help with v8 swap truck selection

[9-z28-4]

so, what is the best year of 2nd gen to do a carbed swap into? I was thinking maybe a 95 due to the least amount of computer involvement. I would like to do a 350/Turbo 350 swap. The only motor/trans combos i have right now are from 1970 el camino's but i could get another i suppose. So going carbed what do i have to do to keep my gauges working? also can i get by with doing no computer tuning at all?

[1-1-SIX]

painless wiring

http://www.painlessperformance.com/

or make your own....to clean things up

[1-1-SIX]

i swapped in a carbed 4.3 in my other blazer....that was 2.8L computer controlled.....and since i was cheap, i just tucked away the wires i didn't use....lol

but my dad is using painless for his 355 swap into his 84 s10....and painless is great.

[hero dave]

I did the opposite. took a carbed truck and made it EFI. EFI is intimidating but after a few hrs of looking at the wiring diagrams you can figure it out with ease! plus there is Painless wiring and a few other good companys that make it even eazier! I'm even GRAY color blind! (can't see any colors) and I put my engine (see the avatar) :)

[Bootlegger's Deluxe]

Dave, why did you paint the engine blue :D

[1-1-SIX]

aahhahah....thats funny

[9-z28-4]

so, no suggestions on what year truck to get, or how to make my gauges work?

[hero dave]

crap! its blue?! on the label it said it was "fire red" Bummer! :)

[hero dave]

I like the front end on the 98+ but I prefer the 93 and below first gens! as for the wiring I would get a 96-94 model. I would keep it EFI cause the cost ins't that much more than carbed. two reasons is better MPG and less tuning/running issues...less maintance. trust me the wiring isn't as bad as you think. IMO yoyu are going back in time by installing a carb on an EFI truck. :)

[9-z28-4]

well i am going to put a 98+ front end on the truck. Efi tuning is easy if you have all the expensive equipment to do it, carb on the other hand requires a screw driver and ratchet so thats my draw to carbs.

[1-1-SIX]

and i was saying to get your gauges to work.....get a painless wiring harness.....you tell them what you want....under hood wiring harness....the gauges you'll be using...everything. that way you won't have all of these lef over plugs you aren't gonna use. are you still gonna use a computer?

and besides, going carbed doesn't affect your gauges....you just plug in the sensors with the correct wires....and VOILA!!!! your temperature sensor isn't stuck in the side of your carb. lol

that's what i did.

and if you want efi...take it somewhere and get it tuned, if you don't have all the expensive equipment handy.

[hero dave]

or keep it somewhat stock...then your ECM will function just fine w/o custom tuning.... the stock ecm will handle more than people think. plus 400 hp in an s10 is very do-able with the stock ecm...add headers/intake/ecm legal cam, maybe alittle bigger injectors. and the damn thing will run great with the factory ecm, get good MPG and still make nice power....if thats not enough power, there is NOS :)

[hero dave]

forgot to mention that the speedo I think is the only thing the ECM likes to see, the others are just sensors that you transfer over to the new engine.... make the engine "think" that it is the original engine. maybe cruise control....don't know on that one.