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Advise needed for 305 chevy swap

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Old Nov 12, 2006 | 10:56 AM
  #1  
Vagrant No2's Avatar
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Advise needed for 305 chevy swap

Hi from UK , again
Done a search but no clear answers for my question . I have bought a chevy 305 small block with a TH350 trans from a chevy c10 . Question is do I fit the chevy to Toyota manual trans using an adaptor bellhousing or do I fit the Th350 with an adaptor to mount the Toyota tranfer box (prefered option as I want auto).
What are the probs with either choice .
Thanks
Rick
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Old Nov 12, 2006 | 11:28 AM
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From: Dillsburg, PA
If you're gonna go through the effort to do the swap, why not just go with a 350?
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Old Nov 12, 2006 | 12:17 PM
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From: Vancleave, Mississippi
all you need is a t-case adaptor i believe, they are available from downey offroad
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Old Nov 12, 2006 | 05:02 PM
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Stick with the TH350 auto and a t-case adapter. Even the relatively anemic 305 will grenade a Toyota tranny in time unless you don't use the skinny pedal ever. Seriously, who would ever do that?!?!?!
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Old Nov 13, 2006 | 05:15 AM
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Originally Posted by mehret
If you're gonna go through the effort to do the swap, why not just go with a 350?
Chevy engines are expensive to buy once you find one in the UK . I managed to buy this one at a fair price and was local .
My present engine is a 4 cylinder 4Y 2.2 petrol engine so any upgrade would be a bonus . The original factory engine was a 3Y 2.0 petrol:cry: .
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Old Nov 13, 2006 | 05:20 AM
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Originally Posted by toy283
Stick with the TH350 auto and a t-case adapter. Even the relatively anemic 305 will grenade a Toyota tranny in time unless you don't use the skinny pedal ever. Seriously, who would ever do that?!?!?!
The guy who sold me the engine and trans says the th350 in the c10 was heavy duty . He says the M on the plate rivited to the trans means heavy duty .
I also got a set of tubular headers which sweep backwards , I understand these are required or the exhaust fouls steering ?

I think someone posted once that the firewall needs clearence for the distributor ?

These are the things I need to find out before I start to swap the engine out .
Any help appreciated .
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Old Nov 13, 2006 | 12:56 PM
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From: savannah GA
depending on what size tires u run, u may want to gear little bit higher than normal since ur only running a 3 speed, i also agree go with the tcase adpater from downey, theyre pretty much the company for chevy swaps in toyotas, they also got motor mounts, etc.
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Old Nov 13, 2006 | 02:08 PM
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Be careful with the headers you have, many headers for Chevy applications won't work because they don't fit in between Toyota frame rails. Nothing a few measurements won't answer. Rumor has it that 3rd generation ('84-'91?) Camaro/Firebird headers will fit pretty well but I've yet to confirm. I know that any truck headers are a no-go. The firewall may or may not need clearancing for the distributor. The large diameter HEI distributors most definitely will but later model (or aftermarket) small diameter ones may not. I only knocked back the firewall ~¼" so that the plug wire boots weren't pinched against it and so there was a little more vibration room.

Last edited by toy283; Nov 14, 2006 at 08:18 PM.
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 06:38 PM
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From: savannah GA
Originally Posted by toy283
Be careful with the headers you have, many headers for Chevy applications won't work because they don't fit in between Toyota frame rails. Nothing a few measurements won't answer. Rumor has it that 3rd generation ('84-'91?) Camaro/Firebird headers will fit pretty well but I've yet to confirm. I know that any truck headers are a no-go. The firewall may or may not need clearancing for the distributor. The large diameter HEI distributors most definitely will but later model (or aftermarket) small diameter ones may not. I only knocked back the firewall ~¼" so that the plug wire boots weren't pinched against it as so there was a little more vibration room.
yea thats a good observation, 3 gen camaro headers or shorty headers might work, id stay away from long tubes since u might run into issues with the front driveshaft, summit racing sells the camaro ones for like $180 i recall

