your usual 5.3 hp without heads/intake is 330-340 so heads/intake may net you 370-390ish.
just stay with a stock 5.3 and a Zo6 cam and put a turbo on it for well over 500hp

 

for a reliable transpo or race only setup?

Who has a 370RWHP 5.3L that is primary transportation?

With a small cam and supporting mods you might get 340rwhp and stay very streetable, fun to drive and reliable. With heads and bigger cam more but then your going to end up wanting a higher stalling converter etc etc....

 

360 here. I drive my truck everywhere. Fixing to pick up a few more too hopefully

 

Which 5.3 and basic mods do you have Phantom? What cam and converter combo?

 

Haven't had mine on the Dyno but with the minimal i have done i'd say im around 330ish to the wheels

 

I've got the flattop pistons, 230s duration cam, circle d 3000, 4.56 gears. While some people may think my combo is over the top, its nothing that I wouldn't trust my 80 year old grandma to jump in and drive.

 

Im right at 340rwhp with TR220, 3.73s, and circle D 3600. Its pretty streetable, When I had the 2800-3000 stall in there it was more friendly to drive but still not bad with the 3600..

 

How is that stall converter??? Is that on a stock or built trans??? Just wondering cuz in spring im putting a converter in mine

 

but a lot of people are scared of the "230+ cam and 4:56s" which i can agree bc i want some kind of long trip gas mileage. i understand the fact of taller tires and such but im happy with what i have.

look at the guys with the 212/218 114 low lift cams in the small head/intake combo running 13s with 3:42s and small converters. i give them a ton of props bc there lil 5.3 is trapping almost 100mph. grey matter 04 is to be exact who i know has less money than my cam and gear swap in his combo! if i
spin too much i wont pick him back up until 105+ bc his truck slows down with the smaller intake/cam combo. but the race is over come 100 bc its a highway not a drag strip.

power under the curve is more important than "peak hp"
my truck only dynoed 352/380 and the mods are in the sig along with the track times.
just saying...if i would have gotten a smaller cam
it would have been more torque in the lower rpms where i really needed it vs a 3600 converter to kill my in city gas mileage.

edit: FYI im running a STOCK 60e with billet 1-2 and billet 4th gear servos only! 60k and holding strong

 

If you want 400rwhp get a 6.0 IMO. You'll save money and be more reliable.

I'm at 393 to the flywheel with mods in sig.