6.2 Diesel in a 69 3/4 ton 4x4

[brandoncpm]

Hi fellas, about to begin on a project to say the least. I have a 69 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. It currently has a 350 and a 4spd manual. I just picked up an 83 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 with a 6.2 diesel and a 4spd auto in it for a donor truck. The goal here is to swap the powertrain out of the 83 into the 69. From what I can tell so far it appears that the 6.2 should fit nicely in the 69. My goal is to have a daily driver that not only looks awesome but gets in the 20's for mileage. I should have most of the parts I need already in the 83. My question is, will the 6.2 bolt up to the 4spd manual currently in the 69? If so, am I wasting my time and effort swapping the auto and transfer case as well? If the 6.2 will bolt right up to the 4spd manual, it would obviously be a lot easier than swapping everything over, however, I would really like the automatic just for space in the middle seat as well as in town driving convenience. My biggest drawback about keeping the 4spd manual is that it is geared really low and at 60mph I am currently turning 2500+rpms. I suppose I could swap the gears out but I would rather have the automatic with overdrive for sure. This will be my first motor swap project so I know there will be a lot of headaches and frustrations but I am very mechanically inclined and a good fabricator so the diesel end of things may be new but I can figure it out.....with enough help from some of the more experienced guys on the board...Any help or recommendations will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Brandon

[6BT 56]

Man please tell me that 83 is junk underneeth that white paint . That thing is mint in canadian rust bucket standards.

Sounds like a cool project. I was thi king 6.2 for mine if I had to cut the body up to fit the cummins.

I think your 6.2 is BOP bolt pattern , You will need a different bellhousing i guess. I cant comment for sure tho. The 700r4 that is in the 83 could be nice in that truck tho.

Lookig forward to some pics .

[woodwright]

The 6.2 is the stock gm trans bolt pattern. I'm not sure about the 69 flywheel though. You might need to find a newer flywheel. Swapping in the auto would be pretty easy though. You might even be able to use the 69's transfer case. Then the tranny/T-case mount would be the same, just moved back a little. Although you have to move the motor mounts forward a little, so the tranny mount might be right. Just jerk the 350/4 speed out, set the new combo in and make it work. Worst you'll have to do is move a few mounting holes.

[brandoncpm]

6bt_56 I wish I could tell you that the 83 was junk but the truth is it's a really nice truck. It actually has me thinking twice about swapping the motor and tranny into my 69. I'm kinda just wanting to get the 83 running and just drive it for a while. My fear is that I will like it too much and never swap it over....If I do get the swap done the 83 will be up for sale shortly thereafter with a 350 in it.

[chevy88]

I agree with wood right, just swap everything and you wouldn't have to worry about flywheel, just mounts, let alone more mpg and i'm sure that is why you are doing this, especially when you have the auto 4 speed. I'm interested in this build of yours also, let me know if the motor mounts work as I heard that a 6.2 motor in the 82-87 is a direct swap with small block motor mounts in the same years but heard that in 67-72 you need the big block motor mounts? Good luck with the swap.
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[brandoncpm]

Woodwright you make it sound so easy, Just jerk it out put the new setup in and make it work! I love it, almost sounds a little rednecky (Don't think that's a word) to me. That is actually the plan, I first want to get the 6.2 put back together and get it running just to make sure everything works before I swap it all over. I would be very interested to find out if the NP205 ( I think?) that is in the 69 could stay and mount to the 700R4 and 6.2, that would be awesome. I would love to hear from someone who actually has done this or knows for sure if it can be done. Thanks.

[woodwright]

Well, you said you can fab what you need, so what are you worried about?

Not sure about the 700r4 to 205. You might post that question in the 4x4 section. I went with a divorced 205.

The 6.2 blocks have the same 3 bolt engine mounts as any small block/big block. I used small block mounts on mine, but I had to modify my crossmember because it hit the pan. I'm not familiar with the big block mounts, maybe those will work better.

