Budget 5.3 Swap

[verdell]

Originally Posted by kipps

My recommendation -- Forget the 400-hp figure, and skip the rear-end swap for now. Use your stock 5.3 cam, spend a couple hundred on a complete gasket kit for the engine, and assemble it as is. Bolt it to the nv3500, and stick it in the truck. Go with a stock ECM, and just do a mail-order delete on the VATS, emissions, and auto trans. This should get you on the road for the cheapest possible.

400-hp would be nice, but a stock 5.3 at slightly over 300, is far better than what you currently have.

When you find a better rear-end, swap that as a separate project.

Down the road a bit, swap the cam, install a turbo, learn hptuners, and do your own tuning.

I plugged your numbers(guessed on some of it) into a gear ratio calculator. It looks like the nv3500 should function well enough with a 3.07 rear and 29" tires. Meaning, the shift points aren't wildly out of whack, etc. You may still want to swap the rear end at some point, but I would definitely leave that till later, when you find a good deal, and the budget is a little less strained.

I would go this route as well. Motor mounts can be had for around $69.00, crossmember isn't that bad, do a search for camaro manifolds, use the truck intake/injectors/fuel rails, drive by cable is simple/inexpensive, etc. As far as rear end gear ratio, a shorter tire will help for the time being as well. Use your radiator.