1971 Chevy Suburban - Engine & Transmission Swap

Our first step was to get our tired old 350 V-8 out of the 'Burb. With 6 inches of lift and 35-inch tires, we had to try plenty of high-altitude techniques to get it out. First, we flattened the tires. That didn't work. So we removed the tires and wheels and rested the front axle on its rotors. After that we were able to get the engine just barely over the core support.

Our first step was to get our tired old 350 V-8 out of the 'Burb. With 6 inches of lift an

You were maybe wondering about the ongoing saga of Project SuperBurb? Allow us to bring you up to date. A few months back we installed a Superlift 6-inch lift, along with a set of 35-inch Pro Comp Xterrain tires. So, why the delay? Well, ever heard of time or money? We have heard of both, but don't have much of either. So Project SuperBurb has been on hold.

But now it's finally time to replace the tired old 350 V-8 found under the hood of our '71 Chevy Suburban. While we considered this prospect, thoughts of a big-block with tons of power danced through our heads. Then of course getting 9 miles per gallon also came to mind, and since this rig could become a daily driver, we decided against a ton of cubic inches.

But we still wanted plenty of torque to help the big Burb out on the trail and while towing. That is when we came across the HT 383 crate engine from GM Performance Parts. It's perfect for the SuperBurb. Built to produce torque down low, the HT 383 produces 435 lb-ft of peak torque at 4,000 rpm. Even better is the fact that it makes more than 400 lb-ft of torque from 2,500 to 4,000 rpm. On top of this it also makes 340 hp at 4,500 rpm. Other workhorse features include a hydraulic roller cam and a four-bolt main block. We also liked its 9:1 compression ratio--that means that we can run it on 87-octane gas and still harvest all that power and torque. Best of all, it's a brand-new long-block ready to be dropped in and fired up. So we think we've chosen the perfect truck engine.

Next, we had to find a transmission for the SuperBurb, one with an overdrive, since we are running 4.88 gears. Here the choice of a NV4500 five-speed manual from Advance Adapters to replace our SM465 four-speed manual was simple. First off, these are brand-new transmissions, are plenty stout, and combine a 5.62:1 first-gear ratio with a 0.70:1 fifth gear. The folks at Advance Adapters have the necessary pieces to mate the NV4500 to our NP205. So what follows is a summary of our weekend wrench sessions as we slammed the HT 383 and NV4500 in the 'Burb--but minus all the cussing and busted knuckles.

It is amazing how much filth can accumulate on a vehicle. The underside of our 'Burb looked like it had not been cleaned since its birth in 1971. So we had to spend a couple hours cleaning before we could even get to the bolts to remove the transfer case. After we got the T-case out, we unbolted the SM465, which didn't want to budge. So we attached a ratchet strap to the back of it and around the axle. After a bit of ratcheting it came free.
It is amazing how much filth can accumulate on a vehicle. The underside of our 'Burb looke
Ah, behold the GM Performance Parts HT 383 in all its glory. It is hard to beat 340 hp and 435 lb-ft of drop-in, ready-to-rumble torque. However, we added to it by using GM Performance Parts cool serpentine-belt accessory system. It comes with all the accessories, such as a power steering pump, an alternator, a water pump and an A/C compressor. The cool thing is that it runs off one belt and all the parts are readily available GM pieces.
Ah, behold the GM Performance Parts HT 383 in all its glory. It is hard to beat 340 hp and
For our flywheel, we logged onto www.partsamerica.com and ordered up GM PN 10105832 and then picked it up at our local Kragen auto parts store. It is a 168-tooth flywheel for an 11-inch clutch, and once it arrived, we bolted it onto the back of the HT 383.
For our flywheel, we logged onto www.partsamerica.com and ordered up GM PN 10105832 and th

With the accessories bolted up and the flywheel in position, it was time to drop the HT 383 into place. This time we used a lift plate and shortened up the chain, which made it much easier to get the engine over the core support. It really looks at home in our engine bay.
With the accessories bolted up and the flywheel in position, it was time to drop the HT 38
Our next step was to bolt up a Centerforce clutch supplied by Advanced Adapters specifically for this conversion. We have always liked the feel of Centerforce clutches and they tend to hold up well to abuse.
Our next step was to bolt up a Centerforce clutch supplied by Advanced Adapters specifical
Fresh from its packing material is the brand-new NV4500 five-speed manual transmission from Advance Adapters. Stout, reliable and with a first gear of 5.6:1 and a fifth-gear overdrive, it is a hard tranny to beat.
Fresh from its packing material is the brand-new NV4500 five-speed manual transmission fro