[6BT 56]

Dont get too concerned abt the transfer case in the 83. It should be a 208 . I have plowed crazy amounts of snow with lots of those. The 205 is stronger for sure but you dont likely need it unless your building a true off road or work truck. If you kept all the 83 stuff intact and just slid it all in the old truck you would make life much less complicated. Maby even be able to save your driveshafts and save some $$$$ there .

how apart is the 83 ? Have you heard it run before ?

[brandoncpm]

Have not heard the 6.2 run, going off what the previous owner told me. Looks like the intake just needs to be put back on and a few things bolted back together, (turbo, fan, exhaust, etc...) According to the previous owner it was running good when he bought it for a project truck, he tore the intake off and started taking stuff apart and then lost interest when he bought a toyota, (high school kid). I am excited to get it put back together and drive it a little bit before I do the swap with the 69. I just need to get some time, in the middle of hiring another full time guy and trying to step back a little bit in my involvement with my business. If all goes well I should have a lot more free time in a month or two. Fingers crossed.

[6BT 56]

The 6.2 has a turbo???

[brandoncpm]

Sorry guys it's been way too long without updates. Just doubled up my business and started running a new project for another company, I know, excuses but that's life I guess. I actually spent a lot of time last week putting the 6.2 back together. Got it all back together just to find out that the mechanical lift pump doesn't work. Replaced that, what a pain in the ass!!! Ended up abandoning the mechanical pump and installing an electrical pump. Now have fuel to the injector pump but not to injectors??? Hoping the injector pump isn't bad. That is the next step in the process however I am leaving for Alaska on a hunting trip this week and may not have time to work on the truck again for a while. Hoping that I can get the injector pump working and run the truck for the first time. Curious to see how much power the truck has with the aftermarket Banks turbo setup. Hopefully when I get back I can find some time and post some pictures.

[brandoncpm]

Alright, so this project has been on hold for a while, a long while. Won't make excuses so here is what the new plan is. I have reassemble the 6.2 and it will fire if you spray wd 40 in it, but won't stay running. I abandoned the mechanical lift pump and installed an electric fuel pump. I have fuel to the injector pump but not through it. All I can think of is the injector pump is bad. Anyway, the truck is actually going to be sold this week hopefully. Decided to change plans and will be selling the 69 that I was going to swap the motor into and instead buy a 69-72 blazer and drop a 4bt cummins in it. I need a rig that I can fit the whole family into and the 69 pickup just doesn't have enough room. Always loved the old blazers and had a super scout 2 back in the day that I always wished was a k5 blazer. I picked up the 4bt with zf6 transmission and all the adapter plates this week and got what I think was a good deal. The guy I bought them from actually had them installed in his 69 blazer and took them out to sell due to the blazer being a rusted out piece of garbage. Now just on the hunt for a nice relatively rust free blazer without a motor or tranny in it.

[Big - T]

That sounds a lot like what I'm doing. I was restoring my '74 when the idea hit me to drop a cummins in it. However, the truck has 97k original so I wanted to keep the originality with the truck considering the crazy low milage. So my next plan was to get another truck (same year or around there) and drop the diesel in it. I've already got a 6bt but don't know I want to do that much fabricating to make it fit and be able to with stand the torque. So it looks like a 4bt is going to be the winner. Also if anyone is wondering why not a 6.2? That's because the naturally aspirated ones won't give me quiet the power I'm looking for, but a 4bt will the turbo would do the job.

[brandoncpm]

Well, good news and bad news. The good news is I just sold the 83 chevy with the 6.2 diesel in it. The bad news is I just spent a bunch of money on the cummins and tranny. So, one step closer to the cummins blazer. Now I just need to find a good solid rust free blazer. Looking for a 71 or 72 due to the disk brakes already being there. Have a bead on a couple but they disappear really quick if they are nice. Still working on selling the 69 cst 20. Have it on EBAY and it's up to $5500.00 now. Hopefully I get a little more out of it. Should have some updates soon.