More than a few times after I joined truck groups on Facebook and had people wonder why I am changing out most of the drive train.

Anything with a computer or needs a computer needs to go. The NP246 transfer case controlled by the tccm (computer). The transmission 4l60e can’t even shift without a computer. The main computer that works with the three other computers deciding when to send fuel, when to shift and even when you need four wheel drive.

 or 

Try using the second one when the power goes out.

Nope give me a carburetor I can tune. 4 wheel drive when I want it. And  an automatic manual shift transmission that I can shift up or down when I need to.

So I found me an older donor truck with a 700r4 transmission.  NP241 transfer case.   Now I could even use the tbi off that because edelbrock makes an intake for that. but no I needed a carb. Truth is I have two here already.  Oh and I would have to switch to hei ignition.

So what next. I do a ton of research on the internet. I find I am not the only one. Many have changed to similar combos. Many have chosen to switch to carb.

So what comes first.

The engine. Disassemble all the wiring take off the ac, alternator, power steering pump.  Disconnect the exhaust system remove.

Pull the engine out put it on the engine stand pull off the heads. Send them down for magnafluxing.  and machine work .I need to check for the notorious cracked vortec heads. Disassemble the rest of the engine and send the block down for boring and magnafluxing. Oh yeah I need to buy pistons for that for the process.

Transmission 4l60e pull that. Pull the NP246  computer controlled constantly spinning transfer case off, and front drive shaft and rear drive shaft.

I will need to order a new hei distributor, put on a different gear for the roller cam.. On the front I need to do more research on the harmonic balancer.  I wont be needing the seluctor WTF is that.

I will need to put a different flex plate and adapter to make up for  .400 difference on the engine out put shaft. And maybe there is more. I will find out when I get there.

Its time to disassemble the k truck donor I didn’t buy it , just like the 55 I traded for it.  Cab and core off so I can easily access everything. Oh yea did I mention I am disabled.  Broken neck broken back some repaired some not. Living on a small pension. This will all be a challenge. I am relying heavily on utube videos to get me through.

I am not connected to the grid. I have solar not enough. And I have generators, so I can run power tools. I have a gas powered air compressor for air tools.

It will take me longer to get all this done but it’s the journey that is important. And I hope one day I will be driving Lucille as part of that journey.

NP246 DELETE

When I first started this website. I planned to replace the vortec engine, with one out of my safari van donor. Then I got a 1990 k1500.  I was going to shorten the frame and use the Tbi 350 in there. Which all was included on the dual fuel setup.

Now the plan is to use the vortec and get rid of all computers. The engine has one, the tranny has one and even the transfer case has one.

So to do that a carb and manifold plus hei distributor with a roller cam gear on the bottom would have to be installed.

The 700r4 out of the k1500 and the transfer case and front driveshaft would go into the Yukon frame as  well. I found out doing research I also needed a new flex plate and a spacer. The output on the vortec is .400 longer than on the TBI engine.

Jegs has one.

Now I needed a carb I remember a friend having a Rochester sitting outside his house in the weather it had been there for years. Got it for free.  But it is in bad shape. I also have one sitting in a an older camper van with a 350. I will pull that tomorrow to see what it is. Hoping for 704.

Jegs again had a manifold that was a very reasonable price. With good reviews price $149

I could use the TBI in the k1500 but that has a computer. I am anti computer. Do I think North Korea will send an EMP and wipe out every vehicle with a computer? Maybe but mostly I think they are a major point of failure. We depend on them too much. I know I am a computer tech.

Back to the conversion also needed to switch out the fuel pump apparently the stock Yukon pump send 65 pounds the carb needs six. I think i will probably invest in a fuel pressure gauge and mount that in the engine bay.

So now I am pulling the motor apart and getting it ready for the machine shop. they want a ton of money to hot tank and magnaflux. Magnaflux is neccesarry for the heads as vortecs are nototrious for cracking.

Now I looked into the whole hot tanking thing. A lot of people out there are just making their own hot tanks with chicken wire and baking soda.  I plan to do that and probably pressure wash the units.

That will take off about four hundred dollars off the machine shop bill. Now if I could find a decent price on the electromagnet for magnfluxing I would probably do that too. Then all I need is the powder and a turkey baster, and I am off to the races. This way I don’t have to send my heads away and pay someone to tell me they are cracked.

Now onto the machine work. I plan to remove the pressed in studs that hold the rocker arms. so the machine shop can tap the holes and put in threaded studs. I also learned the vortec heads . Need the area under the valve springs milled, so I can put in a cam with higher lift. Then the heads need surfacing.

