TBI to carb swap

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Hfab5

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Messages
9
Been a while since I've posted. A set of twins put my plans on hold. Finally have a little time/money to start again. Long story short, I have a great running chevy 305/200r4 from a 90 Chevy Caprice. I have a 62 Impala, no motor/trans and just want to make a cruiser.
I don't want the TBI and want to convert to a carb. I need to know what I need to get it up and running. I've heard that I have to change intake, cam, and distrib, plus run a electric fuel pump? I've also heard something about this 305 that has heads that only fit a couple of intake manifolds? Which ones? Others say I dont have to change the cam or intake.
Can anyone PLEASE tell me specifically what I need to get this car running.
Thanks for any help!
 
I think all you have to swap out is the intake. I have changed out a couple of the TBI engines by just doing this and they are still doing good. trans cable(TV) bracket is a must though to keep it shifting correctly. just my $0.02[P
 
Some of the later heads, the Vortex I think, have the bolts by the carb pad at a more vertical angle than the older style, so you have to have a manifold that accepts both patterns or you have to modify the holes on the older style with a grinder. Not a big deal, just something to watch for. A manifold, carb, and distributor should be all you need, with proper TV cable linkage as said above. Camshaft won't matter unless you want to change it while you're in there....

You will need a fuel pump with less pressure, manual or electric. Carbs need about 5-7 psi where FI pumps are 50psi or more.
 
87-95 they changed the two center bolts to a less V to a straight pattern. You can use the older intake but these 4 holes have to be modified.96 up all have vertical bolts. The fuel pump hole is still there on the 87-95 but you will need a push rod and new plate with opening for pump. A HEI dist will drop right in.

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Thank you guy's for the help. I heard that I would HAVE to run a electric fuel pump. Even know the hole is there (with a block off plate) there is no lobe on the cam for the rod. I heard that there's a way to check, but don't know how. An electric pump seems pretty easy, but to be sure, you run a line from the tank to the pump, pump to regulator, regulator to carb, and pump wired to ignition source with in-line fuse? Question... do you run filter AFTER pump or before and do you have to run a return line to the tank?
 
When you strip an engine down to basically a long block, it doesn't know or care if it was fuel injected or carbureted. I swapped a Mustang 5.0 engine into a Jeep pickup a while back, and I did pretty much what you are doing. Here is what I did:

1) Replaced the intake manifold with an Edelbrock Performer intake and 600 cfm Edelbrock carb.

2) Replaced the distributor with a Mallory Unilite so I wouldn't have to rewire the Duraspark original.

3) Used an electric fuel pump as mine had no provision for a mechanical pump either.

Don't worry about the cam, it is fine. As mentioned you will need to see if you need a Vortec style intake or a regular intake. You can determine that by looking at the intake bolts. Vortec go straight down into heads, older style go in on an angle.
Don
 

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