I just swapped an 79 350 into my 85 TA. I haven't lost the actual computer yet, I just disconnected everything that had controls at the engine, excpet the little plug in wire to the battery. But it won't start. I din't want to start cutting out wires until I knew what it was gonna do like I don't wanna lose my lights. Now what do I need to get this car to start? The wiring in my 79 Z28 is pretty simple I think I need something like that. Do I need to rewire it? What wiring harness would I use? There is no smog or computer stuff so I need to know just how to get it to run like it was pre computer car.

 

the computer won't keep it from starting. Whatever you do, don't cut wires, even if you're de-computerizing it. The computer harness is completely separate from the engine harness, and will come right out intact in one piece all the way from all the sensors to the ECM if you pay attention to what you are doing.

Fuel, compression, spark at the right time, that's all it takes for an engine to run. Which one(s) is(are) missing? Start there, apply logic, don't take shortcuts or make assumptions, a non-start is usually one of the easiest motor failures to troubleshoot even if it seems frustrating after doing all that other work.