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Alright so I have an LS going into my 58 Apache. I was originally planning on just keeping the modern appearance with the car style top end, but as time has gone on and the project has progressed, now I'm leaning more towards the old school look. For valve covers I know I can just relocate the coils and get vc adapters. But I'm wondering if anyone has successfully run a carb style intake manifold with a throttle body on top? Are there any such adapters already in existence out there or would I have to have something custom made? I'm on a bit of a tight budget as I have countless other irons in the fire so I need to be able to retain as much of the stock stuff as possible. Basically all I'm really looking to accomplish is to relocate the tb to a top-mount configuration as opposed to the stock front mount.
One way to do it would be to use a 4BBL manifold with bolt-on throttle body, upon which sits an old-school air cleaner body, well sealed up. Still working upstream, run a snorkel from there to the MAF, and from the MAF to the actual air cleaner, hidden in the fender well, but shielded from road spray. Just an idea popped in my head...
I just finished a frame off on my brothers 87’ K10 (actually called a V10 in 87)
The original GM TBI wouldn’t run the engine, simply because I went overboard with mods, and we couldn’t get a chip burnt that would operate it. My brother bought the truck brand new, and was sick. So I talked him into going Holley EFI. It looks stock under the air cleaner, and it really runs great. His is a SBC, but you can get Holley kits to operate an LS as well.
Throw up some pics!
Nothing fancy needs to be done to run the factory harness and computer. If running a regular carb style air cleaner you just delete the maf and run a sd tune. Edelbrock, gm, Holley and a couple others have efi dual and single plain intakes available. Just pic which one looks best or works best for you. 4150 throttle body is a little pricey but usually comes with tps and iac. Then you'll need fuel rails. Cheaper route would be a MSD box and carb set up. Then you wouldn't need a tune.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. But I guess I need to reiterate the most important point: BUDGET. I have WAY too many other (read: more important) things currently burdening my finances that I simply can not sacrifice on. I need to get this done as inexpensively as possible or not at all. All I'm looking for is a simple tb-carb adapter that will allow me to run the STOCK tb on a carb manifold. Does anything like that exist?
All I'm looking for is a simple tb-carb adapter that will allow me to run the STOCK tb on a carb manifold. Does anything like that exist?
I don't see how that's ever going to happen, There were never any throttle body LS engines produced (that I know of) and getting a setup like that to work is most likely going to take an aftermarktet ECU like Holley/Fast/Microsquirt/MSD
Why not just run a carb on it until you can budget it later.
I don't see how that's ever going to happen, There were never any throttle body LS engines produced (that I know of) and getting a setup like that to work is most likely going to take an aftermarktet ECU like Holley/Fast/Microsquirt/MSD
Why not just run a carb on it until you can budget it later.
If price is the issue, just run a carb, I agree totally.
In Square Body Syndicate's Syndicate Series 01 project, they custom fitted a Holley Mid Rise carb intake with fuel injectors with attached fuel rails for an intake spray into the individual intake ports.
A carb intake won't have fuel injector bosses. I think I know what you're going for, but you'll have to come up with a different fuel injection system. Are you wanting something like a 90 degree elbow that has a carb style bolt pattern on one side and an LS throttle body on the other?
Another option you might consider is the FITech tbi system. It's the cheapest self tuning fuel injection I'm aware of and you can run a carb intake, although the Holley stuff is super nice. It'll look old with modern performance.
I think GM, among some others, has a 4BBL-type manifold WITH injector bosses. It's getting to be a very common setup. They ARE out there. Seek and ye shall find....
Yessir! There are several. However, the OP has stated he wishes to do this on a budget and keep as many factory pieces as possible. All of the manifolds I've seen use their manufacturers brand injectors and fuel rails as they are spaced and/or angled different than the OEM stuff. So, more money. If the OP has some good fab skills he could maybe get a carb intake and drill then TIG some bosses in. Provided the injectors could land in the right place. I personally haven't ever tried to put the stock fuel rail and injectors on an aftermarket carb style intake. Hopefully someone else has and has some more concrete answers.
Either way, fuel rails wouldn't look old school.
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Old school look while keeping efi? 
