[BR3W CITY]

If you buy a whole truck from a yard, you probably won't recoup much, as yards are very hood-smart about knowing what to pilfer from vehicles. In other words, you can buy a whole truck then find out you don't have shift linkages, or the gas pedal.

Buying just the engine or a pullout from a yard is a better option. There are enough places, and the ls has been in production long enough that finding one shouldn't be too bad. Better yards are pulling these components and cataloging them in warehouses for easy sale, with dated mileage etc. I found mine on Car-part.com and located a yard about an hour from my house called Rhine Auto. They have a warehouse of clean, EVACUATED engines, so no pooled nasty coolant or old oil in them. They get blasted with fogger and put on the shelf. I bought an engine with less hassle than the last pair of shoes I bought (...different story entirely, but I enjoy the shoe-game).

Third option is buying a wreck of craigslist. Sometimes you can get a great, low mileage unit from someone who just doesn't want to deal with the hassle of parting out a totaled vehicle, or someone that got a deal on an insurance buyback after a wreck. These can be hit or miss, but since the whole truck is there, you can use some deductive logic to guess the condition.

Last option is just buying a motor or seperate pieces from Craigslist. Its too hit or miss for me, and I'd rather pay $25 extra and get a semi-warranty. (Rhine gave me a 45 day warranty against damaged internals, block damage, or spun bearings)