nascarnate z28 future ??'s

[JoeliusZ28]

Here is some more food for thought Nate, you've invested a decent ammount into fixing that car up, what are the chances you could sell it and make money to move into a lower mileage car?

[WMCCjames]

Personally, I wouldn't swap an LT1 for a 5.3... to me the 5.3 is more of a v6 upgrade, IMHO (sorry Spencer) if I were going from an LTx I would think the 5.3 is a downgrade. Swaps get expensive fast - I'd rebuild what you have. Even a stock spec rebuild would probably provide a big improvement in power if your engine is as tired as you and Joel are making it out to be. If you want more power than stock, get the LT4 hot cam kit as they're pretty reliable and you get almost everything you need for the cam swap for ~$600. You'd just need an LT4 knock module, I think. Then obviously headers and yadda yadda yadda. You're about ready to take the deep plunge - just make sure you're ready for it.

If it were my car, I'd start with the basics and rebuild it over the winter like Ryan was saying - you can get a full gasket kit for $200 ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevy...#ht_3361wt_898 ), bearings and new bolts are relatively cheap. New water pump, get some headers, new wires, if the current opti works keep running it.

Haha...you under estimate the 5.3.

I'd do a budget 6.0 swap myself.

[my95z28]

Good luck with that. The AI cam kit is $1195 and includes 90% of the parts you need at a cost I couldnt beat through summit. That leaves you $800 for everything else which isnt very likely especially if he wants to put a real set of headers and exhaust on the new one and get a quality tune on the build. Let alone all the other misc expenses like fluids and transporting the new engine.

He could go with a cam other than an AI grind, but at that point you are saving a couple hundred dollars tops and ending up with 40 or so less HP. Bang for the buck goes down.

I will agree that the cammed, low-mileage LT1, is probably the easiest/cheapest way to good power with decent reliability. Its just still going to be well over a $2k investment said and done.

If he went with the same cam and headgaskets as you have, you could just flash his pcm. That brings the cost of a tune down. Headers aren't included in this, nor is the rest of the exhaust. A low mileage LT1 and gaskets can be had for $800.

[1fstss]

my buddy allen installed a LQ4 into his 98... nothing special but he put in a bigger cam arp hardware all new gaskets and had the block checked, hes getting nickle and dimed to death on this thing. ill have to ask the exact amount but i know its way up there and he wishes he would have just bought a replacement LS1. stick to your LT1 man your rebuild cost will be waayyyy less... and if your worried about a high milage trans i have one in my garage ill sell ya that has less than 2K miles on it oh and just do a basic rebuild if your on a budget... splurge on some ARP hardware, get the standard CC503 cam and spray a 150 shot at it, bam low low 12's...

[meissen]

I'm pretty sure Spencer's car makes as much horsepower as yours does with about 25 less cubes, and more torque, Brian

...but, you having an LT1 car already, Nate, would make me want to suggest rebuilding your LT1 or another LT1, so that you could use all your current parts (trans, harness, etc) and make it a literal plug and play installation, keeping costs far down compared to swapping in an LS-series engine.

If I have my facts right spencers car went 12s with a smaller cam than brians

Yes - but if you're going to do an engine swap AND cam swap, you're in deep pocket territory now. If you're doing a cam swap on either engine, headers on either engine, etc etc you can upgrade the maintenance items on the LT1 cheaper than the engine swap would cost.

I was saying a STOCK 5.3 swap is a downgrade from a LT1. Sure Spencer is at the same HP as me now that he's cammed - but we're both at stock/light bolt-on LS1 territory. Since Nate is already starting out with an LT1, it just makes sense to stick with what he has.

[meissen]

BTW - I was just looking at my google docs and remembered I saved Spencer's shared doc for his 5.3 swap. His final price was just shy of $6500 including the TR224 cam swap. It just seems like Nate's LT1 could be refreshed to stock form for less than 1k which leaves a lot on the table for the go fast goodies.

[prorac1]

I agree Brian, but if he needs machine work a grand goes out the window REAL quick. Eric L

[meissen]

I agree Brian, but if he needs machine work a grand goes out the window REAL quick. Eric L

Meh, even so. I had my short block hot tanked, bored .040 over, crank polished 10/10, all new main and cam bearings, reassembled for $1200. Water pump for under $100, gasket set for $200. So even if machine work is necessary, it'd be around $2000.

[Darren]

Set a budget and go from there. How much do YOU want/or can afford to spend, and then what goals do you have for the car. What would you like out of it?

But more food for thought, I dont see this brought up too much (maybe because I am a noob at building engines) but why doesnt anyone ever suggest a GM performance Crate Engine? Order one, drop it in, have fun? You can get built engines in just about any price range and HP range you choose....

[Lucky SOB]

If I have my facts right spencers car went 12s with a smaller cam than brians

Brian's car runs 10's for all we know

[DETROITMUSCLE]

maybe in the 1/8th

[Darren]

maybe in the 1/8th

1/32

[MP81]

maybe in the 1/8th

Haha, his first run out, I wouldn't doubt it

[ThreeHonks]

the nickle and dimed thing is one of the main reasons I stay stick with the LT1. There are just so many little things that you might not have that you will need down the line. Plus you could fall into the same boat as Brian and buy a stock 5.3 with suppossedly low mileage and have the engine fall apart after a few hundred miles.

Dont you want the piece of mind that you have a 100% fresh engine in the car with no miles on it? If you buy some random 5.3 on craigslist how do you have any idea what kind of condition it is in.

and Joel, you are comparing (cost wise) a stock 5.3 to a cammed LT1.

cammed 5.3 < cammed LT1
stock 5.3 < stock LT1 (assuming both are in good running condition)

Not knocking Spencer at all. I had the chance to see that car at the dyno day and it is very well done and sounds awesome!

[kammi10]

Brian's car runs 10's for all we know

we'll never know cuz he is too scared to take it to the track... but i i would bet my car says it wouldnt