which is the best bang for your buck? I'm just wondering how much each setup cost(generally) and power numbers. Also would like to hear form poeple that are running some of these setups and what they think of them.

Thanks guys!

 

"Bang for buck" is very subjective. $'s per HP isn't linear. Cost to build needs to be factored with cost to run.

You pretty much listed them from cheapest to most expensive. Of course, you ranked them by power potential as well (although it could be argued that a hairy 383 could out-power the best 383 LT1, but the LT1 would still have better manners).

Without knowing what you intend to do with the finished product, this conversation is pretty much worthless.

 

Well of course the 355 would be your cheapest route to go. For example a 355$4,500 carb to pan turn key you can net 540hp at the crank on pump gas, can give you the exact combo we went 10.97 @120 with a 1.53 60ft. If you want to run on E85 with a cam and compression change the same engine would make close to 600hp. The 383 (i do not like them at all) would be the same price or within $500 due to larger heads and piston pricing all other parts would cost same. LSX, well lets just say alot more money but more well mannered for the street.

 

i had just built a 383 completely new from carb to pan with the exception that i had machined an old block machined and put a used starter on it. It ran me roughly $4500 and that includes a good set of trickflow aluminum heads. i dont know numbers yet but i would figure in the neighborhood of 500 horse (maybe more or a lil less), however it is roudy and runs on 1:1 mix of 110 and 93 octane so fuel is roughly $5.00 a gallon( can probably get away with less of a mixture but i did get some detonation with a more diluted mix) and getting terrible gas mileage. i have a 700r4 on it but at the same time i have a 4.10 diff in the rear.

 

well I'll be pulling the motor out myself, and if its an lsx/lm7 swap I'll do all of the labor but I dont know if I wanna mess with the wiring(which is one of the main reasons I dont wanna mess with that, and I think it will end up nickel and dimming me to death). I'd imagine I could get a lm7 swap done cheaper than 4500 tho? You can find those 5.3s complete for like 1k

 

Well the car is gonna just be a street car/weekend car, and on occasion I go auto-xing and I wanna take it to the strip but that would be the rarest thing I would do with it.

 

My swap cost just under $2000, but it took me nearly a year to bargain hunt all the pieces. I have zero performance upgrades

Your budget seems reasonable and the LM7 is a great platform to build up. It can be a nasty little engine rather quickly. Check out the thread on ls1tech with the junkyard 5.3, a big turbo running 9's. Should be plenty strong for you

 

Oops, I misread "lm7" as "LS7". Regardless, go ahead and lump the LS1/LM7 together.

Wiring difficulties are more in your head than an actual hurdle. All the information you need is contained in the LS1 swap sticky and the links within.

The main issue with a JY LM7 swap is what you need to take off of the engine and find other parts to put back on - oil pan/oil pump pickup, front accessories, intake and exhaust manifolds. LS1 intake manifolds are fairly cheap and will handle a stock LM7 just fine. F-body exhaust manifolds, oil pan etc., and front accessories will run you more.

Then, you need to do something about the transmission.

But, when you add it all up, it can be a very nice swap to fulfill your intended use, especially in the long run.

FWIW, I picked up a 2000 LS1/4L60E "drop-out" back in December for $2k (plus another $250 for my wife & I to drive down to Phoenix to pick it up - nice little vacation). I'll need to find exhaust for it, because it previously had headers (which won't fit 3rd gens). I had previously picked up an LS6 intake complete (for another potential project that I decided against), am planning heads/cam, and picked up a higher stall converter for it. I expect it to make around 400 HP and get better gas mileage than the 350/TH700 currently in the car.

The aftermarket support is getting very good for the LSx engines. Aftermarket heads don't cost any more than Gen I SBC heads (and are arguably much better performing for the money).

LSx really is the SBC of the 21st century.

 

Well I think you convinced me on my choice. I was thinking if i had like 350 to the wheels it would be perfect. Pick up a ls6 intake and 01-02 mani's and just a small cam and I'd imagine its possible?


Yeah thats true, I was thinking of just getting an after market oil pan, things that I think would be hard to find. I'd like an ls1 swap but thats more expensive and way harder to come by and usually more expensive.