Lt1 Aluminum heads...can I use them in a Gen 1 SBC Build?

i put a used 100k mile set of vortec heads on the 327 in my V8Vair for the '04 challenge. bought a chinese ripoff of the edelbrock performer rpm air gap intake, and it ran like a raped ape.

Yeah...I'm not within a day's driving distance of anywhere with $500 manifolds-and-accessories-included LS engines.

And...to my point, $1200 is nowhere near a set of heads and a manifold (like in a gen-1-with-votecs build).

Though I've gotta say...I'd love to just run a fuel injected LS in something...rather than spend more to run a carb. Seems buying parts to make them run with a carb is 'spencive.

Clem

oldopelguy wrote: For the LS swap: -New carb manifold: $300 (don't buy the kit with the spark box) -MSD spark box: $300 (saves you $100 over the E-brock kit, and programmable) -Motor mount brackets, if you cant drill 5 holes in a piece of 1/4" plate: $40 -Flywheel for MT: $60 at autozone, use your existing clutch or -Adapter for AT: $45, use a file to elongate holes in 5.3L flexplate -5.3L engine, with all accessories, starter, truck manifolds, and flexplate: $500 all day long, usually cheaper, and the 285hp 4.8 is even cheaper still. Total:$1200 tops. Plus the same carb and exhaust work you would need with any other swap. Given that the last three 5.3s I bough were under $200 each, under a grand should be very easy to achieve, even buying the manifold and MSD box brand new.

this is about what i priced out to swap a 5.3 into my 1979 Chevy/87 GMC 3 /4 ton truck with a 4 speed and keeping the carb.

i've been going back and forth about rebuilding a 350 i've got laying around with a set of junkyard vortec heads to replace the wheezing old 307 with no oil pressure that's in it now or just swapping a 5.3 in, and the 5.3 just looks better and better every time i go on www.car-part.com and look up engines. the most expensive 5.3 within 300 miles of me is about $500, with the 4.8 generally being $100 cheaper. some places leave all the front accessories on the engine and just cut all the wiring and hoses to get the motor out, some don't and sell the stuff separately. but an extra $100 bill buys all that stuff if it isn't included.

i might do a 5.3 swap in my 86 Camaro to see how it goes, and then if that works out ok i'll do my pickup.

I had a stock 5.3 in an 86 S10 with a T56 behind it. Scary fast. I've driven 600 hp pro-touring cars that weren't as fun as that little truck. 175mm rubber, short bed single cab, manual steering... stab the throttle in 4th at 60 mph and you got sideways.

curtis73 wrote: I had a stock 5.3 in an 86 S10 with a T56 behind it. Scary fast. I've driven 600 hp pro-touring cars that weren't as fun as that little truck. 175mm rubber, short bed single cab, manual steering... stab the throttle in 4th at 60 mph and you got sideways.

just imagine how much fun it would have been if you had the air cleaner on straight..

i'm gonna guess you were up close to 30mpg if you kept your foot out of the fun pedal..