The block. I need new pistons to go down with the block to the machine shop. so they can bore them to match the pistons. So back to jegs I go and research pistons. They will cost about $32 each. Now i need to total everything and see if it would just be cheaper to buy a crate vortec. So much research to do. I will fill you in as I go

I managed to get the donor truck in the shop a few weeks ago. When I closed the outside doors. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to pull the engine out. The hoist was tight against the wall.  My shop was originally designed for working on my Harley not an extended cab truck.

That wall had to be removed. No problem except it was ten feet high by 13 feet wide, and supported a heavy roof.  I spent a few days coming up with a plan. The roof needed support and I needed to be able to lift a new beam in place. A beam that was three heavy 2 x10 ‘s 13 feet long and that was after cutting away the supporting wall.

So I cut three 2x 10’s  to support the roof and sledge hammer them into place. I grab my sawzall and start cutting the wall studs. An hour later the opening is cut. Then of course the wind picks up , just what I needed . I had visions of the heavy roof falling on my head.

I kept working. I built the pillars and now came the fun part. The beam. There was no way I would be able to lift a heavy beam nine feet in the air. So  I chose to build the beam in place. I lifted the boards one at a time then used some long grk screws to hold it together. The roof was now supported.

I trusted my work, well  mostly. I left the extra support boards up for a couple of days.

I noticed that I might be able to shoehorn my 55 frame into the new space I created. I thought I should order some wheel dollies. I looked around to get the best price. These things are dirt cheap in the states insanely expensive in Canada. Best I could do was $159 for four from amazon.

A couple of weeks later I got the dollies and assembled them. I made some measurements and realized my old office was in the way it would have to be shortened.  Another supporting wall. I managed to get through all that and was left with a huge pile of insulation left over from the walls. I built a platform above my old office and stuffed all in there for future use. One more thing, lots of one more things, I had stairs that were in the way no problem only three they had to be moved. That was three hour job.

Now all the stuff I had stored in there needed to go, two trips to the dump and a lot of sweeping I had the area clean enough to bring in the frame. I needed to pick up the pace snow was in the weather forecast.

Next obstacle, the donor was still in my shop. With two flat tires. I put some air in hoping they would hold long enough for the move.

Throw a chain around the bumper and onto my van and I pull the donor out and down the driveway.

Now the 55 frame. I had no way to move that and off course it had two flat tires.  So I pull out a rusty come along that I found buried in the dirt at the back of the property, my tow chain and a chunk of heavy propylene rope. It was only a 60 foot pull. The come along moved everything an inch with every lever pull.  Every 5 feet I would have to coerce the rusty old thing to loosen up the cable so I could shorten the rope and chain as the frame got closer.

After two hours of painful levering the frame was up to the door. That was as close as I could get.  There were no more places to anchor the come along. Now I needed a way to get it inside up a slight incline.  Then I remember my car ramps for oil changes.  I jack up the back up the rolling frame, slide the ramps under the wheels and lower the jack. It works the frame rolls forward six inches up hill. Twenty or thirty more tries and the frame is inside.

Next day I am excited I get to try my new wheel dollies. Intoxicated by visions of pushing the frame into place with one finger. One wheel at a time I jack up each corner and put the dollies in place.

I try pushing the frame it doesn’t budge.  I realize the problem, I opted to save money by not making the garage floor smooth. The dollies don’t move at all. I grab a two by six and stick it under a dollie and use it as a lever. The frame moves six inches but the tire now flat doesn’t hold the dollie and it shoots out at me. Twenty more tries and the frame is on the smooth concrete. This time a little hard push and the frame is moving. I get it into place and now all the work is coming to fruition.

I sweep out the shop and now it’s time to roll the donor back in. The tires now flat again. I can’t steer it, so it means moving the truck a few feet with my van and then jacking it up changing the steering letting the jack down and rinse and repeat until the 1990 Chevy is back in the shop and the doors closed.

It’s all good snow is on its way. Then I realize the box for the 55 is still outside. I forgot it out there. It may stay till spring.

It will take a few days to recover from all the work I did. I forget I am disabled sometimes at least until the pain rolls in.

Now comes the easy part disassemble the donor remove the cab the box and the fenders remove the drive train, do the same on the 55 frame and replace with the donor drive train. No problem hahahahaha. Oh yeah the tranny and engine from the donor both need rebuilding and one more supporting wall has to go so the heat and light can get in. Easy Peasy.

Same song thru the ages