Thinking the next 73-87 chevy k20 i build will have an ls in it
Jason swarm - 10 years ago
I have over $5000 in my engine already.
justin - 10 years ago
Under $2500 '49 Ford 8ba flathead. Bought engine for 600 with promise it would run. 200 dollar set of lake pipes, $25 carb adapter, and $30 for a box full of various 2 barrel carbs its ready to start
Terry - 10 years ago
I have to admit with the recent availability of the LS engines and having built many old school small block Chevys from mild to wild (300 hp to 423 hp) makes it more viable to go with the much more reliable and cheep LS series so that is my choice for the next project ( 57 bell air). That said I also plan on repowering my 39 Opera coupe ( previously powered with a 1970 LS7) with a old school SBC just because the big block was so street unfriendly it became basically a track car with little street use. Ironically to have my sbc gone threw and cleaned up at the machine shop cost much more than purchasing a LS powered downer vehicle (the only practical way to do a swap in my opinion) . To sum it up it costs more to go old school in some cases than to go modern.
Kyle - 10 years ago
2500 and under 429 Ford going on in my garage
Steve - 10 years ago
I am in the low $ range too (sub $2'500)... I am also one of those massage what's already there guys. From my experience it's usually a $300-$800 trip to the parts store (depending on model) just to get the HP #'s the maker claimed in the first place. Of course I would love to put a Banks system on my grocery getter suv and put a blower + NOS on my J body. But like most folks I gotta eat and keep the lights on. So I (like most red blooded American males) settle on a killer induction note from the home made intake made of universal parts I had to gather from 2 parts stores (and the RV plumbing section of wally world). And once and a while because mines quiet at idle I can make my WJ leap from a light and take some hopped up big spoilered import by surprise... It's one of the greatest joys in life :-)
I deal with what I can, being in college is quite the money-drainer. Usually go kart engines are what I build up right now, but I am taking a huge step forward with buying a 125HP 1100cc bike engine that I am going to strap onto some sort of epic race kart. Craigslist is your best friend, buying $150 worth of engine with 125 hot HP is one hell of a deal!
Dale - 10 years ago
i chose 500 - 2500 only because that is about my budget for maintenance with a small touch of performance included all on the cheap as much as possible in order to maintain usability for my daily driver. I like to do small mods to parts myself to help out the efficiency and performance cause those are free to do and at most only cost you a couple gaskets and or o-rings and such but either way it's all fun I would love to see what people could do with $2500.00 and some ingenuity and scrounging around and such would make for some interesting combos and show off some great skill sets too.
Mike - 10 years ago
Living on a college student budget. Not much extra cash for an engine build till graduation in May!
Thinking the next 73-87 chevy k20 i build will have an ls in it
I have over $5000 in my engine already.
Under $2500 '49 Ford 8ba flathead. Bought engine for 600 with promise it would run. 200 dollar set of lake pipes, $25 carb adapter, and $30 for a box full of various 2 barrel carbs its ready to start
I have to admit with the recent availability of the LS engines and having built many old school small block Chevys from mild to wild (300 hp to 423 hp) makes it more viable to go with the much more reliable and cheep LS series so that is my choice for the next project ( 57 bell air). That said I also plan on repowering my 39 Opera coupe ( previously powered with a 1970 LS7) with a old school SBC just because the big block was so street unfriendly it became basically a track car with little street use. Ironically to have my sbc gone threw and cleaned up at the machine shop cost much more than purchasing a LS powered downer vehicle (the only practical way to do a swap in my opinion) . To sum it up it costs more to go old school in some cases than to go modern.
2500 and under 429 Ford going on in my garage
I am in the low $ range too (sub $2'500)... I am also one of those massage what's already there guys. From my experience it's usually a $300-$800 trip to the parts store (depending on model) just to get the HP #'s the maker claimed in the first place. Of course I would love to put a Banks system on my grocery getter suv and put a blower + NOS on my J body. But like most folks I gotta eat and keep the lights on. So I (like most red blooded American males) settle on a killer induction note from the home made intake made of universal parts I had to gather from 2 parts stores (and the RV plumbing section of wally world). And once and a while because mines quiet at idle I can make my WJ leap from a light and take some hopped up big spoilered import by surprise... It's one of the greatest joys in life :-)
I deal with what I can, being in college is quite the money-drainer. Usually go kart engines are what I build up right now, but I am taking a huge step forward with buying a 125HP 1100cc bike engine that I am going to strap onto some sort of epic race kart. Craigslist is your best friend, buying $150 worth of engine with 125 hot HP is one hell of a deal!
i chose 500 - 2500 only because that is about my budget for maintenance with a small touch of performance included all on the cheap as much as possible in order to maintain usability for my daily driver. I like to do small mods to parts myself to help out the efficiency and performance cause those are free to do and at most only cost you a couple gaskets and or o-rings and such but either way it's all fun I would love to see what people could do with $2500.00 and some ingenuity and scrounging around and such would make for some interesting combos and show off some great skill sets too.
Living on a college student budget. Not much extra cash for an engine build till graduation in May!