What will it really cost?

[Darren]

Then what's the point?

It's like pricing out half of a jigsaw puzzle...RWHP cannot be measured without having the entire puzzle complete.

I agree with you 100% I was just pointing out what he asked for, which is how much info the motor.

[LS1Formulation]

I'll tell you my experience building power on a budget. If you are good at finding deals, 400+ RWHP can be done on the cheap. Here's what I did:

- Stock bottom end
- Used CNC Ported 241 heads - $600
- Used FAST 78MM W/TB - $500
- Sold 78MM ported TB - ($150)
- New Professional Products 85MM TB - $185
- Ported my FAST 78MM to 85MM - $FREE
- Used TR224 cam - $250
- Used Hardened 7.4 Pushrods - $75
- Used but new Ported Oil Pump - $75
- Used but new Double Roller Timing Chain - $75
- New gaskets, fluids, etc. - $100

- Total - $1710

That's it for the engine itself. Below are parts that aren't part of the actual engine, but were either needed to make the power or were needed to beef up the drivetrain to handle the power:

- Used LT headers and True Duals - $500
- Lid - $100
- Stage 4 T-56 from sixspeeds inc. - $2500 (Ouch, making power breaks expensive parts sometimes)
- Monster Level 3 clutch - $750
- S60 rearend - $2500 (again, making power breaks weak stock drivetrains in a hurry)
- Chromoly DS - $350
- M/T ET Streets - $480
- Used but new Chris Alston torque arm - $250
- Lakewood control arms and panhard bar - $250
- Used but new Bilstein rear shocks - $80
- Katech belt tensioner - $135 (had to buy it, high RPM was throwing the belt)
- Mail order tune - $150

That there is $8045 and that's not counting all the ring and pinions I killed in my 10 bolt, or the carriers I killed either. It's relatively cheap and easy to build a 400+ rwhp engine, but you will be disappointed when your newfound power starts breaking everything in your drivetrain. I learned the hard way and have had at least 10 months of driving time in my car screwed from under me because of it breaking. To top it all off, after I finally got the drivetrain done and broken in, my shortblock decided to give up the ghost. So now it's going to be costing me ANOTHER $1500 to get THAT back together. Never ending, I swear. You may be able to pay the admission price relatively cheaply, but when it comes right down to it, you're going to need an easy 10K in mods to have it be reliable.

I will say this, other than the downtime, I wouldn't have did this any other way. It was fun to worry about my 10 bolt breaking ( crazy, I know ) and I was able to get some pretty quick times out of my car in the meantime 12.28@118.70. All in all, do it like you want to do it, but be prepared for the consequences.

[WMCCjames]

Heads, cam and an intake (and a tune of coarse) on a LS1 can make north of 500hp at the flywheel.

[DETROITMUSCLE]

A good heads and cam setup can be had for $3500 or less
My trans build cost me $700
My brand new Yank converter was $750
$2500 max for a built rear end
Tune is around $400 or less

lets see that adds up to 8K to have a bulletproof car at those power levels. That is buying all BRAND NEW parts. I saved loads of cash on my car buying everything I could used or at a good deal and I bet I could do it all over again for under 5K no problem. The stock 10 bolt on an auto car could last quite a while as well and that obviously would save major $$$$ Take your time and never pay full price and anything is possible. This does not take into cost of any breakage or other problems though.