I just picked up an 83 pretty cheap. The wiring harness and electrical components are junk, the engine is junk, the turbo is junk. I've done a lot of Ls swaps and after reading all seven pages of this and several months of research on the internet I have decided to just put a 4.3 L V6 in my car. The body and interior is pretty nice but I just want it to be reliable and not chop it up in case the next owner wants to restore it. I'm going to build my own front crossmember and move the steering to the front so the steering link leaves more room for exhaust. That way I can just use off the shelf parts and don't have to modify anything. If I decide I want more power I can add a GMC Syclone turbo kit. I'm using a 4.3 L with a 4L60E out of a 2007 Chevy pickup. I'm going to use the Astro van oil pan to give me clearance on the Cradle and build my own engine mounts after getting the engine where I want it in the chassis.
