ok so im looking for some input on this. i got an 84 s-10 blazer 4x4. u know 1st gen body style. im looking to get this thing off roading like a beast. im planning on putting in a 350 if i can find one for cheap enough that is close enough. i know what i gotta do as far as actually putting the engine in. it'll be easy enough. but right now i am trying to get a list of decent transmissions that will mount up to a 350 that are manual.from there i can figure out transfer case options. i also am wondering if a dana44 will hold up to the 350 if i am gonna be putting tires that range from 31s to 35s (if not i just might go dana60, i am looking to save the cash if its not NECESSARY). i hear that the stock 10 bolt rear end can hold up to the weight and power. but im not sure (are any of you?) given i would like to switch to leaf over rear axles rather than leaf unders. so either way i just might end up switching just some input on that would be nice. i've already got a 3 inch body lift for the blazer and is going in tomorrow. also does anyone know how to change rear brakes from drum to disk brakes? i kinda wanna do that. so yeah basically the questions i have are:

1. what transmission would u recommend for offroading use for a 350?
2. u think a dana44 would hold up to the power and weight?
3. will a 10 bolt rear end hold up to it?
4. does anyone know how to do a drum to disk brake conversion?
and 5. is there anything i missed u think might be useful to know and/or consider?

thanks in advance i look forward to any help i can get thanks. :-)

 

Are you doing a SAS?

1) 700r4 from a 4.3 s-series or full size chevy.

2) Easily

3) I wouldn't go much bigger than 33s on the factory 10 bolt. 84 has some pretty weak axles.

4) few ways, look for a blazer, crew cab 2nd gen. The rear will bolt right under it and keep the factory bolt pattern. You can get a 8.8 out of a ford explorer it will bolt right under it and if your lucky you can find them with pretty good gears and posi.

5) if you are doing a SAS and don't try to do over 33s you can always use the 8.8 rear end and find a dana 30 out of the front of a jeep. It keeps the bolt pattern the same so you don't have to redrill and they are pretty easy to find. When I finally do my swap this is my plan.

 

yeah the plan is for a SAS. and thanks a million for the help. and i wont be working my way up to 35s for quite some time. but eventually i hope to. i have 31s for now.

do u know how much work/how many hours/how difficult, it is to do a SAS? cause i have been doing a lot of research on it... and im getting some mixed answers. some are saying its easy if u do a lot of planning and it just takes a while. others are saying even if u do the planning there is a lot of work to be done. personally i can see it being a little work... but not too much.

 

The most part is easy. Seems the biggest hangup is the steering. I've been researching it for the better part of a year trying to figure out what exactly and with what I wanna do. I'm not planning on going over 33s with mine and keeping my 3.4 v6. Its gonna be mainly a DD that I can play with if I decide to. One day I might build a 4x4 s-series with a v8 but for now I'm keeping my v8s in my 2wd s-10s.