little help please

[bodyman9174]

Hi everyone been trying to find something in the search but could not find anything.
I have a 79 long bed 2 wheel drive pickup( pretty nice truck) but what I want to do is put a 88 to 95 frame and drive line under it with 4x4. Will my body bolt up to the newer frame? I want the tbi 350 to. Or would it just be a big pain in the rear to do?
thanks jay

[andrewmp6]

I have no clue if it will work but i would pass on the tbi its more like a 2 barrel carb id look for a vortec or tpi.

[bodyman9174]

yeah but the tbi gets good mpg and easy to work on. I just need to know if the body mounts are in the same place.

[b454rat]

I don't imagine anything will line up. Your gonna have to completly remove the body mounts so they match up with the truck mounts. Not saying it can't be done, just alot of work.

[heavychevy79]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

I have no clue if it will work but i would pass on the tbi its more like a 2 barrel carb id look for a vortec or tpi.

It's the restrictive heads on the TBI engines that hinder performance.
Other than that, it's a good engine.
I would go Vortec myself. Those fuel spiders are costly, and take a day
to replace when they go bad. Either way would be a lot of work.


Why not put the body on a 99 up frame? then you would have the LS drive
train everybody is crazy about, plus disc brakes all around, and your choice
of cheap 6 lug wheels.
There is no short supply of wrecked late model trucks around here.

[kevinr1970]

Originally Posted by heavychevy79

...plus disc brakes all around, ...

They stopped dpoing the rear discs after a few years; my '06 is rear drum. From what I read, which could be pure speculation, the rear discs had too many problems.


To the OP, what is the impetus for using the newer frame; are you wanting the independent front suspension, the (more) modern electronics, or ??
Or do you have a line on a good deal for a donor truck already?

Aside from the IFS, the rest is just a newer version of the same? You get some modern technology with electronics and such but I don't see that equating to a better ride. If that is what you are looking for?

If you are looking for the driveability from FI, doing just that conversion should be way cheaper than all the work and $ trying to retrofit your body on the newer frame.

[andrewmp6]

Been me i would find a 4x4 c10 and drop in whatever engine and tranny i want.Straight axle is cheaper to lift and does better off road.I have seen a few newer beds on c10s no clue what it takes to work tho.Only thing i can tell you is to measure the frame and body mounts on both which are probably different.

[bodyman9174]

Thanks all don't really have a line on a truck. Was just thinking have a newer drive line with the old look. But did not know the frames were that much different. The biggest reason for wanting to do this is I had a 89 gmc with the 350 tbi and get got great mpg. my 78 right now is getting like 9 or 10 kinda sucks. any tips on what I can do to get better mpg? right now I have 350/350, rpm intake, and a edelbrock carb.