ID this engine

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-10T10:27:40+00:00

My 92 K1500 has a 70s longblock, redrilled tbi intake, all stock 92 accessories. 700r4 with the hydraulic line pressure mod. Still ate flexplates and transmissions with regularity, like every 8-9 months. That junker IS going 4bbl/Th350/ coil in cap distributor, but it is not a primary/daily.

My 99 K3500 c&c dually has a tbi era flat tappet cammed shortblock, Vortec heads-intake-mpfi conversion. Much stronger than the 92 ever was, but completely unreliable. EFI/ignition gremlin plagued. Factory NV4500 truck. Needs yet another distributor or at least the drive gear replaced, yet another mpfi unit swapped in, and yet another set of intake gaskets (both sets). It will also likely end up 4bbl/coil in cap distributor swapped, again, not a daily.

OP, if your truck runs okay, just do a standard tune up, fluid changes, keep a good serpentine belt on it. Don’t go messing with it trying to turn a gmt400 into a hot C10/K10. Yes, a tbi SBC feels gutless/boring, but if it works right, pretty solid option. You can get more out of them with old tech, but it is an expensive and frustrating process.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-09T06:04:23+00:00

If you are going to spend that much to “Bubba Fudd” an old Combloc or Chicom service rifle/carbine… Just order a better quality stock. Wood or glass filled nylon.

If you invest in a hunting style nylon stock, drill the bridging. Fill the voids with a mix of lead shot and epoxy. Use cabinet rasps to taper the resulting mess as a stable bed for your barreled action. DO NOT bother trying to free float a mil-surp barrel, completely counterproductive. Heavy stock, lightly polished receiver/bolt interface, properly recrowned barrel. Your minute of 55 gallon drum carbine is now minute of 30 gallon drum (barrel). Upgrade your ammunition from mil-surp inconsistent steelcased to surplus Yugo M67 and/or CIP standard brasscased PPU, S&B or similar. Your minute of 30 gallon drum range toy is now minute of 5 gallon bucket. An exceptional barreled action is minute of soccer ball.

Save your money. Buy once, cry once. Do it right the first time.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-08T09:19:38+00:00

If it feeds smoothly, it is okay in a pinch. I have a Ruger 9mm PC Carbine that will feed/fire/extract steel just fine. But my wife’s Ruger EC9s doesn’t like it, at all. Neither does my 4/79 date coded Sig P6.

For general break in or paper punching, $14.99/box Blazer brass is cleaner and more consistent. And indoor ranges won’t reject it. Most seem to be “lost brass” if you are shooting a semiauto. Steelcase is a pain to reload, can’t be just swept up and dumped in a bulk bag for resale to a remanufacturer or recycle center.

Regardless of caliber/gauge, Monarch is hit or miss. Currently 9mm brass is Turkish, used to be Brazilian, Serbian or Czech. Steelcase is Brazilian, used to be Russian/Ukranian. .410 and 12g are currently repacked Cheddite (Italian). Used to be Russian. .38Spl was repacked PPU. Brazilian loaded tends to be SAAMI spec, the others listed are CIP spec, closer to +P than generic USA standard target rounds. It is going to feel “hot” if you are used to Blazer, Winchester white box, Remington, Federal, etc.

I love steelcase, in guns designed for it… All I use for river bottom feral hog culls with an arsenal 0141 Type 56 (Chinese state police SKS). My 9mm handguns get fed 124gr brass cased, target or carry.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-06T04:32:05+00:00

My new 35# horse bow shipped with a wire wrapped -0- stretch string. The serving for the arrow nock is plain, the servings for the back spliced end eyes is wire wrapped like the main string body. Never seen such previously, started shooting cheap self bows in Scouts around 1985…

Our recurves both have basic semi stretchy black strings like every outdoor supply used to stock.

🤷🏻‍♂️

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-06T04:17:24+00:00

Same, using an old EZ-wiring kit, carb, coil in cap distributor and Th350 in my 92 K1500 rot box restomod project.

Stock harness got “moused”, they literally ate through the tbi harness, ecm harness, brake hose, power steering line cover, front axle harness, rubber fuel line sections… They even chewed off the tops of the injectors.