Last edited by hamstrungtaco; Nov 14, 2006 at 06:39 PM.
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Old Nov 14, 2006 | 11:22 PM
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Thanks for the replies so far , I know feel more sure I want to do this swap .I have now found a TH350 'short tail' trans for sale , would this be better then the standard TH350 with the long tail shaft for the adaptor or does it not matter . As I need to ship the adaptor kit over form USA to UK costs are needed to be a minimum to keep this swap possible .
Also the guy told me the TH350 has an electric kick down and he gave me a switch that he took off the gas pedal for me to fit on the Runner ? I have seen cables on ebay stating they are for kick down . So is it electric or cable ?
Thanks again
Rick
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 01:34 PM
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From: Denver, CO, US
Originally Posted by Vagrant No2
Thanks for the replies so far , I know feel more sure I want to do this swap .I have now found a TH350 'short tail' trans for sale , would this be better then the standard TH350 with the long tail shaft for the adaptor or does it not matter . As I need to ship the adaptor kit over form USA to UK costs are needed to be a minimum to keep this swap possible .
Also the guy told me the TH350 has an electric kick down and he gave me a switch that he took off the gas pedal for me to fit on the Runner ? I have seen cables on ebay stating they are for kick down . So is it electric or cable ?
Thanks again
Rick
The TH350 must have no tailshaft housing at all. You need to have the 4WD variant with no tailshaft housing and a very short output shaft. You can convert any TH350 variant to the 4WD variant by swapping out the output shaft.

Also, AFAIK, no TH350's had an electric kickdown, they were mechanical and attached to the carb/EFI linkage. TH700R4's came with electric kickdowns.
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Old Nov 15, 2006 | 11:18 PM
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Originally Posted by toy283
The TH350 must have no tailshaft housing at all. You need to have the 4WD variant with no tailshaft housing and a very short output shaft. You can convert any TH350 variant to the 4WD variant by swapping out the output shaft.

Also, AFAIK, no TH350's had an electric kickdown, they were mechanical and attached to the carb/EFI linkage. TH700R4's came with electric kickdowns.
Now I am worried . I am sure this trans is a TH350 . I saw the C10 it came out of . I am still not to familiar with these engines and trans . The engine and trans is up at my storeroom 9 miles away so will have to go there and take another look at the unit and get the details off the plate . I am sure it says TH350 M on it . I did a Google search and did find a comment about electric kickdown but not on the C10 . There is no cable on the trans , could I fit one ?
I may buy the other TH350 advertised which has the short tail and says was out of a 4 wheel drive . It does look the same as the one I already got , but these units are not common here so 2 may be worth having .
Again , thanks for your advises , I would be so lost with out this site and you guys to help .
Do I need to do a body lift to help clearence ? I have a solid axle and a 3" sus lift .

Rick
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 12:45 PM
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From: Denver, CO, US
Go here to identify your transmission. It is a supplier of conversion parts for Jeeps, but the knowledge base is quite good and universal to most engine swaps.
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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From: savannah GA
correct me if im wrong but the electric kick down cables were made for the shifters on the steering column, if ur putting the shifter in the center console area u dont need an electric one, B&M sells shifter kits with the kick down cables. but yes ur C10 came with a th350, k10's were the 4wheel drive models with the np203 t-cases, im not sure though if theres any difference in the output shafts between the 4wd and 2wd. id imagine they would be the same. i do know they had different output shafts on the later models when they came with the 208 t-cases. if u remove the tailshaft housing, it should have a 27 spline shaft that sticks out 7/8"
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 11:36 PM
  #15  
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
It has now been confirmed by you guys and a couple of other places that the box is a TH350 M electric lock torque convertor model as used in the c10 it came out of . Now need the wiring diagram and vac hose hook up .
Thanks again .
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Old Nov 16, 2006 | 11:43 PM
  #16  
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From: Emneth , Norfolk , UK
Originally Posted by hamstrungtaco
correct me if im wrong but the electric kick down cables were made for the shifters on the steering column, if ur putting the shifter in the center console area u dont need an electric one, B&M sells shifter kits with the kick down cables. but yes ur C10 came with a th350, k10's were the 4wheel drive models with the np203 t-cases, im not sure though if theres any difference in the output shafts between the 4wd and 2wd. id imagine they would be the same. i do know they had different output shafts on the later models when they came with the 208 t-cases. if u remove the tailshaft housing, it should have a 27 spline shaft that sticks out 7/8"
Yeah , the c10 was column change shifter . My mate has a 2nd gen 4Runner breaker with auto shifter console , so will try and fit that in the 1st gen 4Runner .I will then try and fit the microswitch to the throttle pedal to operate the electric system .
I would need to change the valve block to fit the cable type kick down according to someone I spoke to , as I dont have another trans I will use the one I got .

Thanks again

Rick
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