what to do with engine and trans?

[overpaid]

Well, I found a place that will deliver to my door a 5.3 with 4L60e trans for 3200 but then you need a new oil pan, you need the hollley ecu, trans crossmember and engine mounts, headers…etc. You can use the stock ecu but you have to have it reprogrammed and then mess with the factory harness it get it wokring it is a mess. So the 1500 for the holley terminator ecu just make it so much easier

 

[overpaid]

A donor car, a welder and a log of patience and planning for the wiring end of it.

Yea holley makes it easy if you open your wallet for parts hahaha

 

[Nashville Cat]

Don’t make me second guess hahah! So yea I think I see what you mean. Just the engine mounts and x member for the trans is about 1000, the ecu and wiring is 1500. Starting to ad up!

You will need a custom radiator with electric fans ($1000). I wouldn't cheap out with a 5.3. A 6.0 or 6.2L is the way to go but they cost $$.
I found a great deal on a LQ4 with LS3 heads, but everything else has been costly.
New headers too.
A 400 small block with a TKX trans is a pretty sweet combo IMHO. Especially if you put some AFR 195 heads on that hi-compression 400.

 

[cage2592]

Well, I found a place that will deliver to my door a 5.3 with 4L60e trans for 3200 but then you need a new oil pan, you need the hollley ecu, trans crossmember and engine mounts, headers…etc. You can use the stock ecu but you have to have it reprogrammed and then mess with the factory harness it get it wokring it is a mess. So the 1500 for the holley terminator ecu just make it so much easier

Make sure you do a build thread please.

 

[overpaid]

I have to say @Nashville Cat kinda has be a little worried about all the overhead with the swap! Either way my 400 and PG had to come out but I will take an honest night to think it over make sure it is the right choice and then let you all know tomorrow what the plan is! For whatever reason if I stay with the gen 1 SBC I really want to stick with a PG trans, possibly mate it up with a gear vendors OD. I have thought about the TKX swap too, I have been a little all over the place but like I said, tomorrow morning the decision will be made!

 

[kmakar]

I have to say @Nashville Cat kinda has be a little worried about all the overhead with the swap! Either way my 400 and PG had to come out but I will take an honest night to think it over make sure it is the right choice and then let you all know tomorrow what the plan is! For whatever reason if I stay with the gen 1 SBC I really want to stick with a PG trans, possibly mate it up with a gear vendors OD. I have thought about the TKX swap too, I have been a little all over the place but like I said, tomorrow morning the decision will be made!

Wise choice kemosabe. Not something to be entered into lightly.

 

[overpaid]

But the offer for someone from the forum if they want the 400 and the PG is still open, just bring a truck and i will help you load it!

 

[Nashville Cat]

I have to say @Nashville Cat kinda has be a little worried about all the overhead with the swap! Either way my 400 and PG had to come out but I will take an honest night to think it over make sure it is the right choice and then let you all know tomorrow what the plan is! For whatever reason if I stay with the gen 1 SBC I really want to stick with a PG trans, possibly mate it up with a gear vendors OD. I have thought about the TKX swap too, I have been a little all over the place but like I said, tomorrow morning the decision will be made!

A 200R4 overdrive transmission would be a lot cheaper ......

 

[JohnC]

I thought about a gear vendor OD but it doesn’t make sense to me when you could get a 700r4 or a 200r4 for less. I guess if you have a super built TH400 with a lot of bucks tied up in it.

400 small blocked used to be the tits. People said you could get then in the junkyard without much effort but I never ran across one.

Would love to see a build thread if you do the swap. It’s always something I think about but seems like a hassle since I’ve already got a good motor.

Good luck.

 

[Derek69SS]

FWIW, I was about $12,000 into my LS swap but I used a lot of expensive parts... $2000 gas tank, $1400 radiator, $1200 clutch, etc.

I'm even deeper into it now with rebuilding both engine and trans, adding blow-proof bellhousing, oil cooler, etc. Probably into it for about $18k at this point, and still going deeper.

 

[overpaid]

FWIW, I was about $12,000 into my LS swap but I used a lot of expensive parts... $2000 gas tank, $1400 radiator, $1200 clutch, etc.

I'm even deeper into it now with rebuilding both engine and trans, adding blow-proof bellhousing, oil cooler, etc. Probably into it for about $18k at this point, and still going deeper.