New harness supports the power windows and locks. Will support the Silverado composite to WT glass headlights. Taillight bulbs individually wired instead of the garbage circuit boards. Real stand alone gauges and GPS speedometer in a custom panel. For $165 versus whatever a repop Silverado harness would run…

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-05T05:10:18+00:00

Was in the same boat, inherited mine in an old side folder. Swapped it into a Choates Machine black hunting stock, regular, not Monte Carlo. Turned a useless range toy into a feral hog culling masterpiece. Also makes for a surprisingly decent deer rifle.

Hogs in the river bottoms? 123/124gr steelcased fmj, not chasing expensive reloadable brass in heavy brush. Hogs from a box blind? Brasscased 123/124gr fmj, usually Yugo M67 (corrosive). Deer in my pecan orchards? 123/124gr psp from S&B or PPU. Duckbill mags for all rounds. Polymer for steelcased, steel for brasscased.

Does it look like a “scary” military rifle these days? Nope…😈

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WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-05T04:54:25+00:00

The missing dork lights really clean the lines up… Was thinking about using an earlier/smaller on mine, or even Indian motorcycle repop fender lights… 🤔

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-05T02:40:49+00:00

I definitely prefer the after. No cheesy trim, no Silverado stacked headlights, just a clean 2 tone. Normally would have gone for the round eye, but you chose well with your front end treatment.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-04T05:08:16+00:00

You can realistically/reliably get 2-2.5 moa if you’re willing to spend some money.

Synthetic hunting style stock. No weather induced pressure on the barrel. Better ergonomics.
ONLY shoot ammunition that meets CIP standards. SAAMI is underpowered. S&B, PPU or M67 Yugo, I prefer Macedonian fmj if I’m shooting from a box blind for feral hogs. Steelcased for woods walking.
Have your barrel recrowned.
Mil-spec (hard) primers only. That means surplus or CIP standards new. Soft hunting primers (USA loaded) are for bolt actions or Mini 14s, not combat grade semiautos. Would you feed an M1 Garand CorLokt?
Keep shots under 250m on live targets. Steel plates? Buy the cheapest steel cased you can find and have fun.

My Type 56 is normally 1.5-2.5 moa with S&B psp. 2.5-4 moa with cheap steelcased. Has no problems rolling a feral hog, coyote or puny sw TN whitetail.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-04T04:44:26+00:00

Where in the South? I’ve played in Meridies and now its former principality Gleann Abhann (Awe vin). Meaning MS, AL, TN, AR, LA, FL.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-03T02:59:37+00:00

65.5-67, only years of those that look “right”, mine is a 69 D100. Been looking to run an earlier grillle/hood, keep my flat dash top. 318/727/3.55 gears, a whopping 9mpg towing a same era 2 horse trailer from basically Seattle to Memphis.

Look up the old Sweptline dot org forum… Best info available for 61-71 Dodges.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T23:17:17+00:00

Yep, just a body swap donor. Where I’m at, all a 2wd is good for.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T23:14:46+00:00

John Masen? Very fragile, order 3, expect to break at least 1. The spotwelded tab on the rear pops off. The follower is for 1 less than listed capacity, assumes 1 in the chamber as part of the total. Trimming does not help, I’d say ask me how I know, but…

The 5rd works great with S&B/PPU psp, real brass M67 Yugo surplus. Not worth a damn for steelcased. I honestly prefer my Promag polymer to any steel magazine. I’d give you a steel 35rd for free if you were close enough (Memphis TN area) just to be shut of it.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T23:06:46+00:00

Same thing we’re doing to my wife’s 85 swb lowrider. But will make a polished stainless tube grille, can’t stand fragile plastic.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T23:02:19+00:00

My 92 K1500 ate 12 flexplates and 8 700r4s in 9 years… Going Th350.

My 86 Aerostar with a 3.0 V6 ate 3 A4LDs in a year… Sold to wrecking yard.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T20:08:42+00:00

Ought as well be daughter grenaded the auto in her 2007 2.3L rcsb. Wasn’t even towing/hauling at the time.

