Advice on buying a 60 with a V8 swapped engine

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1ststatecruiser

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ok I tried reading on the 60 FAQ but I don't see much info on a v8 swapped 60. Seeking advice cos I'm looking at this one pics below . Wanted to know the good and bad of it and how can you tell if it's done right . This one is a 1984-85 year model. Thanks

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Wire nuts in the first pic are a bad indicator. If that is how that part is done then makes me wonder what other items there are like that...
Have you driven it yet?
How much are they asking?
Was the swap done professionally or by the current owner?
Documents and receipts for everything?
 
There is a lot of hacked together stuff in those pics..


I hope you do not need it to be smog legal..
 
If you can drive it down the road, it stops well, idles well, little rust you can not go wrong at $4,500.00 Like any vehicle, it depends what level you want it to be as to how much it will cost to get it there. Most require an average of about $2K to base line them after you get them unless they have been very well maintained.
 
Don't recognize that one, and the photos show one in a bit of rough shape on the interior though nothing obvious on the outside body shots. Seats are not stock, so someone most likely was doing their own wrenching as a pro rebuild would probably reupholser the OEM stuff. Does it have a 4 speed/5 speed or some sort of GM automatic? Start and run would be the first things. Looks like a 350 from the photos, easy enough for parts. If you live in a emission state however, could be a can of worms. If you are lucky enough to be in a non-smog could be a great deal at 4500.00.

Do the usual checks - body and frame for rust if it starts and runs. Make sure the gauges work - conversions *can* use the OEM gauge set or sometimes have to add in mechanical sets. Looked like a plain jane carb setup, easy to tune in theory, though most swaps now are looking for TBI and more modern FI setups. I prefer carbed, and my eventual swap is a old school 350 with carb, a marks adapter plate and H55 going into my 84 60. I suspect it will look quite a bit like the one you're looking at. Mucho more photos of the engine above and below would be appreciated! :)

Glenn in Marana
 
I'd disagree that you can go wrong with a $4500 60.

Things to keep in mind.
No AC,
No rear heater.
Motor mounts are hashed.
General disarray of mods.
The fluid in the brake master is horrendous and low.
screws plugging Vac lines.
Can't wait to see behind the dash with that alarm
horrible spark plug wire routing
I'm curious to see where the booster vac line leads.
Weber carb on a V8?
Wiring in general is interesting..


If you do not have a very good skill set you could dump another 4K into that easily. And then you would not have a smog legal truck.
 
Yup it's a 350 has 50k miles when swap was done . Body has 176k miles also got stock trans . He said this is the worst rust at the end of the rear frame about 12' . Not but I guess? Are those wirings with nuts fixable ? If I need it tuned up wich is probably a good idea , where should bring it ? I'm sure not Toyota but a local shop? Thanks on all of the inputs . I really appreciate it .

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Mace said:
I'd disagree that you can go wrong with a $4500 60.

Things to keep in mind.
No AC,
No rear heater.
Motor mounts are hashed.
General disarray of mods.
The fluid in the brake master is horrendous and low.
screws plugging Vac lines.
Can't wait to see behind the dash with that alarm
horrible spark plug wire routing
I'm curious to see where the booster vac line leads.
Weber carb on a V8?
Wiring in general is interesting..


If you do not have a very good skill set you could dump another 4K into that easily. And then you would not have a smog legal truck.
Click to expand...
Yup your right AC wasn't hooked when swap out as some only heating .
It's a no go . Thanks a lot . Appreciate it .
 
Even for only 4500 I am not sure I would pick that one up. Where in the country is this? The advantage of a 350 is they are pretty ubiquitous and most mechanics will happily work on them. However if its a hack job wiring wise or otherwise its going to be a barrel of headaches and not worth it and that's before the rust issue
 
I'm still kinda tripped out at the Webber carb on a 350..
 
If you were retired, with a nice shop, and were looking for a way to kill a bunch of time.......maybe buy it.
 
Looking around it looks to be a boat Carb.

Multiple Webber stacks look cool if nothing else. this is just a 4 barrel webber that probably only 3 people in the US know how to tune ;)
 
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