Done.

When I was a kid, my buddy had a '74 Olds Omega (X-body, like a Nova) with a 350 Rocket in it. Went like a scared rabbit.

Thanks Weld, Funny enough i had one of those Omegas as well...mine was an Omega S and it was a 350 car as well..though it was just a roller i picked up and never got a chance to do anything with it.

Bit more info and an update on the '84 C10

It was originally a 305 gas powered truck and had factory AC in it. One day i intend to restore the AC in it for warmer weather.
It is suspected that the engine came out of a 2 door model Cutlass due to the fact it has the factory 4 barrel quadrajet carb and large cap HEI Ignition.

Currenly having a temp sensor issue which may have been figured out today. I noticed it reads extremely low for the temp im noticing out of the heater. After talking about the problem with an old school guy at the parts shop it was pointed out that the car the engine came from may have been equipped with an idiot light instead of a gauge like the truck. So the solution to this problem will be to install an aftermarket gauge mounted under the dash and installing its sensor in place of the OE gauge. Eventually i may do what i seen on a few chevy truck sites and that is eliminating the stock warning gauges on the left side of the dash and just keep the stock speedo and fuel gauge. I would then end up replacing the stock ones with aftermarket units fitted through the stock plastic bezel. More then likely if i go this route i will probably use some autometer sport comps or similar...something that looks similar to the stock gauges anyway...

Anyways heres some pics of the truck...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._111432072.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._111422595.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._111410703.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...719197_HDR.jpg


New box and fenders for the truck sitting at my buddies place

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...909_190953.jpg

That looks like a Chevy C-10 should from that era.

I had an 84 Suburban Silverado that was the ugliest, nastiest, rustiest thing on wheels. Yet, it ran perfect and was one of the most comfortable riding vehicles I ever owned.

Have you thought about replacing the temp sensor with one for a 1984 chevy truck with a gauge ?

Exactly what I was going to say.

I can't be certain, but I thought that all GM distributors after '74 were large-cap HEI. That is, until the late '80's TBI engines.

I had an ugly old G-body Buick that I installed gauges in stock pods. The difference was there were no gauges in those spots to begin with. I didn't care how well they matched, so I installed Princess Auto units that I got for cheap. Even a tiny tach.

Good score on the sheet metal! I see that the radio even gets AM.

74-75 were the years the Hei became standard on gm's ,they were and are a very trouble free system once they figured out they required 8 mm plug wires which was almost as soon as they hit the market .
I am surprised somebody bothered to install the rocket into a former chevy small block truck ,frame mounts ,tranny ,and lots of other stuff is different so it had to be swapped .I used to remove a ton of the old 350 diesels from these trucks ,and install rockets in them as they were a bolt in including the tranny and mounts because the engine was a 350 olds block converted to a diesel .I don't see how the financials could work out ,other than if the previous owner already had a swapped diesel truck in the yard and was bored one afternoon .

Years ago, I remember reading about using the diesel bottom end with gas heads, due to the thick internal webbing in the block. I bet it could withstand some serious pressure.

/hijack

Yea thats the messed up thing about this truck...it rides better then my '02 Honda Odyssey

That may work...all depends on if the sensor will fit the hole in the intake..

I will probably eventually remove the stock temp,oil pressure and voltage gauges and do what i seen on a couple sqarebody truck forums and that is block off the speedo and fuel gauge with some metal to stop light from bleeding out behind the new gauges and just fit some new 2 1/2" gauges into the holes on the dash bezel...and at the same time more then likely add a small tach to the cluster in the process

What im suspecting happened is that one of the previous owners did something just like that...possibly because this truck was in better shape then the swapped diesel at the time...because the original story on this truck was that it was a swapped diesel one.

Both temp senders will be pipe thread ,adapters are in your local plumbing supply store .

Welp...i ordered some parts for the Chevy today...as well as ordered some parts for my Rat Rod truck project.

The parts ordered for the chevy:
Temp sending unit for an '84 with a 305 and with gauge
Set of NGK spark plugs
Rebuild kit for the Rochester Quadrajet carb

Parts picked up so far
New distributor cap and rotor

Work done so far..

New exhaust from Y pipe back with 2 1/2" pipe, and a Dynomax Super Turbo muffler

Check the primary throttle shaft on the QJ; if it's sloppy (which is typical), it's not worth rebuilding unless you install bushings. It'll be a vacuum leak.

Very interested in following your progress.

Thanks for the tip!, If it turns out that the shaft is worn i do have a spare newer one that hopefully the kit will work on as well. It was included with my 1980 Chevy G20. I dont have it on hand just yet but i will have it when my dads friend brings the van home for me within the next few weeks.

I have an awesome QJ book, if you care to borrow it.