Converting a 2.8 S-10 to an Automatic

[Digger]

I'm almost done being able to comfortably drive a stick (medical issues) and my S-10 is Mint original (58K) and the interior is personally made to fit my 6'5" frame, so I want to keep her intact. And eventually restore the engine bay with quite a few more Cubes and 2 more cylinders with a 350 I've been tinkering with for a ear now. Anyway to save the weight and to keep it's awesome stock looks I want to try and get what I can out of this 2.8 just for the heck of doing it to see what happens.

I'm told A late 80's early 90's Camaro/Firebird w/ a 2.8 auto trans will be an almost exact replacement. Is this a 700r4 and is that the same as a 4l60E? What all do I need off of the Camaro? Flexplate, Torque Converter, Front Yoke, linkages (buying aftermarket shifter), anything else? I'm having the trans gone through before installation.

Has anyone out there done this? I know it's a kind of backwards direction to be heading to gain power but I need an automatic and with the truck being mint, triple black Tahoe with power everything, A/C, and even the Factory CD/Premium sound in 93! I will accomplish this task and document it all for future information for everyone.
Now that 2.8 is already a gutless wonder, and automatic will make it even worse so, Edelbrock TES header system, free flow converter, and a cat back exhaust, Reprogram the computer with a chip, any other ideas without doing the whole 9 yards to the motor besides like K&N etc?

Also can I just loose the factory cooling fan altogether and run just an electric fan to save the power the excessive air and noisy fan eats.

I'm running stock 14" steel rally wheels with 225/70-14 T/A's What good looking 15" Wheel will bolt on? And Tire size to match? I want to stick to my radial t/a's and 15" though no lowering and 20's. Is it a 5X5 bolt pattern as regular older 15 rally's wont bolt on.

OK enough for now, lets hear what ya'll have to say,

Thanks for everyone's time.

[sharkey]

RE: Converting a 2.8 S-10 to an Automatic

the tranny from a mid 80s-early 90s 2.8l camaro is infact a 700r4. it is a small bellhousing version with a small convereter. im not 100%, but expect to need the following

-tranny (duh)
-flex plate and bolts
-crossmember
-mount
-driveshaft

your best bet may be to find an auto 2.8l blazer for the swap.

there is also another issue of lock up. you can just leave it unhooked, but gass mialage will be better with it working. there are several ways you can hook it up, ranging from a togle switch on the dash (easy) to swapping the entire wiring harness and ecm (hard) to have the ecm controll lockup the way it is meant to.