the day on third gen as 355 something. You always had very interesting builds! Those cam numbers are all some for a street car! Keep up the good work.