1988 Silverado!

[hoser]

Truck looks great man! You should do the old style pinstripe that has the heartbeat in it. I always thought that looked cool and was subtle. And it will look even better when you get a chance to update the front end with lights and maybe a clean grill. Great job on the truck!

 

[blackout450r]

thanks man. Yea we did a pinstripe on it now, we just didn't do the heartbeat thing. My brothers has that on it tho. Or something like it anyways...and as far as the new grill and headlights go I was thinking of doing that over the winter when its sitting inside anyways. Then Ill have all winter to put it back together...first snowfall and this things parked in the shop all winter lol.

 

[sandt38]

I had a customer with a red 85 several years back. The body was mint, but he needed a drivetrain update. I yanked the carbureted 305, built a 383 for it (350 punched .030 over with a 400 SBC crank and rods), and dropped an edelbrock TBI manifold and throttle body with a Vortec blower. I yanked the TH350 trans and put in a simple TH400 with a shift kit. I swung out the rear highway gears for .373s. The truck looked amazing and ran hard. It was one of my favorite complete builds in the shop. I built several race cars, but to me the complete transformation of that gorgeous truck really stood out. The guy spent a **** ton of money, but the outcome was awesome.

 

[CJM]

There are few engines in the world that bring a smile to my face like the 383 stroker does. Them suckers make some SERIOUS power.

 

[sandt38]

There are few engines in the world that bring a smile to my face like the 383 stroker does. Them suckers make some SERIOUS power.

Imagine 5 pounds of blower boost to top it off!

It was really a great truck.

 

[blackout450r]

^x2! If (when) this 350 blows up Im either going with a 383 carb'd or a 454 carb'd. Both would be similar build. Just some heads, intake, headers, cam, flat top pistons and a mild built tranny. Who knows...maybe as soon as this winter.

 

[blackout450r]

haha I was thinking a single turbo set up one day. But really, for me right now this truck is awesome. Its something that me and my dad spent 6 months restoring and something like that is better than any amount of power anyways. Just had a great time bonding with my old man. And getting yelled at of course lol. But for now I enjoy driving this thing to work everyday and just enjoying it how she sits. But like I said, this winter there will be some killer upgrades.

 

[CJM]

id do the 383, them 454 are HEAVY suckers.

 

[blackout450r]

true true. They are just more readily available for me around here. I would love to (one day) have this truck running 13's . My dads 408 stroker runs low 11's so I gotta kinda keep up haha but it sure wouldn't take much to get a 383 pumpin tho

 

[sandt38]

You would need more tranny behind the 454. I would suggest a 383.

 

[sandt38]

Odds are the truck has a th350, but if it has a TH700R you would trash it with the 454. The 383 would push the 700's limits, but the 454's torque would trash it quick. When people came in with the later model 454SS trucks we always suggested the 400 swap, as even mild work on the 454 would waste the 700 tranny. You will have to move the trans crossmember and get the driveshaft lengthened, but it is really a simple swap from the 700 to the 400.

 

[blackout450r]

^also true!
I would like me a 383 ! :gr_grin:

 

[Burke]

If you are going to do a motor build, why not a 377... they don't make big numbers but you can twist the ever living piss out of them. We had one in a circle track car that lived at 8500 RPM for 2 full seasons running 2 different tracks. Definitely not an easy life, but a super fun motor.

 

[blackout450r]

@sandt38. This truck has a TH400