I wanted to keep a record of this build and most of the Chevy forums are full of idiots and jerks trying to play big on the computer. If this needs to be moved somewhere else would an admin please move it for me.
So this summer after pulling a 68hr work week I am sitting on my couch enjoying my Sunday off when I get a call from a friend needing a tow. His truck blew up while in the hills in southeast Missouri, I will never turn down helping a friend so hop in the truck and head that way. Get there figure the head gaskets are blown (something he has already had done before and doesn't want to go through it again) I through an offer out on the way back with the truck (there was a lot of headaches involved with this, left at 2pm and didn't get home until like 1:30am for a 40mile tow and had to be at work at 6). We ended up settling on $200 cash and a gun I had $75 in but he got to keep the tires he just bought and the battery. I got it home pulled the engine apart and found a piston had come apart, no big deal 350s are dirt cheap. I ended up with a 5.3l this week for $250 from my brother so it is going ls instead. I sold the block and rods and pistons to a buddy for $60 so he can build a coffee table, bringing my total investment into the truck itself at $215 (including gas), I still have 5 aluminum wheels to sell, all the factory fuel injection, and a few other things so I should $0 into the rolling shell and maybe make money on it (still debating on selling the trans and getting a 4l80e). Have a harness priced for $125 with everything I need plus some (should be able to get $50-100 for the fuse box I won't be using that comes with it), I will be making my own motor mounts for free using scrap metal from work, reusing most of the exhaust already on the truck, then might do a junkyard fuel pump upgrade, the only thing I haven't figured out is transmissions (to keep the 700r4 I need to come up with a spacer for the flexplate and a setup for the tv cable, but the trans won't handle the power that's planned for the summer).
Condensed version
Truck=$200 and $75 gun
Bad block and pistons=-$60
Total in truck=$215
5.3l LS=$250
To come
Motor mounts =$0
Wiring harness=$50-125
Trans adapter=$25-160 (waiting for confirmation that my junkyardd solution will work)
TV cable adapter=$20-200
Or
New transmission=$300-500
Exhaust =$0 (using what I have lying around)
Fuel pump=$40-160
Total=$135-$785
Total for truck so far $600-1250 (not counting part I plane on selling which could be anywhere for $250-600 off) so potential investment so far is $0-650) obviously I know the little things will add up too but I have most everything I need that I should be able to put it together without buying to much (total maybe another $20 in electrical stuff and still need a tune but I will find a connection to get a deal on that)
Pictures to come shortly (fixing to eat lunch will do them when I am done)
So this summer after pulling a 68hr work week I am sitting on my couch enjoying my Sunday off when I get a call from a friend needing a tow. His truck blew up while in the hills in southeast Missouri, I will never turn down helping a friend so hop in the truck and head that way. Get there figure the head gaskets are blown (something he has already had done before and doesn't want to go through it again) I through an offer out on the way back with the truck (there was a lot of headaches involved with this, left at 2pm and didn't get home until like 1:30am for a 40mile tow and had to be at work at 6). We ended up settling on $200 cash and a gun I had $75 in but he got to keep the tires he just bought and the battery. I got it home pulled the engine apart and found a piston had come apart, no big deal 350s are dirt cheap. I ended up with a 5.3l this week for $250 from my brother so it is going ls instead. I sold the block and rods and pistons to a buddy for $60 so he can build a coffee table, bringing my total investment into the truck itself at $215 (including gas), I still have 5 aluminum wheels to sell, all the factory fuel injection, and a few other things so I should $0 into the rolling shell and maybe make money on it (still debating on selling the trans and getting a 4l80e). Have a harness priced for $125 with everything I need plus some (should be able to get $50-100 for the fuse box I won't be using that comes with it), I will be making my own motor mounts for free using scrap metal from work, reusing most of the exhaust already on the truck, then might do a junkyard fuel pump upgrade, the only thing I haven't figured out is transmissions (to keep the 700r4 I need to come up with a spacer for the flexplate and a setup for the tv cable, but the trans won't handle the power that's planned for the summer).
Condensed version
Truck=$200 and $75 gun
Bad block and pistons=-$60
Total in truck=$215
5.3l LS=$250
To come
Motor mounts =$0
Wiring harness=$50-125
Trans adapter=$25-160 (waiting for confirmation that my junkyardd solution will work)
TV cable adapter=$20-200
Or
New transmission=$300-500
Exhaust =$0 (using what I have lying around)
Fuel pump=$40-160
Total=$135-$785
Total for truck so far $600-1250 (not counting part I plane on selling which could be anywhere for $250-600 off) so potential investment so far is $0-650) obviously I know the little things will add up too but I have most everything I need that I should be able to put it together without buying to much (total maybe another $20 in electrical stuff and still need a tune but I will find a connection to get a deal on that)
Pictures to come shortly (fixing to eat lunch will do them when I am done)
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