Wreck rebuild first GMT400

[Dantheman1540]

I have a forged 370 LS on a stand that would probably go in before I’d consider a big block just because I have everything for LS stuff and I’m extremely familiar with them. However, I think I’ll be happy with the 5.7. Of course it will feel gutless compared to my hopped up Tahoe, especially since this will be the first auto I’ve owned in almost ten years, and the 4L80 first gear is dreadful.

My thoughts are the 5.7 will be enough to do what I want, which again is tow a standard car hauler trailer and keep the abuse of that off my Tahoe. The 5.7 will probably get better mpg unloaded than a BBC would, and it’s a 350 so they are cheap and easy to find. Oh and the 5.7 shouldn’t be able to hurt the 4l80 real easy especially with a big ole trans cooler (prob trucool 40k), and lower gears.

I’m hoping the truck has 4.10s so I don’t hate it until its geared.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I have a forged 370 LS on a stand that would probably go in before I’d consider a big block just because I have everything for LS stuff and I’m extremely familiar with them. However, I think I’ll be happy with the 5.7. Of course it will feel gutless compared to my hopped up Tahoe, especially since this will be the first auto I’ve owned in almost ten years, and the 4L80 first gear is dreadful.

My thoughts are the 5.7 will be enough to do what I want, which again is tow a standard car hauler trailer and keep the abuse of that off my Tahoe. The 5.7 will probably get better mpg unloaded than a BBC would, and it’s a 350 so they are cheap and easy to find. Oh and the 5.7 shouldn’t be able to hurt the 4l80 real easy especially with a big ole trans cooler (prob trucool 40k), and lower gears.

I’m hoping the truck has 4.10s so I don’t hate it until its geared.

Rawhide, my '97 C3500 crew cab, has a 5.7, 4L80E and 4.10s in the full floater. It tows a fully loaded U Haul 5x8 trailer just fine, even in the rolling hills of central Texas. Biggest concern is remembering to allow more room to stop, in those hills. It stops, but you can feel the weight pushing you.
I haven't towed anything bigger, other than spotting a couple of travel trailers in the park last year.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

I like your style we can be freinds lol! I 4.10 swapped my Yukon, lift, kryptonite parts, speed engineering headers, the only thing it’s missing is a NV-4500 swap!

I’ve been banging gears the past few months in my “new” 92 4x4 with NV-4500 and it’s a blast!

 

[someotherguy]

I have a forged 370 LS on a stand that would probably go in before I’d consider a big block just because I have everything for LS stuff and I’m extremely familiar with them. However, I think I’ll be happy with the 5.7. Of course it will feel gutless compared to my hopped up Tahoe, especially since this will be the first auto I’ve owned in almost ten years, and the 4L80 first gear is dreadful.

My thoughts are the 5.7 will be enough to do what I want, which again is tow a standard car hauler trailer and keep the abuse of that off my Tahoe. The 5.7 will probably get better mpg unloaded than a BBC would, and it’s a 350 so they are cheap and easy to find. Oh and the 5.7 shouldn’t be able to hurt the 4l80 real easy especially with a big ole trans cooler (prob trucool 40k), and lower gears.

I’m hoping the truck has 4.10s so I don’t hate it until its geared.

Being a modern 8 lugger the most common ratio you'd have would be 4.10's so you're probably in good shape. A clear pic of the SPID label in the glovebox would tell the story; gears are in the Gxx codes - GT4 is 3.73, GT5 is 4.10

Looks like a pretty easy fix other than that blown out frame horn end but that doesn't look all that bad, either. Standard "smacked a pole/tree" damage - core support, radiator, condenser, grille, bumper, hood, hood safety latch/center horn bracket, yada yada. Oh and the 3500HD I bought with that same damage also needed a fan clutch; radiator smacked it just enough. Amazingly whatever they hit missed the bumper and the HD-specific filler strip. Got lucky and a friend had a nice HD core support for me.

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Richard

 

[Dantheman1540]

Rawhide, my '97 C3500 crew cab, has a 5.7, 4L80E and 4.10s in the full floater. It tows a fully loaded U Haul 5x8 trailer just fine, even in the rolling hills of central Texas. Biggest concern is remembering to allow more room to stop, in those hills. It stops, but you can feel the weight pushing you.
I haven't towed anything bigger, other than spotting a couple of travel trailers in the park last year.

I’m not one of the “race tow truck drivers” like a lot of guys seem to be these days pushing 90mph with a trailer. So I think the 5.7 will suffice for my needs. I never realized they put the 5.7 in a 3500 dually tho that’s kinda wild.

I like your style we can be freinds lol! I 4.10 swapped my Yukon, lift, kryptonite parts, speed engineering headers, the only thing it’s missing is a NV-4500 swap!

I’ve been banging gears the past few months in my “new” 92 4x4 with NV-4500 and it’s a blast!

Twinsies! I love Kryptonite parts I already have their gmt400 bits in my shopping cart, however I have another set of their gmt800 tierods on the shelf from a former project that I’m gonna see if they will work first. I also actually have 4.10s for the 9.5” rear end in my Tahoe in my parts pile. It has 3.42s now which are honestly great because the nv4500s first gear is so silly low 5.61:1. But I have a full 4.10 4wd setup that I’ve been dreaming of swapping into my Tahoe which may not happen now that I’ll be getting this 2500.

I freaking love the Nv4500 trans, it’s my person favorite truck manual trans. The ratios are awesome, the thing is chonk to the max, and it’s still bangable despite being such a HD unit.

Being a modern 8 lugger the most common ratio you'd have would be 4.10's so you're probably in good shape. A clear pic of the SPID label in the glovebox would tell the story; gears are in the Gxx codes - GT4 is 3.73, GT5 is 4.10

Looks like a pretty easy fix other than that blown out frame horn end but that doesn't look all that bad, either. Standard "smacked a pole/tree" damage - core support, radiator, condenser, grille, bumper, hood, hood safety latch/center horn bracket, yada yada. Oh and the 3500HD I bought with that same damage also needed a fan clutch; radiator smacked it just enough. Amazingly whatever they hit missed the bumper and the HD-specific filler strip. Got lucky and a friend had a nice HD core support for me.

You must be registered for see images attach

Richard

First thing I’m doing when I get there is checking the glove box! Sounds like I might be in luck with 4.10s which would really tickle my pickle. I’m glad you don’t think the damage looks to bad. As long as I can get a core support back in it I’ll be happy. A factory bumper probably won’t go back on weather I can straight the horn out of not. I’ve been looking around for some decent looking high clearance steal bumpers and don’t see much but, I have a JD32 hydraulic tube bender on order. So I might end up whipping up something custom for it that I can mount a winch too. Still undecided, it will largely depend on what I end up buying to piece it back together with.

Speaking of fan clutches, this might be the only vehicle I leave the fan clutch in. Typically I Efan swap errethang but I want to do absolute minimum after market stuff to this truck. If it needs a new fan I’ve seen some upgrade options from different years mentioned on other threads already so I’d likely go that route. If it needs a radiator, it will probably get something all aluminum, I hate those plastic end tanks.