How big is too big?

Want to start by saying hello to everyone.  I just joined this forum with hopes of getting good advice from avid offroaders.  I don't have much experience with wheeling but I am enthusiastic about learning.  I came home from a deployment to find out that my father bought me a 79 Chevy K10 (shortbed).  It is the first 4 wheel drive I have every owned.  Im not to fond of the shortbed but it'll do.  I have many plans for this truck but I want to do it right.  It has, of now, a 350 ci motor.  What I want is a torque monster!!  I know that gears, tranny, and other components make up the total package but what would be a great motor to stick in this rig?  Or is the 350 BEAST enough to keep?  

A 350 is mote than enough power for off road. People that have issues with lack of power do so simply because they fail to regear them properly for lifts and tires. Many seem to think that they do not need to regear and then blame the motor.  

BIG BLOCK all the torque you need  

i agree with snoman, keep that 350

look at some of the jeeps,  they have inline 6 cylinders and those thing crawl up a cliff face.

its all in the transmission my friend...  

all about crawl ratio, (tranny, transfer case, axle ratio), suzuki samurais go wheelin just fine so i say the 350 you have is plenty  
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1975 Scout II XLC Built with used parts
1999 Diesel powered F250 Superduty Lariat

"glenddddddddaaaaaaallllleeee!!!!!!!" (04-Z71)

KEEP THE 350,IT TRIDE AND TRUE AND RELIABLILITY IS HARD TO BEAT ...YOU GET GREAT POWER/TQ AND DECENT MPG OVER A BIG BLOCK. YOU KNOW THAT EVERYBODY WELL MOST EVERYBODY STUFFS 350s IN ANYTHING WHY? BECAUSE OF POWER RELIABILITY AND EASE OF PARTS AND WORKING ON THEM...AND IF YOU LIFT DONT FORGET TO REGEAR CAUSE YOU DONT WANT TO PREMATURLY WEAR YOUR ENGINE OR TRANS OUT.  
IT WASNT ME, IT WAS THE ONE ARMED MAN!

I think you should keep the 350. They can be built up quite easily and parts are everywhere for them.  
You can do anything you dare to dream.

i agree with every body but the big block guy. i mean think about the gas prices today were i live is $3.77 that might not sound like a lot for someone from los angles. but its out of control. both trucks i own a 85 3/4 ton 2wd gmc and a 77 fleetside 1/2 ton 4x4 truck have 350s in them and they both run like a raped ape. and all the parts you can get its a gold mine. plus you can pretty much build those in to what ever you want. like 383,400,and so on and i think they have the best of both worlds horsepower and torque. and gear then riget you cant go wrong.  

People that push BB as a solution off road power do not think about gears much. If you take the time to gear it properly, a SB has all the power you need. And gearing it right IS NOT 3.73 or 4.10 gears with 35's.  

you keep that 350 and you can strok it out to a 383 to give you more than enough power. then make sure that you have the right gears for your tire size. most likly 4.10s  

454K5blazer:
you keep that 350 and you can strok it out to a 383 to give you more than enough power. then make sure that you have the right gears for your tire size. most likly 4.10s

Again, a 4.10 is not the "right gear" gear for over sized tires. Yet many seem to think it is for some strange reason. There is not universal off road gear ratio as depends on tire size. (4.10 is a great gear with stock tires though)  

A solid 350 is plenty if ya gear the truck for the tires you plan to run. You can't gear it too deep!!! Don't worry about the gas prices! If you are honestly worried about gas prices tell Dad thanks for the love but you need a Prius or a scooter. I would go with 4.56's with a 35" tire. Any bigger than 35's you probably need to think about axles anyway in the 1/2 ton.  

I would do 4.88's with 35's.  

keep the 350, i have had 3 350s and not a problem with them, my last truck has over 320K on the original 350.

you should have a TH350 trans if its an auto which is also a great tranny.

the D44 front and 12b rear is a good start.

go with a nice 35 with gears and a locker and your set!  
VirginiaK5

I'd do a dana 44 front dana 60 rear with locker and some 37" boggers for the rear and 36" tsl's for the front.  
'80 chev stepside,3/4 ton, 4 spd, 40" interco's, crazy flex, and one good driver lol