I have been planning on going 5.3 lsx for a while. Now after driving it for so long I realise I just want a fun car. Something thats quick, and can break the tires loose from a dig. Something that can keep up with semi-modern cars, 94-04 mustangs and LT1's. I don't drag race or street race, therefore I am wondering if a lsx is "overkill".

I currently have a 305tpi with 700r4.

What if get this setup

305 TPI
T-5
3.70 or 3.73 rear
4 wheel disc
Headers
cat back
Ram air intake

The engine does have 150,000 miles, but runs perfect. And I don't beat on it hard at all, or plan to.

Would this seriously wake up the car, and make it a fun/respectable car? I could seriously put the money saved into many other aspects of the car.

I know many out there have similiar setups, please chime in. I just want to see whats best for my situation.

Breaking the tires loose from a dig, as you say, is beating on it. But all you need for that is a cheap 2400-stall converter. About $250 to your door. I'd suggest you should just add a turbo, with injectors, and staying automatic saves you from breaking a T5, and saves you from needing a blow off valve, because those sound *****. That'll get you 350 HP at 7 psi. 24 pound injectors might be adequate, if maxed out. If you go this route, you also don't need to change the axle gearing. You keep your current MPG when you stop enjoying the turbo every 2 seconds.

Fun is different to everyone. me thats 800-1000 hp. What you describe, a fun car starts about 350 hp. That will hang with modern cars and beat the mid year models. Basically looking at a ls1. 5.3 can be had around 300-320 hp which can still be fun and beat those stangs and lt1's but wont hang with the newer gen cars. But if you are ok with that it sounds like a good bolt on 5.3 is what you need. Maybe ls6 intake and ls6 cam it and tune, should get you near 350 hp.

Break em loose with good gears out back and enough stall speed converter if auto

I wouldn't say an LSX is overkill....actually it sounds like what you want. I wouldn't invest much in a 150k 305. Other option is to go up to a 350 gen1 swap...cheapest option, but that won't even keep up with some of the newer cars unless you boost it or do a semi radical build on it...then gas mileage will suffer.

I'm not the biggest fan of LSX swaps, but you can't deny the increased power and efficiency you get with one especially if you drive it a lot. Not the cheapest option, and you'll pay more up front, but worth it in the end IMO...

"worth it" depends on your budget..

You can probably go cheaper by sticking with a SBC. 350 with good heads, aftermarket EFI intake, and a roller cam will get you where you want to be. How do you intend to feed the LS1/LSX? Without stepping up to an LS1 PCM, your pretty much stuck with carb and aftermarket ignition unless you want to go all aftermarket. A 3rd gen specific custom harness and upgrades for the LS1 will set you back about $1k alone. Then theres all the other stuff you will need to get it in there, including a new trans. So you'll want to look at budget constraints as well. If you just want 300-350 HP, better bet is to stick with an SBC and keep things simple.

A zz4 with a HSR on top of it, should be exactly what your looking for. And there should be some room for improvement in the future. The stock ecu is fine, you can purchase the tuning software or contact someone like Ed Wright for a tune. It's a pretty typical setup so it shouldnt be hard to tune.

If you want to do it on the cheap, find a corvette L98 and put a HSR on top of that

Interesting...I was looking at 5.3's a few weeks back, and I found a lot of lower mile ones at a decent price...(I know that's debatable depending on wallet size) - but -I'd say most came with the stock PCM and harness + accessories. But you'll need a bunch of other LS swap parts to fit it all into a 3rd Gen (harness too I guess for a 3rd gen).

But a 350 built as dimented24x7 says would also work fine. Like the commercial says "How big is your wallet?"

Funny...Orr was typing this the same time I was posting...

never mind, I got it....