bluedawg

10 to 15k depending, and of course over 1.5 to 2 years.

MIKE80

If I had to do it over again, I would save up for an LS install and have a goal to do it for under $5000.

RobbSalzmann

Oddly, a $5k build ends up costing closer to 10, and a $10k build somehow ends up closer to 25k

So is a vote for 10, really implying 25?










.

cv67

If I had to do it over again id have waited for the extra 1000 I was short and stuck a blower on it so I didnt have to overbuild this one to get the power levels I wanted. Its that "Budget" thing. Its all BS
There is no budget,just what its going to cost to do it right
Fortunately I have floating pins so a piston swap should be easy...down the road.

CI in a box.

billla

That's more about either having a power target too big for your budget or poor design/planning/execution. I've never - ever - been over-budget on a build.

At least on the lower end of the scale where there's nothing really highly complex being done, builds that go way over budget are 100% about the owner changing their minds mid-stream as there should be no suprises. One small decision made late can have major implications across the build...especially when someone buys parts BEFORE the design is frozen. It's not any different than any other type of project

It's the little things that kill you...it's always surprising when I send someone a budget spreadsheet after an initial design discussion and they see $120 for an engine bolt kit, $450 for valve covers (they just had to have the cool cast ones), $300 for a new oil pan and associated pickup (that old one would have been a lot of work to clean up (not)), I had no idea torque converters were that expensive, that fancy harmonic balancer someone on the Internet told me I needed is HOW MUCH????

...it goes on and on.

63mako

I voted #3. If your careful and shop wisely you can build a 500+ hp forged, roller 383 for well under $10,000 installed. It is the while your at it's and midstream upgrades that blow the budget.

billla

"While I'm in there" has blown more VISA card limits than any other thing on the planet

I have a friend that ended up completely dissasembling his aircraft based on that type of thinking. 3 years later, he's still getting it back together, and the budget went from about 8K for a pretty standard maintenence item to (last time I checked) over 250K.

Hmmmm...everyone, remind your wives - it could be worse. It could be a boat or an airplane

jim2527

I choose $5K only because I know I can get the driveabilty (ok idle around 800rpm) and the power level (400+) I'd be happy with.

ajrothm

I have about $8k in my 496 that I bought from www.vortecproperformance.com . Thats including shipping and the carb. Once I received it I paid another $500 to dyno it locally to make sure the numbers jive which they most certainly did... (657hp/675tq) and another $600 or so in MSD ignition stuff..... So technically I have around $9100 total in the whole thing..... But definitely could have saved money had I not dynoed it again and bought the MSD stuff...

That engine runs mid 10s at 3700lbs and I have already put 10k miles on it in a little over 2 years. The single best investment I have made yet to my 71' vette....



I am doing a "ballz out" build on an LS motor for my Z06, I will have a little over $11k in it when it is done(engine only, no fuel system or exhaust). Its being built for lots of boost so that adds up quick...then a killer set of heads that are $2800 a pair also shoots up the bill... This setup will be around 900rwhp with the F1R blower it will have on it.

Going fast aint cheap. Especially when you want the stuff bulletproof and to be very streetable which is my main concern.

Eventually I will build a big motor for my 71', probably 555" and I am fully expecting that to be a $15k build and around 850-900 crank hp... But I am gonna run my 496 until it gives up the ghost.... I may eventually put a 150 shot on it and get the car in the 9s and run it til it blows....IF it blows....

sweeet76

I am happy where it is. I know I could spend more and get more but I have fun with the one I had built. I have had more horsepower (1971 Hurst Olds 442) and at time, I thought that was all it was about. After getting older and wiser, I realize there's more to the picture. I just had more work done on the car and at 375 horsepower, Im done. I wont street race it, although some Mustangs have a tendency to **** me off but I'm not going to kill innocent over something childish. However I have met a few people at a private place where nobody but the drivers are in danger.

cv67

That is one hell of a bargain considering the power it makes. Big time.

63mako

Quote by Motorhead " Good, fast, cheap. Pick two."

Ben Lurkin

Just over $10k into my 540 but I did lots of horse trading, I bought a couple of used 502's. Rebuilt and sold one, kept the block from the second and parted the rest. It took a couple of years buying the remaining parts waiting for the right deals to come along. I also do all of my own work so my number may not be too realistic.

On another note, before my source dried up, I was buying 'warranty return' ZZ502's, rebuilding them to better than new and reselling them for $5500. They were 600 hp engines so it can be done if you plan carefully.

elle88

voted for 3, because it's midway between what i spent for my L88 type engine ( 15k) and 5k that is what i would spend for another engine if ever ( probably the cheapest of Vortecpro)

the L88 engine made for me by 63mako has been quite espensive , i know... but it has a 67 4 bolt mains block which is quite expensive by itself, lot of reconditioned L88 parts, extensive dyno tuning, shipments...

Vortecpro seems a good deal...if i accept to keep the heavy iron heads

uxojerry

By the results of the poll, it looks like many have not priced engines in awhile. $5k for a good rebuild might be possible, but not for a new motor with some guts, lol.

billla

A good, performance rebuild with quality parts and machine work making around 1.1 HP/CID is completely doable under a $5K budget - I do it all the time

Part of the rational for the poll was to come up with some "standard" builds in the most popular budget range complete with P/Ns, etc.

Les

What's FWHP???

I like that!

billla

Fly Wheel HP - what the engine makes at the crank.

Motorhead's quote is an adaptation of an old business axiom of "better, faster, cheaper". It's generally good guidance, but it hasn't always been proven in the business realm, either

Les

OK, got it. I've always called it HP at the crank. RWHP is rear wheels of course and I'd only seen FWHP used for front wheels which, of course, makes no sense for us.

spf72

Another dynamic is how close to stock or original you want it to be. I have three engines sitting in my garage waiting to be installed. The completely stock 350 with non numbers matching stock GM parts was around $3,500. The highest horsepower with lots of aftermarket was around $5,500 and the "numbers correct" LT-1 is around $9,000 although it isn't the highest HP. I know you said not what we did but what we would spend - for me they are the same.

This is probably heresy on this forum but if I want real speed and HP then I would drive a C5 or C6. Love them or hate them it is hard to match the power, speed and comfort of the newer cars and you could buy a decent C-5 for what some here are spending on the motor alone.