-Whats the best bang for my buck?
-I've heard alot of good comments about 455 swaps w/ TH400's.
-Really what I care about is getting the most for my money.
- I also don't want to have to worry about breaking parts, like the tranny/rearend.
-Heres what I need to get: Engine, Tranny, Rearend.

I have 1600 dollars, but If you think there is a better route, but is more expensive, I can save longer.

Also, where can I get the parts from?

 

Best bang for the buck......LS1/auto or 6-speed. With any big HP increases you will destroy the rear in the car if you abuse it.

 

I thought a complete ls1 setup ran 3000+ easily? Versus a complete 455/th400 is like 1200-1500.

 

If you can find a 454/TH400 for 1500 bucks, I would say go for it, I haven't seen a 454 by itself go for 1500 bucks.

 

its a 455 not 454, I've seen 455's shortblock that need to be rebuilt/replace 1 piston for $100 including a TH400. I'm probally going to buy it. I've seen numerous 455's go for less than 1500. In another thread a guy went to a pick and pull junk yard and got a 455 short w/ th400 w/o accesories for $110.

heres the thread:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=291473

 

Good deals can be found at junkyards. Ya just gotta go through a few before ya find one. I just piced up a mopar 440 with a 727 trans both complete and running for 250 bucks. Ya just gotta be on the look out for good deals.

 

455 Pontiac motors are good, but very expensive to mod for HP. Trust me on this, I had a '68 GTO with a 400 Pontiac in it, and just to put an aluminum intake on it was gonna cost me over 400 bucks for a good one.

If you want best bang for the buck, I still say LS1

A 455 Pontiac will have around 380HP/450 torque at the flywheel, using the old gross HP numbers. An LS1 puts 325-335 at the flywheel using new net HP numbers plus the stuff to mod the cars is cheaper, easier to get HP just by the tune on the PCM.

I know a guy running a '98 LS1 in his '98 T/A putting 440 at the wheels just by doing a cam/head swap

 

do you call them or go there? Alot of them around here pull the engines for you, or already have them pulled under a shelter.

 

Go to a few and walk around. Browse through all kinds of stuff. Old 1 ton trucks and RV's usually hold big blocks. Tell em what ya want and they will pull it for ya, COuldnt be easier.

 

Will the big blocks out of trucks/rvs be good for a street rod? I know if u use a 302 out of a ford truck is VERY different then the 302 in a mustang and wont be fast at all, is it the same for gm/mopar?

 

The difference in a mustang 302 HO and truck 302 is the firing order, Along with compression, heads, and the cam. GM isnt as goofy as ford. A big block out of a RV or 1 ton truck is gonna be a torque monster, dont expect 500hp stock. But if you plan on a tear down and rebuild it doesnt matter.

 

what will I have to replace/change? In other words, what were the differences in a 455 or other BB that was put in a car versus a GM RV/truck?

 

none, im not even sure a 455 came in trucks or rvs. BTW a 455 is a small block based on the bore spacing haha figured id tell ya before someone jumps all ove rya about it.

 

K so 455=small block

If you could pick some engines, even if they wouldnt fit in a 3rd gen, based on performance and what I could find easily/cheaply at a junk yard, what motors would you pick?

 

hmm just about any gm would be cool. I mean ya can find anything from a gran national 3.8 turbo to a 454 big block in the junk yard. Go and take a look around, see what ya can find.

 

Honestly on a $1600 budget there is a limted amount you can do. What motor/tranny do you have now? If you already have a 305 or 350 I think a budget build up on a 350 could be done if you shop around and opt for used/rebuilt parts instead of brand new. If you have a 6 cyl, its gonna be even more difficult, but your best bet would be to find a wrecked thirdgen with a 350 in it and just swap everything over and pray that the engine/tranny are in good shape because you're probably gonna use up your entire $1600 on the donor car/misc parts for the swap. But thats just my opinion though.

 

I am with Him, I have spent $1800 so far on my engine swap, from V6 to V8 if you have a V8 just rebuild it, if you have a v6 a donor car is a must on that budget.

 

how much you think it would cost for a 455 w/ trans if I needed everything (empty engine bay).

 

Getting the engine and tranny will be cheap, putting a Pontiac motor into the car is where it will get costly. Again, performance parts for a Pontiac motor are not cheap, you would be better off going with a 350 or 400 SBC in the car. Most of the 455's will be smogger motors from the mid 70's that if you can get 225hp at the flywheel out of it stock, you will be lucky. The 305's from the mid 80's had almost that much.

 

Really what I want the engine/tran is for is a custom chassis I'm gunna build, so i can fab the chassis to wherever a mount needs to be. Thats why I said "empty engine bay," cause i'm going to need everything. I really don't want to spend a ton of money on the project, something I can do in my spare time thats not going to put a huge dent in my wallet. I estimated 1800 cause I knew I would be underestimating. I dont want to spend more than 4k on the finished running/driving chassis. Cause its purely going to be a toy. Then maybe a year or two later I'll build a body around the frame. Thanks a lot for your help so far.

You still think it would be cheaper for better performance to put a 350 in it? Sounds like a 350 would be stock just as powerful with cheaper mods. makes me wonder why the sticky lists the 455 engine swap, if all in all thats more expensive.

I was looking at some of the mopar stuff like the 383, 400, and 440. They seem like pretty good candidates, but I dont know much about those engines and costs associated with them.

 

Okay let me get this straight... you have a custom chasis and you have a $1600 budget on engine and trans? Dude if that is the case you are way over your head my man. Do what i did... plot everything out and make budgets and stick to it. $1600 and custom dont go in the same sentence that easy. Take a step back and look it it bro. Hope this helps

 

Goto Summit Racing or Jegs and do a search on just an intake for a 350 Chevy, then one for a 400-455 Pontiac. Don't get me wrong, I love Pontiac engines but they are just do durn expensive to get what little HP you can.

 

People go for a big block because its a big block. There isnt anything cheap about it. If you do it right, with performance.

Performance wise 350's are undisputedly cheaper, they have more parts available and more combinations. Hence, why you can walk into autozone and come out with a shopping cart full of things. Big block make serious hp too, but you'll pay. For your budget you can get a big block and tranny but welcome to stock exhaust and carb and so on and so forth. If you have money limitations go SBC

 

I dont have a custom chassis, i'm gunna build one. As far as engines going it could be stock, or anything, I just want to get good bang for my buck. Thats one of the benefits of making everything, you can use whatever you want, and I want it to be fast w/o costing an arm and a leg.

 

350 hands down. You can get a 350, tranny, everything you need with it and all the little things for your budget. Buy a donor car.
Just dont skimp on the little things like motor mounts and bolts and gaskets.
I bought a donor car with engine and tranny for 250, you prolly wont find that deal. But, just look and be patient you will be surprised

 

i've been looking for a wrecked or not running 350 for a while now, fools still want like 1400. I tell them I can get a running one for that much.

 

call up every cash and carry and u pull it junk yard. Go to some rebuild shops, they will know someone who knows someone trust me.

 

K, i'll call the yards. Rebuild shops, u mean repair shops? Dono about going into them, would take a lot of time and most here in town you just talk to a guy at a front desk.

 

Not really just auto repair like machine shops that special lize in engines, but yeah anything will work, everyone knows someone who knows someone.

 

ok, called the bigger 12 yards in my area, heres the best deals:

94 LT1 Complete (all accesories w/ longblock): 750 + 100 core

Mopar 400 longblock: 150

Mopar 440 Complete (even w/ A/C comp & Brackets): 750 said he'll start it up for me and let me listen to it.