hey guys thanks for reading and replying.
Im new here...And to blazers.. but not new to life or tools.


so.....
ive picked up an 87 2 dr with a 2.8 its carbed .its an auto with on the floor 4x4.Runs and drives, with a mostly solid body .Runs a little rough as it likes to stall at stops .But im working on that .......


also I got a 94 4 dr with the 4.3 vortec.its auto with electric 4x4.Runs and drives but the dash is lit up like a xmas tree ...{if its on at all} with warnings. The body I think was made from recycled pop cans.


they both have around 230xxx kms
that's the basic short story on them


so im thinking rob the 94 for as much as I can for trim , accessories ,interior and what not .


but im also pondering the engine swap in time ,maybe after the 2.8 craps out
if I was to do this I would use everything from donor obviously but is this the way to go ? would the work out weigh the gains?
does the digital dash have to go with the 4.3?
will the mounts be same ? will the tranny interchange or they different?


I realize the 94 is 7/8 yrs newer for other things to take off but is it better? by this I mean shocks, t-case, diffs,ect... or is the older stuff more durable ? I only ask cause the 94 is brutal compaired to th 87 just by looking at them...


any insight to this onslaught of Q&A would be great. what should I keep or rid ? {reputation wise} ...
im sure ill have more to ask soon enough


thanks and safe wheelin!

 

As you have figured out it's not a direct swap

Mounts are different, all wiring and electronics have to be swapped with the 4.3.

Transmissions and transfer cases are not interchangeable from the 2.8 to the 4.3.

Cluster can either stay digital or it can be switched to analog but it's not plug and play, you also have the option of building one with after market gauges but even in doing so some things like temp and oil senders ect. still have to be run to the ecm,

If you have a lot of time on your hands it can be done, but is it worth it that's entirely up to you.

My 4WD RX in my avatar is made out of a 92 GMC Jimmy and a 86 RX took over a year to accomplish and a lot of work. Even going from blazer to blazer you will have about the same swap as I did other than I built a new frame section

 

so id have to stick with the electronic 4x4 then eh,thats the craps. the motors look so similar in the mounts aside ,from everything that goes with it.


think I might just scrap it
know of an easier drop in that's better?
the 4x4 don't engage and front end needs work so I don't feel like fixing and swapping
its a lot of work and don't think the gains are worth it.
thanks for saving me some time.

 

I would think any carbed 60* engine would be more or less a direct swap in for the 2.8 and I really don't know for sure but the older transfer case might bolt up to the 4.3 transmission but I do know the transmissions are not inter changeable as the 4.3 is a 90* block

Any thing you transfer inless its carbed is going to take a total transfer of wiring ect - and the newer the parts vehicle the more that needs to be swapped