5.3 with full accessories for $500 in Texas. You won't find them online. Pick up the phone and start calling wrecking yards and tell them you have $500 for a 5.3 with 80,000 miles or less.


$500 for 5.3 longblock
$730 for a camshaft package from texas speed
$620 for a holley cheater system
$400 for used vic jr and 650 or 750 carb


a 200 shot with the right cam can get you there for $2,250


so I guess it's doable. if you're completely against nitrous, forget about it.

 

I have an older pre vortec BBC it has 13.5-1 pistons h beam rods, cam, rockers and built iron heads. It makes around 500 hp around 600lb/ft and would be crazy fun on the street. It is used as a pulling truck motor and spins to 7600rpm if we could use better intakes or headers in our class it would make another 100hp easy but it would be pretty tight on a 2000$ budget.
I also have build a 383 500hp sbc but when you start buying complete rotating assemblys I don't think you will be able to keep the budget down with machining costs

 

I almost feel bad putting a carb on an LS engine. I feel if I am pulling one anway I might as well adapt the factory system. Unless I buy a long block. I hyave no issue buying used parts either. I guess there is just a disconnect between kind of what I expected and what I am seeing. If I build an engine, it has to be built right. 10 years from now it should still be running fine.

Would a 350 based 383 stroker make more sense for my power goals? It seem a complete eagle kit is around $800.

Cool. I have a local machine shop thats very fair with their prices.


The other option i guess is to find a lighter body to drop it into. Its all about power to weight ratio in the end.

The question no one has touched yet is lets say you have $2k-2.5k to build a chevy v8. You pick the block, heads, displacement, cam, crank, ect. What is the most power you can make reliably?

 

there's nothing wrong with a carbed LS. if you're not concerned about MPG, carb the **** out of it!


there are several perks to carbs in the racing scene. this is my first carb setup and it has converted me and my toys. my DD trucks will keep efi, but any N/A or nitrous toy will have a faithful carb on top! some say that carbed combos make more power. if you ever get into F/I, efi seems to be where it's at.

 

I dont really care about MPG. I have a clean stock 00 SLT 1500 for DD driving. I added a corvette servo adn an intake and its perfect for daily duty.

I will call around tomorrow to see about the engine. However if we are sticking with the carb.....

5.3LS with stockish internals or 383 SBC w/ eagle internals?

 

everyone here will probably say LS. I have no experience modding the older SBC stuff.


this is what a stock bottom 5.3 is capable of.

 

cool. I plan on rebuilding the LS anyway, Is there a prefered gasket kit?

 

Stock. Most gaskets are reusable except head gaskets. Some get away w reusing them with copper spray but why risk it imo

 

werd. Sometimes there is a company that makes an all in one kit, just figured I should ask.

 

I have a buddy going the big block route in a 69 camaro. He is taking a gen IV 454 and destroking it with a 396 crank. Essentially making a 427. He will loose a little on the bottom end but have the ability to spin it up to 7 grand. If you could find doner blocks cheap enough it might be possible. But the top end is where you are going to spend the money. Heads, intake, and a carb to support that kind of power are not going to be cheap.
QuickTime makes a bell housing that'll bolt a ls t56 to a big block pattern.