82 swb build

[bh86]

I've been on the forum for quite some time mainly just watching and drooling over all the builds. I've been a chev fanatic since I can remember and in the past few years I've had the bug pretty bad so I decided to pick up an 82 swb I found for cheap and away I went. This is a budget build so far and I'll see how well I can stick to that lol. Pics will get better, I wasn't planning on doing a build thread. Specs on the rig- 305/350 a/c no power windows or locks, single tank unfortunately, interior was completely hammered when i got it tho luckily the original door panels were still in place, although pretty rough I think I can make em work, I'm just not a big fan of the aftermarket stuff. My buddy had a donor 91 burb so i stripped out the wiring, steering column, gauges, and a bunch of other miscelaneous parts. I dont want to do tbi so i stripped the tbi portion out of the harness and plan on swapping in the newer style cruise control and other lil things since i like the later styles better. i picked up a 700r4 for cheap and have a 350 sittin in the shop so I'll start there, although the ls swap is tempting me pretty hard!

[bh86]

well the last couple of days have been fairly eventful, I came across a pretty sweet barn find (except it was just outside the barn instead lol) a couple hours from home near sun valley and couldnt pass it up. i couldnt believe how cool the truck was and rust free. The previous owner bought it in 88 from the blm or some gov't auction, used it on the farm til the late 90's and parked it (and it's twin brother which i missed by a day or I'd have bought them both). it's a bare bones 82 straight six, no power steering no nothin custom deluxe. so I thought I'd include a few photos of it.

[bh86]

a couple more after it was loaded

[bh86]

so i got it home and went on a hunt for power steering parts and ended up at the pick n pull and found a couple gems. first i found a near perfect uncut bezel for 20$, then two 82 gmc grilles that are beautiful, it's been hard to find anything gmc and all the aftermarket stuff for the gmc in this year is made without the emblems in the grill. I also found replacement seatbelts and sheaths, power window door panels that are as good as I've seen used so it looks like I'll be putting power windows and locks in the fleetside. oh and i picked up a stock radio for the hell of it. I won't have the panels or the belts til tomorrow but i'll post pics when i do.

[bh86]

the collection is getting a little bigger than expected. I think I'm going to have to sell one of the 82's but i don't really want to. I've been a square body fanatic since I was quite young, I have my first truck, an 86 4x4 long bed that i converted to tbi and ac, power windows and locks in high school that's waiting to be done again, it was really clean then i sold it, it got sold again, and I went and bought it back . While it was gettin passed around it got a lil beat up. For some odd reason I picked up a cucv with 15000 miles on it and I havent put a mile on it since i bought it. I've got an 86 swb in pieces that needs finished but i think i just sold so maybe i can keep one of the 82's now I have a 92 that i bought from a high school buddy a while back and restored with my lil bro and it's been one of my fav cruisers, my daily driver toyota long travel desert rig, I live in the high desert area here and theres trails all over so it works out to be a good time, and then there's the tow rig, the black dodge in the pics. I'll get a few pics when I can but here's a couple pics for now.

[Greenlee]

Nice collection of trucks!

[bh86]

Thanks!

[bh86]

Ok I think I'm pickin up an ls 5.3/4l60e with harness, ecu, accessories etc. for 1400$ I thought this was decent price they have vids of ot running and. The compression tests good on all 8. Does that seem pretty decent? I can do the wiring myself, my question is what exhaust manifolds work best? I've done a fair amount of research and it seems like a lot have used the trail blazer SS manifolds.ill look for a set is their any others that have worked well? I don't want to go with headers.

[bh86]

Ok well I was gone for a few months and the project was put on hold. Worst part about it was I had to put it on hold half way through the ls swap. Now the wiring has me confused in a couple places. Idk if anyone knows the answers to these questions, but I swapped my 82 harness for a 91 burban harness for a few different reasons, one being that it had the electronic speedo. What I can't remember is how to wire it all together. I know I've seen a thread with pics and all but I can't seem to find it now. Question is this, do I connect the vss wire from the comp into the drac? And was it to the single wire on the right in this pic?

[bh86]

Another question. I'm using the factory fuel relay. I was curious if I could run the grey wire from the relay straight to the tan/white wire that typically routes through the hot fuel module and oil pressure sensor? It seems like it should work. Also curious what I need to do with the fuel pump prime connector and if anything needs to be done with it?