As many of you know, I'm a Chevy guy. However I have a 77 High Boy 400/C6 54,000 miles that my grandpa bought brand new. It's still a project, but I love it.

Anyways, last year my buddy Brad and I went and looked at this truck. Brad ended up buying it. Since he hasn't road drove it, and I decided that i'm buying it off him. My GMC 1998 K3500 350/nv4500/4.10s was taken by the county due to a drinking and driving event (lets not talk about that).

I am starting a Cummins swap on my Chevy, and need a Tow Rig/Parts Huler that I can DD if needed.

this is a 1976 (maybe 77...I can't remember) with a 79 clip.

the GOOD: 460 BB, c6, 4.10s, power steering (not the high boy ram as.), HP 44. L&L mounts and headers.

the BAD: I've been told its got the wrong balancer on it, I here a slight lifter tick, and I'm sure it gets 7 MPG on a good day. Bad doors (I can buy good ones from him for $150 a pair)

the IDEA: GM 454 TBI fuel injection, electric fan, and ZF 5 speed 2wd trans. I also have a 79 Dana 60 with 4.10 lying around.

Pics:








I wanted to do a NV4500 swap, but its just way to expensive, the whole idea of this truck is cheap power with live able MPG. After the Cummins swap on the blue truck is perfected, this will be my winter truck/mud truck.

EDIT: pics were of the first day, it doesn't have a topper.

 

I guess what I'm asking, is what would you guys do? I also thought about a I6 300/5 speed swap....and if I really like it, a 4bt swap

 

If its going to be a mud truck then i would not consider the 300 or 4bt. Wheel speed is king in the mud and those powerplants make all their power way down low and don't like to rev. Why not pick up a 460? It would be much easier and cheaper then swapping in a chevy engine since all the parts to bolt it in are available from the factory.

 

OOPS, I meant just the 454 TBI (not the motor) sorry for the confusion.

the only reason I thought about the I6 was because I'm not sure how long it will be a DD, could be awhile

What about peoples thoughts about the ZF 5? is the swap worth the hassle for more MPG?

I just called my friend Brad and he said it's more than likely a lower level 460, no DOVE heads or anything

 

When I swapped my C6 to the ZF5 I gained around 2 mpg mixed. If you tow anything then the low gear in the ZF5 alone is worth the hassle.

 

Awesome news, I'm not sure what the MPG difference would be on that 460, but I did love that low first gear in my NV4500 when I pulled away with my trailer.