OK I have a 77 chevy 1/2 ton short bed I got right after High school. Its been park in the back yard for 8 years now and its time to bring her back to life. The way it sits. It have a 350 with carb. And a 350 trubo transmisson. The engine is on its 3rd rebuild.

I will need a new block and would like a trasmisson with OD to incress MPG.

I am thinking of finding a newer truck that has been totaled out. Pull computer engine and transmisson. Refresh and drop it in.

This is what I want to ask. If you had to pick a truck that had a good engine/transmisson for MPG and just all around good. What year and what would you look for?

I am going to strip the 77 down as far as I can and build it form the ground up. BTW the truck is a 2 wheel drive.

 

The 350 engine is pretty common and available. I think the 700R4 tranny is a solid unit. Chevy replaced my 91 4x4 tranny with one under warranty at 28,000 miles and it lasted 200,000 miles before I had the engine and tranny replaced in 2003. I gave the truck to my son who still drives it.