TBI to Carb

[RandyP]

So I have a line on a decent little 87 SWB truck. Has a 305 with TBI, but has had an electrical fire that went from engine bay to dash area. Was more of a melt down than actual fire, but most the wire looms are trashed as is all the plastic connections etc.

I can get 85 and down LWB trucks all the time for ~200 or so with no drive train or with engines locked up. My question is, and I know it's possible because I see them advertised all the time, can you get an intake that will fit the 87's 305 block but is made for carb setup? Seems you can literally just remove all the ECM and TBI wires, put an older vacuum advance distributor in and rewire with stuff from an 85 or so down, correct? I'm guessing probably have to change the sending units in the gas tank(s) and put a fuel pump on the block, otherwise seems like fairly easy swap.

Thinking I can get this truck cheap and drag a parts truck in cheap and maybe only have to buy a few items depending on what the parts truck really has. Might luck out and get a parts truck with just a locked up motor and be able to use the fuel pump and distributor and such from it as well. The intake has me wondering though since I know the 87 engines have a somewhat different bolt design than the older stuff. Hoping I'm not looking at swapping heads as well, but I guess that might be doable as well.

I also have a wire loom from a TBI truck, as well as the ECM and stuff, so that is always a thought as well. But putting it back to a carb setup might be simpler and cheaper in the long run since basically anything with a plastic connection on the end of the wire also got damaged it seems.

Surely someone has went from TBI to carb on here.