Another piece from Advance Adapters is the bellhousing-to-transmission adapter. It allows you to mate the stock SM465 bellhousing to the NV4500.
Another piece from Advance Adapters is the bellhousing-to-transmission adapter. It allows
The next step was to bolt the NV4500 into place. We had trouble getting the mainshaft to line up with the pilot bushing but employed the old trick of loosening up the clutch disc. Once we did that, the tranny slid right in.
The next step was to bolt the NV4500 into place. We had trouble getting the mainshaft to l
We decided to keep the original NP205 because it is plenty stout. The next process was to mate it to the transmission. Before that happens, however, the bearing on the input shaft must come off. It is a lightly pressed piece and we were able to get it out by tapping each side of it with a chisel.
We decided to keep the original NP205 because it is plenty stout. The next process was to

The reason for removing the bearing is to replace it with a sealed one supplied by Advance Adapters. By using a sealed design, fluid transfer between the transfer case, which uses gear oil, and the transmission, which uses synthetic lubricant, is eliminated. Once the bearing is in place the adapter, also from Advance, to mate the NP205 to the NV4500 can be bolted up.
The reason for removing the bearing is to replace it with a sealed one supplied by Advance
Another critical piece from Advance Adapters is this shaft. It is used to mate the 10-spline shaft of the NP205 to the 32-spline shaft of the NV4500.
Another critical piece from Advance Adapters is this shaft. It is used to mate the 10-spli
With all the pieces in place, the next step was to bolt the transfer case into its mountings, which was a lot harder than it sounds. The clearance between the shifter rails of the transfer case and the NV4500 was extremely tight and the NP205 had to be at just the right angle to slide into place. Luckily, the transmission jack adapter we obtained from Harbor Freight allowed for a lot of angle. That helped out a lot.
With all the pieces in place, the next step was to bolt the transfer case into its mountin

The new drivetrain is about 2 inches longer than the original, so Advance Adapters also supplies this bracket to extend the shifter linkage on the transfer case.
The new drivetrain is about 2 inches longer than the original, so Advance Adapters also su
Another problem to contend with is that the transmission shifter no longer lines up with the hole in the floor. This means we will have to bust out the body saw and cut a portion of the floor. We will also have to fabricate some type of cover.
Another problem to contend with is that the transmission shifter no longer lines up with t
With the engine, tranny, and T-case in place, it was time to finish off the engine. For a carb, we chose a 750-cfm Quadrajet built by Jet Performance Products. The nice thing about Q-Jets from Jet Performance is that they are built for your vehicle. When ordering ours, we were quizzed by a technician about gearing, cam size, engine size, vehicle use, and so on, so our carb would be just right for us.
With the engine, tranny, and T-case in place, it was time to finish off the engine. For a

For ignition duties we turned to MSD and its Pro-Billet GM HEI distributor. HEI setups are nice because everything is in one housing and installation is simple. The MSD unit produces 50 percent more current than stock units do for plenty of performance. Its billet construction also makes it strong.
For ignition duties we turned to MSD and its Pro-Billet GM HEI distributor. HEI setups are
We wanted a nice full-length header that helped the GM Performance Parts HT 383 produce as much torque as possible, so we selected a set of Hooker Super Competition headers. Their full-length and four-into-one design should get plenty of torque down low. On top of this, they are nicely coated.
We wanted a nice full-length header that helped the GM Performance Parts HT 383 produce as
In spite of all the help that's available when you do a swap like this, you're pretty much on your own when it comes to figuring out how to mate the transmission to the crossmember. Advance Adapters supplies a solid mount--which would have worked--but we didn't like the idea of solid-mounting the transmission. We found that with some slight modification to the crossmember and with building an adapter plate, a standard Chevy tranny mount from Energy Suspension would work.
In spite of all the help that's available when you do a swap like this, you're pretty much

Finally, to let the HT 383 breathe right, we selected a Holley Power Shot air filter. They flow a lot of air but still do an excellent job of filtering. Even better is the fact that they are washable after a day of wheeling.

Project SuperBurb - Part 1
Project SuperBurb- Part 2
Project SuperBurb- Part 4
Project SuperBurb- Part 5
Project SuperBurb- Part 6

SOURCES
Advance Adapters 4320 Aerotech Center Way P.O. Box 247 Paso Robles CA 93446 805-238-7000	Holley Performance Products (also mfr./dist. of Hooker Headers) 1801 Russellville Rd. Bowling Green KY 42102
Energy Suspension 1131 Via Callejon San Clemente CA 92673	Jet Performance Products www.jetchip.com
GM Performance Parts www.gmperformanceparts.com	Kragen Auto Parts
Harbor Freight Tools 800-444-3353 www.harborfreight.com	MSD Ignition El Paso TX 9-15/-857-5200 msdignition.com