Two trucks 4 engines: help me choose

[greywuuf]

ok guys, here is the entire deal.

we will start with my '72 C10 lwb 4x4 Sporting a 383 stroker and Firebird based TBI injection ahead of a th700r4 built by Art Carr.

My father and I built the truck, frame off to be his daily driver to pull a small camp trailer in his retirement years. We got it together and started the tuning ( by tuning we took a cop car chip for the 350 make a few adjustments and away we went) My father passed away .. left me the truck and his '82 GMC Jimmy with 6.2 diesel.
Fast forward 5 years

The truck has never been tuned properly and is getting very hard to start and back fires alot ( probably ignition or vacuum leak, possibly a wiped cam or valve issues) and the Jimmy broke a wrist pin and ate the block.

I am keeping both rigs, the jimmy has a 3" lifft and would like to be my daily driver camping hunting towing snow mobiles carting kids around kind of rig.

The c10 I am keeping just because... no real use for it but it will be mild mannered and useable not a rod by any means.

I have these engines another 6.2 diesel, a 427 Tall deck (C60 project that wont ever see the light of day ) the 383 in the C10 and a '68 292 six (all stock )

help me choose which goes where ie: BIG block blazer.. what kind of mileage could I expect is driven sedately with an OD tranny ... 383 converted back to carb? Six with a top loader 4 speed in the C10 ? maybe a 5 speed tranny instead ?

also what would be the fastest way to get them both useable and working well again ? ( keeping in mind that the price of diesel and the long winters here has dimmed much of the diesel luster for me especially with the no longer supported 6.2) not saying it is out of the running, just not real enthused about it .

Discuss....
Dan

[Zoomin]

I'd do the C-10 with a carbed 383 first. Seems like that would be the easiest and cheapest option, and will get done quicker. If that doesn't quicken your pulse afterward, it will be in sellable condition and your can use the proceeds to do the next project.
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[GASoline71]

The tall deck BB won't be a performer. That's why it was in the big trucks. You couldn't pay me to use a 6.2L diesel. The 292's are cool... but it depends on what you want out of it. Great towing motor. The 383 with a carb would be my choice. How will you mount up a Ford toploader to the 383?

Gary

[ChevLoRay]

But, that tall deck big block might be a torque monster in the 4WD....

[GASoline71]

That... is true!

Gary

[greywuuf]

Sorry if I used the term "toploader" incorrectly, I am referring to a am 465, as compared to say a Muncie. Also I know the small port 427 will be a low end torquer. But that is really what I am after.
I don't know exactly what I am after. I don't think I want the 6 and a for speed in my daily driver but I really enjoy driving them from time to time.I am wondering what kind of mileage I could pull down with the big block in front of a 700r4.?
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[GASoline71]

The 700R4 won't last very long behind that BB. They weren't designed to handle that kind of TQ. Unless you have some serious work done to it.

Gary