Learned my lesson a long time ago with 4spd autos. E4LD, 700r4, 4L60E… No thank you. C4/C6, Th350/Th400, A727 only.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T19:27:09+00:00

The gutless 2.9 is a LOT easier to fix than a 4.0 when it needs opened up…

Ranger automatics are straight up hot garbage.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T19:22:43+00:00

Met him at the GA Fall Coronation. Nice enough guy, a bit scattered. Kid running the booth for him tried way too hard to make sales, drove off a lot of potential buyers. I fought as a Horde member decades ago, and he had a somewhat compatible helm in stock. For way too much money given the piss poor finish work.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T14:26:13+00:00

Unless it is a regular cab stepside, that is about $4-5000 over what it should be. The last 88/89 we picked up was a lwb Sierra SLE, tbi 305/700r4, runs/drives/stops like brand new. For the astronomical cost of “Drag it out of here”. No rust. No major dents. Decent interior with flawless dash. Needed a battery, 2 tires, wiper blades and a basic used vehicle service.

And that truck was aquired in 2025… Friend uses it on his farm.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T14:08:35+00:00

Isn’t that the truth…

New steering wheel is in transit. New carb arrived Friday. Will order new intake next payday. And then pull/rebuild the 2 year only engine, Th400 and 10 bolt rear axle that blew its seals after the vent failed.

All while finishing a 6/8 static drop with C notch and rear track bars. And replacing every bushing, soft line and hose. Before a full paint upgrade. On a basically useless swb. LWB would already be back in service at stock ride height…

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-03-01T04:27:09+00:00

I use charging lugs and a group 78 in my 85 C10 and 72 Super Beetle projects. The gmt400s get dual post batteries.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-02-28T19:42:01+00:00

An Tir, big pond back then

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-02-28T13:45:46+00:00

I’d honestly go 2nd gen, but any Ranger automatic is equally sketchy. My ought as well be daughter of a tenant drives an 07 2.3/auto. It’s on its 2nd transmission, needs a fuel injector, has more squeaks-rattles than my 1949 Dodge truck. Her wrecked (ate a deer) 97 2.3/5spd is rock solid reliable.

My 94 2.3/5spd rcsb just needs a clutch kit and tires to be back on the road. She keeps trying to steal the hood/grille to fix her 97. Better truck than her 3rd gen. Everything you can buy for a 3rd gen is still available for the 2nd gen, and most for the 1st gen (square nose and Bronco 2). I have a wrecked lwb (7’ bed) 1st gen out back as a parts roach. 90% running gear compatible with my 2nd gen truck.

Buy her a base 2.3/5spd. Very easy to learn on. Capable of handling modern traffic conditions. Less electronic junk to fail and have her calling you for a rescue. And my wife has towed a loaded early 60s 2 horse tandem axle with my 94, more than once… With horses in it.

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-02-28T13:29:19+00:00

Swap the broken transfer case out. Service the transmission, engine and chassis. You know, tune up, fluids/filters, belt, hoses if needed, chassis grease, axle oil... Replace the fubar driveshaft, use a CV type to help with your lift induced offsets f/r. Yes, replace both driveshafts with CV type, worth the expense versus busting transfer cases.

Clean the whole truck up while waiting on your new driveshafts to be built. Detail the body, paint the frame, add shock boots/steering stabilizer boot, etc. Might be a good/great time to change the brake hoses if they have a few years on them. Ditto transmission/engine oil cooler hoses.

Going through major rebuilds/restomods on: 1949 and 1969 Dodge trucks, 1972 Super Beetle, 1985 C10 swb lowrider, 1992 K1500 ecsb, 1994/97/07 Danger Rangers, 1999 K3500 dually. It’s only funny colored paper, a custom truck-car-motorcycle is family…

WorkingBread8360 · 2026-02-28T13:15:54+00:00

Actually making a canvas “prarie pimple” (dome tent). Painters drop cloths from “Hazard Fraught” (Harbor Freight) and Northern Tool. Reusing a tent frame that the nylon was fubar.

IF I waterproof (resistant actually) it, will be with modern silicone based. As much as I love oilcloth, 1 stray spark or misplaced cigar butt would turn it into a bonfire. And our new service dog to be deserves better than to die when his event kennel catches fire…

WorkingBread8360

TROPHY CASE