What Chevy parts am I looking for?

GotWood

GotWood

Sayer of Fact
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Location
Maiden, NC
I'm looking for a combination 350/TBI/vortec with a manual transmission and driver drop transfer case. I'm looking at wrecked Tahoe's and older 1500 trucks as a donor. One option is finding a 90's manual 1500 with a junk motor/body whatever. I think they are driver drop??(more research needed hence I'm here). Then find a Buick Roadmaster with a good motor and mate the two together.

The other option is find a running Tahoe and just drop the motor/auto/transfer case into the other vehicle.

There are other options I know, but it seems like this is a $2000 answer.

Thoughts?
 
I think the L31 Vortec 350 came out in 1996 and is a significant upgrade from the prior motor. Might look for that. What are you building?

Driver drop should start in 1988 for the trucks, and 1992 for the SUV's.
 
Last edited:
Only bad thing about vortec 5.7... electronics!!! For a manual you'll have to look in the 2500's 88-98 I don't know if a 1500 came with manual trans did it?? I'm probably wrong tho! I drive automatics these days...
 
I’m pretty sure there were some early to mid 90’s manual 1500’s. There was an asshole I went to school with who had a single cab step side that was manual and this was early 90’s.
 
C.Berry said:
Only bad thing about vortec 5.7... electronics!!! For a manual you'll have to look in the 2500's 88-98 I don't know if a 1500 came with manual trans did it?? I'm probably wrong tho! I drive automatics these days...
Click to expand...
Most of the k1500 manual trans trucks from that era had the 305 not 350 motor but I think there were some 350 manual trucks and some light duty 2500 trucks.
 
A buddy of mine owned a late 80's or early 90's 1500 with 350 and manual transmission.
 
I assume an older manual will bolt to a newer Chevy block? A painless wiring harness and factory computer should be enough to have it running?

That's why I'm considering a Roadmaster. They had vortec motors and probably treated halfway decent. I can pick one up for a grand or less. Scrap weight could probably get $200 for what's left.

The Chevy manual will be harder to find. My dad has a 04? 1500 (cat eye) that's manual but it's a 305 and he's not going to let me have it!
 
He doesn't have an '04 1500 with a 305...a 4.8 is more than likely what's under the hood.

GM made trucks with manual transmissions until 2006, IIRC. If it's a 1500, it'll have an NV3500. They're stout enough. I have one in my 99 behind a healthy 6.0 pushing 37s. If it's a 2500, it'll have an NV4500. Both are 32 spline outputs.

NV3500s are external slave cylinders up until 94, I think. NV4500s are external slaves until 1995. After those years, they're internal slave/throwout bearing combos.

NV3500s don't have a removeable bellhousing. NV4500s do and they differ between pre 96 and post 96 transmissions.

The transfer case you'll be looking for is an NP241. They used them from 88-98 and it'll be bolted to any NV3500 you'll find in the same year range.

Oh, and pretty much every GM V8 has the same bellhousing pattern, even the Duramax. It's just a matter of matching the right flywheel and clutch to the input shaft of the transmission.
 
GotWood said:
I assume an older manual will bolt to a newer Chevy block? A painless wiring harness and factory computer should be enough to have it running?

That's why I'm considering a Roadmaster. They had vortec motors and probably treated halfway decent. I can pick one up for a grand or less. Scrap weight could probably get $200 for what's left.

The Chevy manual will be harder to find. My dad has a 04? 1500 (cat eye) that's manual but it's a 305 and he's not going to let me have it!
Click to expand...
great thing about chevy is they used almost the same bell housing for years. a turbo 350 bolts to ls with a spacer.

if you looking to spend around 2 grand, depending what your doing with it i would consider finding something with a 5.3/4.8
 
Back
Top