Considering a 91 Chevy build

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I found a hell of a deal on a 91 Chevy that is under construction. The current owner has already done a lot of chassis work and the tear down. The front has three inch drop spindles, nicely painted frame, and big new chrome rims with new tires on all four corners. It is not 100% complete but there is enough there to make it worth it. It is a truck in a box. But I think it would be a great build. I have a 350 sitting on a stand in my garage begging for a HP build. This would be my first ever GM build so I am not sure where to look for the parts I need. I know about Summit, LMC, and so on. But I was hoping some GM guys could point out a few other sources for parts. Also, is there anything about this body style a first time GM builder should know? I need to do some math before committing to this purchase.
 

Andertusa

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Jegs, Summit Racing, GM Performance Part, Speedway motors, a copy of "Truckin' ". Any or most of these will have almost everything you'd need, from suspension to brakes, to engine and trans and all that. The Truckin' will have more stuff for adding airbags under the rig and running those insane hydraulic systems that let those little 'mini' trucks( like a little Nissan, or Isuzu)hop in the air. Even a copy of Lowrider mag would have stuff. I suggest the mags, because I've never visited their websites to see if they have an 'advertiser's section' on their 'sites, feel free to check. If you need body pars, try Brothers, LMC Truck, or maybe Goodmark.
 

Andertusa

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Heck, a lot of those places( Jegs, Summit, LMC etc. ) have stuff that might help with other projects, even maybe diesels.
 

Andertusa

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A decently well-built 350, pushing around 400 horses could be attained for well below $5,000, a trans can be acquired fr less than $1,800 that would EASILY handle that power, the stock rear-end might be able to handle it, depends on the 'size' of the truck(1/2, 3/4, 1 ton etc. ). If it's a stock 1/2 ton, I'd swap to a 12 bolt corporate or maybe a Dana 60, or even though I HATE to say it, a Ford 9inch. All of those axles can be got for less than $2,500, even for a hopped-up one, well, within reason.
 

Andertusa

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Body parts are EASY to come-by for those trucks, which means they can be had for a fair price, well, unless you demand OEM parts.
 
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Thanks for the input. Last night at work I was scanning the interweb looking for stuff for this truck. You all mentioned a few I had not thought of.

I spoke to the owner this morning and he stated he is holding the truck for me. So I need to figure out quickly if I am getting into it or not.
 

Andertusa

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You never stated the 'size' of the truck, what is it/ A 1/2 ton(1500), 3/4(2500) or what? That effects your ability to find parts, but even a 'big' truck like a 4500 or something will still share a bunch of parts with the smaller 1500 and 2500 like cab parts, windshield, and that's about it.
 

Sal

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Why spend 5,000 building a 400 hp small block when you can buy a crate motor with a warrenty for the same price?

Frames and cab mounts rot. Other then that it should be a solid truck.

And lookie there, this post is 3 months old.
 
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I am quickly learning that biulding Chevy power is not as costly as I first thought. I new Ihave a complete 350 I hope to tear into once I get caught up on some other stuff.
 

whitehorse

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Just a side note...check the door hinges...chevy doors are heavy and always wearing the door pin and hinges out....and those 350's are dang good engines.. easy and cheap to work on...
 

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