So, my truck and I are at a fork in the road. I see three broad categories of options, build my 350, ls swap, 454 swap. A fourth option, swap in a running 350, is really just buying more time to pick one of the other 3 paths. I’ve prepared a cost spreadsheet and would welcome any input.
Build my 350
My block needs to be bored out. Here is the list of costs I’ve prepared.
Machine Shop………....$600
Rebuild Kit……………..…$500
Cam/Lifters……………....$800
Heads………………….…….$800-1200
Stroker(?)…………………..$1200
Intake………………….……..$250
Used Carb………………..….$300
Fuel pressure Reg…..……$150
Rocker arms…………………$200
Distributor………………..…$200
Total…………………………….$3,800-5,400
BBC Swap
L29……………………………$1,000
Machine Shop…………..$300
Rebuild kit…………………$600
Cam/Lifters……………….$1,000
Intake………………………..$300
Used Carb………………….$300
Fuel pressure Reg…..……$150
Distributor………………..…$200
TH400………………………….$600
Headers…………………….…$275
Total…………………………….$4,725
LS Swap
6.0&4l80.…………………$2,000
Machine Shop…………..$0
Rebuild kit…………………$600
Cam/Lifters……………….$1,000
PCM Flash………………..$200
Fuel Pump.……………….$150
Headers…………………….$375
Motor Mount……………$110
Electric Fan……………….$100
Fuel Lines………………….$200
Fuel Filter…………………$80
Total…………………………….$3,815
Please let me know if I’m missing something or if I’ve included something unnecessary. I didn’t add any machine work for the LS b/c I understand they wear well and will probably be good with a ball hone. I lowered the machine shop cost for the l29 because I think they also wear well and I could hopefully source something that doesn’t need bored. I am biased in favor of the BBC for the cool factor so I could definitely be missing something there. However, based on this it seems like bbc or ls swap makes the most sense based on $s per HP.
Build my 350
My block needs to be bored out. Here is the list of costs I’ve prepared.
Machine Shop………....$600
Rebuild Kit……………..…$500
Cam/Lifters……………....$800
Heads………………….…….$800-1200
Stroker(?)…………………..$1200
Intake………………….……..$250
Used Carb………………..….$300
Fuel pressure Reg…..……$150
Rocker arms…………………$200
Distributor………………..…$200
Total…………………………….$3,800-5,400
BBC Swap
L29……………………………$1,000
Machine Shop…………..$300
Rebuild kit…………………$600
Cam/Lifters……………….$1,000
Intake………………………..$300
Used Carb………………….$300
Fuel pressure Reg…..……$150
Distributor………………..…$200
TH400………………………….$600
Headers…………………….…$275
Total…………………………….$4,725
LS Swap
6.0&4l80.…………………$2,000
Machine Shop…………..$0
Rebuild kit…………………$600
Cam/Lifters……………….$1,000
PCM Flash………………..$200
Fuel Pump.……………….$150
Headers…………………….$375
Motor Mount……………$110
Electric Fan……………….$100
Fuel Lines………………….$200
Fuel Filter…………………$80
Total…………………………….$3,815
Please let me know if I’m missing something or if I’ve included something unnecessary. I didn’t add any machine work for the LS b/c I understand they wear well and will probably be good with a ball hone. I lowered the machine shop cost for the l29 because I think they also wear well and I could hopefully source something that doesn’t need bored. I am biased in favor of the BBC for the cool factor so I could definitely be missing something there. However, based on this it seems like bbc or ls swap makes the most sense based on $s per HP.