Early 4.3 upgrade?

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Scruffy49

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2025
Posts
21
Reaction score
12
Location
Rosemark TN
First Name
Jeff
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
C10 swb
Engine Size
4.3L
The original issue 4.3 in my 85 swb is tired. Smokes like a 2 stroke tired. IF there is enough wall thickness left, going to rebuild it.
RV cam? Retrofit roller cam? Thermostat temperature? Exhaust w/o egr or smog pump provisions?
Already installed a non-ESC distributor (Jegs with 4 pin icm).
Swapping to a 500cfm capable Holley 2bbl on an adapter, 1/2” spacer, stock iron Qjet high rise intake.
Truck has a Th400 that will also get refreshed. Deep finned aluminum pan, higher flow rate filter, stand alone cooler, new cooler lines.
Rear axle is open 2.73s. Finned aluminum cover, getting new axle seals, internals all look factory new other than the leaking axle seals, pinion seal and tubes. Weld the tube/housing seams fully? Add a truss? Best brand for seals? Used to Mopar 8.75, Ford 9” and Danas, an 8.5” 10 bolt is a bit different.

I’m sure the long term GM guys are rolling their eyes, but, grew up building/driving flatheads and FEs. Not much translates…

Thanks for any parts/building reccomendations and/or tricks.
 

Scruffy49

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2025
Posts
21
Reaction score
12
Location
Rosemark TN
First Name
Jeff
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
C10 swb
Engine Size
4.3L
And please don’t say LS swap it. I’d rather scrap it than run a computer controlled engine in it.
 

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