1997 1500 4.3 th350 swap

[Chester collins]

Hey guys and gals, I'm new to the forum. I have a 1997 chevy 1500 with 4.3 vortec 5 speed. 2WD... I have pulled the bad 5 speed out. I'm going to replace it with an automatic....I have access to a th350, a 700r4, and a 96 model 4L60e. THIS IS A SCRAP-HAULING TRUCK THAT ONLY IS USED LOCALLY...THATS IMPORTANT, because a lot of people are going to have opinions on the Why?s of this swap. All im looking for is a simple way to use one of these trannys in the truck. 

Let me preface this by saying that I AM NOT going the route of replacing pcms,  tcms, or anything of the like, if I dont have to....so my first question is....

    1. Is there a way, using stock 5 speed wiring harness, to run wires to the 4L60e and make it work. Which means shifts correct AND, allows the engine to run with potentially improper VSS inputs and all that. I can wire, and I can read diagrams. I dont care at all if the computer causes engine lights, even if the dash is lit up like a xmas tree...its a rusted scrap hauler. I ALSO DONT CARE ABOUT DRIVESHAFT LENGTHS, CROSSMEMBERS, or all the other things that could be a problem..I've got a shop, I'll fix those. 

    2. If I use the 700r4, I know that it will bolt up and there wont be a problem with flex plate, torque converters, because my cousin has one in his 97, same truck exactly. He told me he had a hell of a time getting a tv cable bracket to work with his stock v6 vortec manifold though..no proper mounting holes for the bracket. But I know it can be done. Yes, all the harness and plugs are different on the 700r4, so same question as above...can it be wired using the stock 5 speed harness, and if not, I know how to simply put in a 4th gear swith to lock the convertor, that's no problem.  Again though...is the engine going to run properly without any trans vss(or other) signals not received. As long as it runs properly I dont care about codes and engine lights(scrap hauler again). 

And ...3.  I'm very tempted to put this old th350 in it....I'm pretty sure it will bolt up, fairly certain all I need is a vacuum run from manifold pressure...and I'll be good to go. Again, I have 50 driveshaft and about as many crossmembers so those things dont come into the equation. Same concern as before, above...WITH ABSOLUTELY NO 5 SPEED HARNESS TRANSMISSION WIRES HOOKED UP, WILL THE ENGINE STILL RUN??. I dont mind jumper wires or doing what it takes to keep the transmission plugs sending a happy signal to the computer...I just want everyone's opinion on the SIMPLEST way to get this truck to move, and allow the engine to start and run like normal. 

   Having said all that, and since I used all the caps, and reiterated several times that it's just a scrap hauler rust bucket..I'll tell you why I've been soooooo diligent to get all the facts straight..its because I'm 52, I have read about a thousand forum sites and entries over the years and gotten a lot of great info from them, and I think they are great! But what I dont think is great, or very helpful to the person posting a question, is that a lot of guys want to ask questions like, "why would you want to do that? If it were me I'd go get me a new transmission or a rebuilt one, and put it right in with a so and so clutch, and a thousand dollar tcm...." you get the picture, right? I hope I'm not coming off as a smart-#$@ or anything, I just dont think those opinions ever help the person asking the question. You may have a lot more resources (monetary and availibilty) than most of us schlubs out there...and sometimes we just want to know the technical possibility of if the question we are asking is feasible...not whether you agree with it...the reason I say this is because I've seen most forum threads go off topic from 2 or 3 regulars joisting about who knows the most, and then the poor guy posting the question never gets a good answer. Face it, you've seen that happen too, right? So, have written a book report, whew!...I now leave it to you guys to help me if you can. I'm a really nice guy...I just wanted to be accurate about my problem, and hopefully derail the one-,upmanship before it begins. Thanks my new friends!!

[Chester collins]

Oh, and on the possible th350 scenario? I dont even need a kickdown cable...if I cant rig a bracket for it on a 4.3 vortec, I'll just manually downshift it...'nuff said!!