Which route should i go for a motor???

[1slo_camaro]

Well i am looking around at a few different routes of what i want to do with my truck.... I am stuck with a 454 from the family boat when one of the two blow and we swap in our 468s, (i have already thought of trying to drop one o the 468s in and that doesnt go over well at the dinner table with the ol man)

Or

Find another sbc and building a high rpm 383 over time and throwing a 700r behind it

or

Find a LT1 with a 700r or a t56 if i could get lucky enough. I used to mess big with LT1s i had a solid 385 that pulled my camaro down the track in low 11s and that was less then 3500 in the build, but i had the motor.




I am looking at this towards a winter project or prepping a motor and piecing things together, depending on how things go in my life over the next month or two i will either have a ton of money to start dropping into it or i wont. But right now i am just looking for some advice. It will be considered a budget build and all, but im not sure whether to go BBC, SBC or LT. its a little more driven then a weekend warrior

[andrewmp6]

I would go lt4 or ls with whatever overdrive trans you like.Both will give you good gas mileage for a truck and have room to make power easy.

[meatwagon83]

he didnt say anything about an ls, so dont start that!! personally if you have the 454 already you would be money ahead to build it and stick a decent overdrive behind it, you will find that a properly tuned mildly built 454 will get decent mileage and the torque will put a huge smile on your face, thats not something you will get easily with an ls or a high winding small block? ok ls boys, flame on even though he didnt mention one!!

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Well the ls is a...

Alright why a high rpm 383? You making a street strip truck or something to drive? The 454 with good compression and a decent cam will make a fun toy to get you in big trouble if your not carefull
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[1slo_camaro]

yes the LS is a very easy motor blah blah, but sorry i dont want to be like everyone else.

the truck is going to be a little bit of a toy and i have played with a nice 8500rpmed 383 and HOLY MOLY!!!! what a blast....

the 454 is kinda not really mine. its a pair of 454s in my grand fathers boat. he has a pair of 4500$ 468s ready to go in but is trying to sell them, then he said if one of the 454s blow, i help him swap the motors and i can take the good 454 and put it in the truck.... What O/D trans will work for that? do they make BB 700rs? i have muncies and th400s in my BBCs


i wish i had the cash to throw towards the ol man and take one of those 468s off him. the builder said we should see a 600 crank HP motor. so hopefully a solid 480-510 wheel and would be amazing for the truck probably way more then enough then i will need for a LOOOOONG time, i dont have the $$ for a dana or 4 link or anything haha,

[meatwagon83]

a 4l80e is a good big block overdrive tranny, but you have to get a controller for it ($500) a 700 would work but you will have to beef it up if you want it to live, which gets expensive, so its kinda a wash as far as price, but i would bet the 4l80 would be cheaper

[1slo_camaro]

damn 500 is a little steep for that plus the 5-1000 ill pay for a good 4l80e and thats not counting if i get it rebuilt and all..... damnit this blows haha.

[mooseknuckles]

if it's just goin to be a weekend warrior then by all means do the big block or the 383.....doing an LS swap in your weekend crusier will turn it into a daily driver in no time!!

[1slo_camaro]

i wouldnt do an LS swap in it period as already stated lol. but its a little bit of eveyrthing, i dont build a vehicle to go on trailers or only get drove on sunny shiny days on perfect paved roads. i build my vehicles so i can jump in it and drive whenever i want and not worry

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Patc makes good big block 700r4 and ck performance makes big block capable 200/4r trans as well. Both good non electric transmissions
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[1slo_camaro]

ok this is just a SH**s and giggles question..... if I could get my hands on a 5.3 running motor. what else would I need and where to go? harness, and trans? what trans could I run with it? can I run a stock 700r4? or do I HAVE to throw in a 4l60e? I would love to get to a junkyard and find a harness and a trans and just have it sent out to make it a stand alone set up..... I know I said I didn't want to go LS route, and I really don't want to but I just got offered a damn near BRAND NEW 5.3 un assembled for 250$ and that makes it great since if I want to stroke it a little or mess with it im not pulling it apart again. it has a brand new rotating assembly so I would probably try and find a 400 crank and longer rods and sell the stock ones and set it up for a few psi. but again just thinking.

[meatwagon83]

get out your wallet, headers, harness, fuel system, front drive assemblies, and computer is going to get expensive!


and a 400 crank wont work

[mooseknuckles]

....even if you ran a carb on a stock 5.3 you'd still have more power than a well built sbc....either way you can keep the 700r4...

[meatwagon83]

carb intake and ignition box are $700+

[1slo_camaro]

ok hes throwing in a set of manifolds either GTO or truck manis whichever i want.

a harness i might have a lead to a stock harness from a truck for 150 from a j-yard with the computer

im not sure what else he has with the motor

[1slo_camaro]

Hey guys so motor swp version 383819297. I just got word from my old man hes got a 99 4.8 silverado where the frame just split. He said when her gets something new (within a couple weeks) i can puck and pull from his truck for a motor swap.... If i have his truck that runs perfect. I plan to make his gas tank fit and run the fuel pump on a switch and relay so i can control it personally..... What else do i need to do? Id have to get the trans tinkered on cause its a 4x4 but i got that covered
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[meatwagon83]

pick that truck clean, you still might need a couple nickle and dime things though, and if i remember correctly those exhaust manifolds will work on your truck. while you have it out i would put a SMALL cam in it and have the computer flashed

[1slo_camaro]

what kind of things? like am i looking under 100$ for it? and will i HAVE to have the computer flashed? right now im looking for the bare necessity to have the truck up and running.and since working on our truck is so easy i can take it down for a week or two and do whatever i need so that wont be a problem plus its not my daily. I am also wondering.... if i put the trans and transfer case in there and just left the t-case in 2wd i should be fine right? again im just looking for the bare essentials to get this truck up and running as cheap as possible and then make it so i cankeep adding cash to it to make it better....


The cam might have to wait just because of money. the motor will end up needing rebuilt or swapped but i can get a 5.3 for 250$ brand new rebuilt just need to assemble it. But the old mans truck has a small tap/knock and at idle will drop oil psi pretty low, but has been doing it for the last 2 years and figure hell well just keep rolling it til it finally goes.


I know I would drop the cash and get some long tubes for it since i REALLY REALLY hate dealing with exhaust haha