What about a gm conversion???????

[dirtyd62]

I have an 85 wag and am going to be using it for some mild off roading. The drivetrain is wore out, 185000 miles of Ohio weather. I am thinking of converting to a gm drivetrain and was wanting your opinions. I have a newly rebuilt gm motor sitting around and just purchased an 86 blazer for transfer case and axles at the whopping price of $200, I get that back when I strip it, and can purchase a rebuilt tranny for $150. Is this conversion cheaper/better than redoing the 360 and all other components?

[AlsChopShop]

yep. i saw the light too. ;)

your axles will mean you will go spring over in front, gaining you 6-7" of lift up front. you'll need to shackle flip the rear to match the lift. tadsal on the board makes a kit... ttsfabworks.com

i went with novak motor mounts for the SBC, and i really like them. i converted to manual too.

Al

[imiceman44]

I have an 85 wag and am going to be using it for some mild off roading. The drivetrain is wore out, 185000 miles of Ohio weather. I am thinking of converting to a gm drivetrain and was wanting your opinions. I have a newly rebuilt gm motor sitting around and just purchased an 86 blazer for transfer case and axles at the whopping price of $200, I get that back when I strip it, and can purchase a rebuilt tranny for $150. Is this conversion cheaper/better than redoing the 360 and all other components?
GM running gear would be the cheapest, and since it's the most common with teh aftermarket you can have the most reliable.
I already have axles tranny and tcase GM, when the 360 goes I will have the engine as well.
I even have GM gas tanks. :thumbsup:

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Don't forget that the full size Blazer axles are I believe around the width of J-truck axles, so they will be several inches wider than the Wagoneer axles. You may be fine with this for an off-roader, but you'll likely be cutting up the fenders.

[Tad]

Don't forget that the full size Blazer axles are I believe around the width of J-truck axles, so they will be several inches wider than the Wagoneer axles. You may be fine with this for an off-roader, but you'll likely be cutting up the fenders.
Yep, you will be about 3" wider at every corner and you will trim about 1.5" off the front and a bit more in the rear depending on tire selection and wheeling style).
Wider is not a bad thing.
The Chevy engine (yes, I have a Buick, it's GM essentially) it seems so common, but if was to do it all over again, that's probably where I would start also. Common matching parts make it almost a no brainer for folks like me.
(I know, I'm sorry and apologize to the purists)

[kyrel]

I have an 85 wag and am going to be using it for some mild off roading. The drivetrain is wore out, 185000 miles of Ohio weather. I am thinking of converting to a gm drivetrain and was wanting your opinions. I have a newly rebuilt gm motor sitting around and just purchased an 86 blazer for transfer case and axles at the whopping price of $200, I get that back when I strip it, and can purchase a rebuilt tranny for $150. Is this conversion cheaper/better than redoing the 360 and all other components?

Do you still have the blazer?
If the body and frame is in good shape and you have a title for it. I would buy it off of you for what you paid for it(I do not need motor or tranny) and if you are wanting to use 1/2 axles still I have some already out of trucks/blazer.
Also I live just south of you in west Middletown.

[Casey]

I was once one of the purists, then I started spending $$$ to make something out of my AMC mill that a GM engine already has. I'll have less $$$ in the whole BBC swap with all the parts to make it run, than I would in just a re-build on a 401 (which it would need) add all the other things...harness, computer, HEI, TBI, fuel pump.....
Plus I'm using a Chevy trans and t/c to boot. It all bolts together and saves even more $$$ on adapters.

Jeep used several different GM engines over the years so using a GM engine isn't so bad.
Now if you were to swap in an f.o.r.d. motor... :noevil:



:hide:

[jpjeeper]

Ordered my novak mounts yesterday....

350 LT1 going in soon...

[N2Jeeps]

I agree with the other guys. I put a 99 5.7 Vortec with the 4l60e tranny and NP241 in mine and love the results.

I went from 6-8 mpg to 13-17.2
I went from 129 hp to 287 hp
I went from 0-60 in an eternity to 7.2 seconds.

But I am sure if I had a modern and fresh 5.9 out of say a Grand Cherokee it would be about the same. The GM is so cheap and easy to get parts for though.

I used the same motor mounts but got them from BJ's. I moved the crossmember to the rear mounts and fabricated some simple beefy mounts for the transmission. Overall the mechanical part of the swap was a breeze.

Tony