The horror!

[badassciviv]

was working on the new 68 4x4 trying to put power steering on. I did not know what engine I had in the truck. the truck looked fairly unmolested so I was hoping that the 327 was still in it. Now there was a casting number on the front of the block where the water pump mounts up but count not decipher them. now to make a non power steering truck have power steering. the alternator has to move from the drivers side to the pass, I had the required brackets to do this swap but i had to change my water pump from the short style to the long one so the belts would line up. Not a big deal as i just got this truck and did not know the history of the engine or water pump for that matter. Putting in a new pump was not hard to do. While the pump was off i thought it was a good idea to change out the timing set. Was a good idea, the chain had a ton of play in it and it had the plasticy gear set, yuck. The timing set went in fairly easy as well. Now here is where it all starts to snowball down hill. the front oil pan seal/timing cover seal had to be replaced. I consulted my Chilton manual and it states that to drop the oil pan and replace the gaskets you have to raise the engine 3 inches. Oh brother this easy job just got harder. i had an engine hoist in the corner of the shop so out it came and up i started to lift the engine. 1 and 1/2 inches the engine hits the firewall. crap! because I have a 4x4 the engine is set back it will not lift enough to get to the oil pan. SOO out comes the engine. I get the oil pan off and spend about an hour scraping off the old crusty gasket and I put on a slick one piece neoprene gasket it sure is not going to leak now! I also find a casting number on the rear of the block. So i get the trusty laptop out and get to deciphering. THE HORROR the 327 is no longer in the truck but a crappy 305 vintage 80- 84. horse power? 145! now i am not sure if that is the power rating with a 2 barrel carb or not. I now have a new 1406 edelbrock new cap rotor and coil, the engine has HEI ignition. I had to make up some MSD 8mm spark plug wires. So I hope i have upped the pony count a bit. I am now looking to put in a 350. I found a fuel injected 350 not sure what the vintage is yet. I guess the question would be how hard is it to switch to injected. I know I have to put a inline fuel pump. But will this engine match up to the bell housing of my tranny, and will my clutch linkage which now bolts to the side of my block, work with a newer 350?