350 or LS

[Cruck]

I am new to this forum and to "car stuff" too. I don't know all the proper terms so bare with me and please forgive my ignorance.

I took on the responsibility of getting my dad's 77 C10 short bed back on the road. He gave it to my uncle in the late 80s early 90s and he proceeded to destroy it. It has been flooded. The bed is rusted through and the engine is shot. The big question I am trying to decide is whether or not I should go with a 350 or LS engine. I have no big desire for it have tons of power, maybe spin the tires here and there. I just want to be able to get in it and go where I need when I am home. Getting decent gas mileage would be wonderful. The local community college has agreed to take it on as a project for the students. They will do all the work, I just need to supply the parts. I have done lots of reading trying to figure things out but seem to be getting nowhere. The 350 will bolt right on nothing needs to be changed, but the gas mileage is horrible and the tech is so old. With an LS it will just fire right up, it will just run nice and smooth. However, it requires so many modifications. That is the gist of what is going on, any help would be great.

Which engine would you guys suggest and why?

 

[Shorty81]

350. That is what belongs in that truck. Bolts right in, no computer or sensors. JMO, many others will speak differently.....

 

[Ricko1966]

I am new to this forum and to "car stuff" too. I don't know all the proper terms so bare with me and please forgive my ignorance.

I took on the responsibility of getting my dad's 77 C10 short bed back on the road. He gave it to my uncle in the late 80s early 90s and he proceeded to destroy it. It has been flooded. The bed is rusted through and the engine is shot. The big question I am trying to decide is whether or not I should go with a 350 or LS engine. I have no big desire for it have tons of power, maybe spin the tires here and there. I just want to be able to get in it and go where I need when I am home. Getting decent gas mileage would be wonderful. The local community college has agreed to take it on as a project for the students. They will do all the work, I just need to supply the parts. I have done lots of reading trying to figure things out but seem to be getting nowhere. The 350 will bolt right on nothing needs to be changed, but the gas mileage is horrible and the tech is so old. With an LS it will just fire right up, it will just run nice and smooth. However, it requires so many modifications. That is the gist of what is going on, any help would be great.

Which engine would you guys suggest and why?

Compare milage on vortec suburban vs. ls suburban. Almost identical. Do injected SBC trucks start right up and drive? Yes. Did millions if people count on 350 burbs and Escalades as mom and kid transportion? Yes sbc is reliable and not horrible on fuel with modern engine management. Buy a 5.7 lt1 roadmaster (lt1) swap in the engine transmission ecm and engine harness. Cheap fuel injection,good engine management,and it's a bolt in. Or swap in a complete TBI or Vortec drivetrain. Including engine management.If your real goals are just easy,reliable,and decent mpg. If just an occasional driver stick a good carbureated 350 in it and call it a day. The difference in cast will pay for a lot of fuel. And people counted on carbureated 350s for decades,to run business get to work, cross country on vacations. We still had vehicles we could count on ,before LSs