Jesus! Man yea this is what I am worried about because I have a tendency to want to just put expensive parts on instead of bargin hunt or be patient lol. After all of this thinking last night I was even thinking to just clean up the 400, do an at home hone and then just a rebuild kit, cheap heads and cam and put it back together....I wish the damn LS swap didn't have so many caveats to it which include a lot of money ha.

 

[Derek69SS]

Jesus! Man yea this is what I am worried about because I have a tendency to want to just put expensive parts on instead of bargin hunt or be patient lol. After all of this thinking last night I was even thinking to just clean up the 400, do an at home hone and then just a rebuild kit, cheap heads and cam and put it back together....I wish the damn LS swap didn't have so many caveats to it which include a lot of money ha.

It can be done a lot cheaper, especially with an automatic.
I race my car a lot, so I'm hard on stuff, and keep upgrading as I go... basic street-car stuff is a lot more affordable, especially if you can leave it alone and be satisfied.

I have the block and heads sitting here for a 416" LS build I'm planning that will be around 650-700hp, which will require a stronger transmission and upgrading the fuel system... it never ends if you're always chasing a new "high" like a crack addict.

 

[Nashville Cat]

Put some good heads on that 400
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3335449971...JgJ95xgi9nrnS/6N87YTccqJMDF6|tkp:BFBMwqbxxYBg
And use an overdrive trans so you can run steep gears like 3:73's. It will scoot !

 

[Alwhite00]

I've got way more into my swap than I care to know. I stopped keeping receipts. I did build my own harness though. 10 years ago the aftermarket harness was big $$'. Now, not so much. Here is a before & after.

 

[overpaid]

I've got way more into my swap than I care to know. I stopped keeping receipts. I did build my own harness though. 10 years ago the aftermarket harness was big $$'. Now, not so much. Here is a before & after.

That does look amazing though! Great work!

 

[overpaid]

As I was pricing things it is even adding up for the 400 route. Local machine shop to clean, check, new freeze plugs/cam bearings and bore he said about 300-400 dollars. Heads about 1500, cam kit 300ish, rotating assembly about 1200, don't forget a decent flexplate and damper (maybe another 500 combined?) anyway, give a take a little on these prices but you are getting close to 4k and that is not even considering a trans. ALso, I noticed blueprint engines has a complete long block ( minus damper and flexplate ) for 4200 at summit, that is a 350 based block though not a 400 so by the time I do all the work building my own, I can just buy a professionally built one that turns about 400 hp for 4200 dollars! This is why I keep waffling.

 

[cage2592]

These are the guys I like to hear from. Real cost of doing it correctly. I don't see or hear about any done correctly for less than $12K. Sure you can junkyard it and call it done. Is it reliable? do you know what's in it? more than likely you are going to put power to it. since that's what they need. Do it right the first time. It will cost you more to do it right the second time.

My buddy is at/above $22K with his and a new Procharger going in a 70 Camaro.

 

[overpaid]

Alright it is done, I ordered the 6.0 LS engine with 4l60e trans. 3500 dollars to my residential garage door. I noticed a lot of places do to business or unloading dock only so it was nice they were willing to go to my house.

The guy was super helpful, I talked to him many times and never was pushy or rude. Dan from ABC recycling, totally recommend him. (434)-676-9222

I will plan to do a build thread. From here I plan to research more parts and see if I have some options to go a little cheaper without sacrificing quality. For example I notcied a place that has 350 dollar long tubes on ebay, probabaly chinese but they got good reveiws and that is quite a bit cheaper than 1200 hooker units. ANyway, stuff like that, we shall see!

 

[Alwhite00]

Alright it is done, I ordered the 6.0 LS engine with 4l60e trans. 3500 dollars to my residential garage door. I noticed a lot of places do to business or unloading dock only so it was nice they were willing to go to my house.

The guy was super helpful, I talked to him many times and never was pushy or rude. Dan from ABC recycling, totally recommend him. (434)-676-9222

I will plan to do a build thread. From here I plan to research more parts and see if I have some options to go a little cheaper without sacrificing quality. For example I notcied a place that has 350 dollar long tubes on ebay, probabaly chinese but they got good reveiws and that is quite a bit cheaper than 1200 hooker units. ANyway, stuff like that, we shall see!

How many miles on the engine? How many on the trans?

 

[overpaid]

How many miles on the engine? How many on the trans?

Total mystery TBH. I know the bore on the engine is stock, trans seemed to shift fine but just because I do not know the history I would treat the trans as a core.

FOr the engine I am planning on stripping it down and just putting the pistons and crank in a box and sticking it in the corner of the garage.