AClockworkGarage said:
OE parts are all pretty crap by now, and the repro market for these cars is just spinning up. They're getting to that age.
Ive been waiting on a new set of door panels for over a year now.
Realistically there are only two engine options. A SBC ir an LS. The SBC is plug and play, the LS is future proof.
A thing to know about me us I do not have credit cards and I do not finance things. If I cannot buy it outright then I cannot have it. This puts a limit on the things I can have.
The SBC is leading my list because it doesn't require a lot of things. No fuel mods, no mounts, no exhaust, no accessories, no wiring, no transmission. Nothing. It's as simple as pulling the old one out and putting the new one in. And money I spend goes into the motor.
An LS is going to require a lot of spending before I even find an engine.
So thats the dilemma.
As for the 302 suggestion. I'm 100% with you and I'd love to. but They kindve suck in front of automatics, and my knees are too far gone to drive a stick anymore
Sometimes you can find GM factory repros at dealer parts counters. That's how I got new door armrests for my 91 C1500 last year. Just happened to find them on the internets but I doubt any 3rd gen interior parts will be around. Aftermarket stuff i've seen is just awful. LS is the hotness, but in your case I don't think it's worth the effort and expense because it's not just plug and plan. I'd go with the built 350/383 that are practically plug and play so you don't have to hassle with anything else.
You are doing the right thing paying cash for everything. Living beyond your means is never a good option. I've seen people that made insane money living beyond their means at my old job. It taught me to dial things back and live within my means. I don't need more, I just need to be wiser with what I have. I hate paying interest too; that's just giving money away.
I agree a SBC is the way to go. I will keep an eye out near me and see if anything good comes up priced well. I'd think a good TPI aluminum headed 350 would be good if one is patient and finds the right one. It's plug and play really and a big upgrade. Just a cam and good exhaust would really wake it up too.
Honestly, I'd keep my eye out for an already put together healthy 350 but I wouldn't spend any time at all building one. Unless you never want upgrade power again, it's really money not well spent. Car-part.com lists B&R with a few pages worth of 6.0 LQ4 engines for $1795. For a thirdgen you're probably looking under $2k in swap related parts. Mounts, oilpan, gaskets, fluids, acc, harness/computer, fuel system, etc; as long as you're doing all the work. That's going to be more than an already assembled gen1 engine but it'd break even if you bought all new stuff to build a 350 and cheaper than if you decide to build a 383.
As much as I love interesting swaps, my vote is for the 350. They've been done a million different ways, a million different times over. Slap on some junkyard vortec heads and be done with it cheap and simple. You can tackle small things afterwards when money comes in if needed (cam of your choice, TPI, etc).
Besides, you've already got the Zonda if you wanted something "interesting".
