Quote:
Originally Posted by hgs_notes
Trust me, they all look like the battery exploded. That's why it's so hard to find good used passenger side fenders. Looks like a good build. The plan overall is good, but I have a suggestion. Rather than the big block and th-400, you really need to consider the LS swap. Finding a good low mileage engine with the tranny and associated wiring and controls is easy. The swap parts are easy to get, and the cost is way better than you might think. There is a section of the board devoted to it, and several other sites as well, making it fairly straight forward. Better gas milage, comparable power, overdrive and reliability.
BTW, cute kid. And that dog is freaking huge. Have fun with the build. It really looks like a solid starting point.
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I'm worried the swap will be too labor intensive. I want simple and reliable. I'm already going to have to make a big block fit into a small block vehicle. I think adding the computer dimension will be a hassle. I just came from a supercharged LS3 car and before that I had 2 LS1 cars and an LT1 car. I can tune a LS motor with HP Tuners. I'm trying to make this build basic, reliable and fun.
So far, I've seen LS2/3 motors going for $6-8K depending on the mileage. Some come with the controller and some don't. I'm also worried about the transmissions. I don't think the 4L60s are very strong with the amount of power I want to push. I would have to have it beefed up to feel comfortable and that's an extra $1,500 above a stock transmission.
Given the fact that I'm in the very early stages of my build and I'm NO WHERE near ready for an engine, I'm not ruling anything out. I might get a wild hair and change my mind. There would have to be a good deal on a reliable motor and transmission with both modules for me to consider it.
I agree that the gas mileage would be better and I like the lock up converter and overdrive. Eh, we'll see how this all pans out. I'm not going to rush this build because I want to do it right the first time and drive this car for a while.
Thanks for the compliment on my daughter! The dog is a goofy chicken.