[DieselSJ]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Donor vehicle cost differs depending on the area of the country. You're generalizing vehicle conditions in your area to the entire country the same way you desert folks assume that water is surely a scarce commodity everywhere. Not all of us live in the desert. I can dig a twenty five foot deep hole in the meadow behind my house and I'll have a well with drinking water that doesn't run dry.

A twenty year old GMT800 truck is plenty serviceable in the rust and salt free Southwest so they are in daily service and command a price based on the fact that they are a serviceable vehicle for daily use.
However... here in the salt belt they're rusting out and entering the salvage market in increasing numbers. They are great cheap LS engine donors.

The CK, RV, & GMT400 trucks with 454 engines in the salt belt rusted out and were removed from daily use long enough ago that the remaining available rigs and parts now demand a premium price in comparison to the newer GMT800 and even GMT900 rust buckets that are being retired.

Please price out a LS swap and modifications that will generate the HP/torque numbers that I'm pulling. I have about $1200 into everything, and that was because I had the heads redone and added new valves.

I'll say it again - you cannot LS swap and build to 454 power for less money than some simple 454 mods.