2wd/C20/454/th400 to 4X4/K20/350/sm465 swap

[73CheyenneSuper20]

So, I bought this truck:

And I've already done the front bumper, pushbar, rims, 33" tires and gray primer one section at a time. It has a '73 454 with a Rochester Quadrajet, th400 automatic transmission, full floater rear axle, wood bed and 131,000 miles. It's great, except a 454 was a touch bigger than what I was looking for, and it's not 4X4! Oh, and it was $800.
So, reading a lot of info on this site, and scouting out a few things in the junkyards, I consider just peicing together 4wd from the junkyard, but the 2wd and 4wd frames are a little different, so I figure trading frames or getting a donor suburban to work off of is the best route. I keep my eyes open for a good truck or suburban that's 4X4 to use as a donor.
And I find this on Craigslist:



One man's dream of a rockcrawler. But lost interest in it and built a toyota instead.
It's a '74 K20 (3/4 ton) 350 with edelbrock intake, Holley Carb, sm465 3 speed + low, np205 transfer case, full floater rear axle, '84/'86 cab, new Rough Country 4" lift front leaf springs, longer braided brake lines, and the way you see it is how I bought it. (no doors, seat etc) Wirinin has been removed because it 'melted', so I have that wiring harness, the '84/'86 harness and a new 'painless' type do it yourself wiring harness that was started but not finished.
Oh, $400.

[73CheyenneSuper20]

Forgot to mention the th400 is about gone...
I got the 350 running and it runs good, even better than the 454.
The plan is to just strip both trucks down, move my cab over to the 4x4 frame and build the truck back up.
My cab already has a hole cut in the bottom for the clutch rod, it's also 'dimpled' for the cut out in the center hump over the trans.
The center hump is cut open and a larger center plate is used in the stick shift truck and 4x4's. I picked up one of those center covers from the junkyard already and will put it in the truck soon, but the back part of the floor of the cab needs to be cut to provide more clearance for the transfer case. I'll try to get picks of that soon, tonight or tomorrow.
Last weekend, I put the clutch pedal in, it's a just a matter of removing the steering column, unbolting the upper bracket that bolts right above the steering column and the other end bolts through the firewall and is the bottom 4 bolts you see behind the power brakes booster. I shoulda taken pictures. Shame on me.

[manimal]

I have probably seen you at pick a part in our area. I have a 465/205 in my 75 K10 shortbed. I want to go BigBlock/400/205,but that is down the road a bit. Check around the steering box on the frame for cracks. They are fairly easy to fix with the right parts. Good Luck and maybe we can meet some day.
-Lance

[73CheyenneSuper20]

Yeah, I read about that on here, I looked and mine is good! I know there was a link or two posted for a reinforcing brace from somewhere, I've just been too lazy to find it.
However, the crossmember that goes under the front of the engine is cracked and previously welded... My buddy says he can weld it, and if he can't, I've seen a few in the junkyards.
I go to Ecology off of Riverside Ave in Colton/ Bloomington, or the Take Your Part? that's on 6th near Waterman.

[manimal]

I think its Off Road Design that makes the steering box brace and frame reapir patch. I have one on my truck. Do you go to the one one Milliken in Ontario,or Hillside on Pyrite off the 60?
-Lance

[73CheyenneSuper20]

Nah, never been to those two.

[manimal]

They have a pretty good selection of trucks.
-Lance

[Russell]

Keep in mind insurance concerns with swapping it over. My 1980 GMC started life as a 2wd 3/4 ton 350 / TH400 , and is now a 3/4 ton 4x4 6.2L diesel / NV4500 and I am not able to get it insured anymore. Dropped a crapload of money into it for absolutely nothing.