In the process of building a toy truck to cruise around on weekends. Doing this on a smaller budget as it's something for me and my 7 year old to tinker with. The truck is an 01 regular cab with a 5.3, 60e and 101k miles.

My end goal is a truck that will run in the 12 second range if I were to take it to the track but that won't be often if it all. Suspension wise it will be sitting 4/6 with Caltracs on 20" intros.

Looking to keep the 5.3 don't want to swap again as I've already went 4.3 to 5.3. If I went with the Texas speed 2.5 heads, big cam, speed engineering long tubes, converter and a good tune would I be close? A local shop is telling me that's a 400 Rwhp setup but I just don't see it?

Any help is appreciated. Performance isn't my strong point

 

If its not 400rwhp it would be damn close!!! Id say it pretty good start what gears are you running or plan to run, that will play more into your time than anything else??

 

4.10 with a Detroit true trac I'm thinking. I've researched all this Til I'm blue in the face. Definitely not my specialty but trying to figure as much out myself rather than just swiping the credit card and telling someone to just give me what they think is good.

 

Sounds like youre on the right track.... I am personally a little disappointed with my truck at moment, but working on fixing that!!! i did same thing youre doing, but went way too conserative with my cam choice, and ended up in a bind so had to shortcut some things, mainly lack of headers....

 

Thanks man. The speed engineering headers seem to have a really good price. Another thing I can't figure out is it better to run true dual out of the headers or run a y pipe

 

sounds like you will be real close to your goal. some sticky tires for the track would help.

 

Thats a much debated topic, either way you need a crossover to balance the pulses in the exhasust and it will actually increase torue slightly(where depends on h or x) I have been thinking about going back to a ypipe set up and basically using the ypipe as my crossover..... Pretty much run duals straight out of the connecting point where the ypipe comes together(can't think of name of it at monent) sadly i got the idea from my old 80 z28 which the factory exhaust did basically the same thing ypipe to kind of a reverse ypipe with a ball and socket type connection between em!! Figure it will be different and i will free up some space over my trans crossmember... Or im gonna end up running speed engineerings new exhaust system when it comes out

 

Their new setup looks really good. When is it supposed to release?

 

When i ordered my headers last week they said 2.5 months

 

you're going to have to match your camshaft to your heads and also expect the cam to your bullet transmission converter. I wouldn't recommend anything bigger than a 202 intake of 160 exhaust with probably at 2:56 duration cam and a 3500 stall converter and of course you keep your headers and make it dual exhaust with Flowmasters or something comparable. And for an example I'm doing my 2009 Chevrolet Suburban 5.3 flex fuel engine with all fours internals aluminum block aluminum heads and like I said I got a whole Forge crank in there forged rods forged pistons possibly upgrading the cam and changing out converter may do a little great on the fuel injectors along with the plenum/ air intake with a K&N cold air filter. And probably going to do two inch down pipe into a 3-in main powder coated headers into the Dual exhausted I already have on the truck with the adapter for a turbocharger and still run the same 4L60E that I have and just make sure that I flush the fluids change the filter and make sure that the transmission cooler is good to go which of course common sense all new antifreeze and upgrade a few things along the way with new rotors calipers and 20-in rims and tires. And just make sure that the tranny is geared correctly to handle the power you're wanting to put out because with my setup I'm looking at about 750 horsepower to the wheels. If you would like to ask me any further questions you can contact me at 270-370-2352. Have a great day bro. I hope you and your 7 year old will have fun building that engine together because having your own son is priceless to carry on your lineage.