Throwback Thursday: Choosing A New Engine For Your 1973-2013 Pickup

engineHere we are, it’s another Thursday, and time for an editorial throwback. The week is almost over, and once again, we open the vault that houses our vast collection of articles. This time, we’re taking a step back in time to locate an article that you guys might have either forgotten about, or might not even know exists. Whichever the case, we are certain that you will enjoy this editorial flashback.

I decided that this week, we should take a short trip back to October 2014. This week, we’ll be checking out – The Crate Motor Guide For 1973 To 2013 GMC/Chevy Trucks

engine

P/N 12499529 – 350/290 HP: A new 350 ci V8 (Universal Crate Engine) from Pace is a great entry-level direct replacement for the 1973 to 1987 GM trucks.

When it comes to selecting an an engine, horsepower numbers seem to be what interests everyone. But, unless you’re blasting down the quarter-mile, those big numbers that everyone wants to boast, should probably be secondary. When it comes to getting from red light to red light, or safely entering the freeway, torque is what will get your vehicle moving. This is especially true for you truck guys.

For that reason, the original article gives a little insight into finding the correct engine for your hauler. Let’s face it, these trucks already many miles on the odometer, so that is why we wanted to help those of you trying find the perfect replacement engine.

engine

P/N 88890534 – 502/338 HP Truck Engine: Chevrolet Performance has this replacement HT502 that will make your fourth-gen C/K one bad square body.

So, for this story, we focused on crate engines for the most popular GM pickups–the 1973 to 2013 model-years. This encompasses the four most popular generations of light trucks from the General.

Today’s automotive aftermarket is rife with all kinds of crate engines. From the OEs to the various engine builders, you can find nearly any kind of ready-to-drop-in engine you want, whether that be a stock replacement, fire-breathing monster, or everything in between.

engine

The LS3 Connect and Cruise retrofit is recommended by SDPC for 1988 to 1998 C/K trucks as the ultimate upgrade for GM trucks of that era.

Now, to help us gather some solid intel, we reached out to a few very trusted sources, like the experts at Chevrolet Performance, Pace Performance, and Scoggin-Dickey Performance Center (SDPC). The original article focused on these three companies to get recommendations, because GM is the original manufacturer, and Pace and SDPC are two of the largest volume performance engine retailers in the USA.

engine

From the factory, the later square body trucks were woefully underpowered. With so many of them still on the raod, an upgrade is due.

There is a lot of in-depth information in the original article, and because of that, I thought it a great piece for this week’s Throwback Thursday flashback. So, check out The Crate Motor Guide For 1973 To 2013 GMC/Chevy Trucks.

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About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
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