I'm old, retired and have financial resources. I simply declare EVERYTHING within scope. Scope creep fixed.

 

To ease your pain spiritually, here's the trees' leaves acting like a pinhole camera during the eclipse a few minutes ago.

 

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Little things+mission creep. I've already decided to change my steering box and add a brace (83 K10), easier with the front clip off. Now I'm starting to worry about the 10 bolt diffs with an L92. Probably a reason they went to a 14 bolt in all the trucks. Aside from the steering and axles, I think this will be about 1k more than a straight 383 GM crate engine, and I'd worry about the 700R4 behind that. This way I've got a low mileage 6l80.

 

They said, an LS swap will be Great!!!!! To bad everyone else is doing it, and driving up the parts cost. Cheap and slow, is how my project is going, so, it will never get done.

Stampede.

 

If anything, its driving the cost of the parts down. So many companies out there competing for the huge market now that prices are constantly dropping. Salvage yards go out of their way to get vehicles with these engines increasing their availability. Wrecked vehicles are no longer being scrapped with the engines, the engines are being pulled first, further increasing availability.

8 grand is easily 3x what I have in an average swap.

 

I started out with a 84 C10 to do a mild 5.3/4L60 swap for my old man...... 6.0/LSA blower and a 4L80 with a 9" two years later...... its still not done.

 

I've been in the business for years, Nobody I know ever scrapped a good 4.8/5.3/6.0 that I know of, If it has one under the hood at an auction the price reflects it. There has been a demand for them since they came out with them. We even sell them from burn vehicles if it's a 6.0 . If you expect to find an ls based engine at our yard you better be on your toes because they are being pulled the same day we put them out and they have no idea if they run or not.

If it's a popular engine not matter the make they go fast.

 

My project was supposed to be easy, bought a motor with PCM out of another swap vehicle. 18 months since "completion" it still doesn't run properly. I can't decide between giving it to someone and spend $$$ troubleshooting or start over with a complete aftermarket stand alone EFI system.

 

I went stand alone ecm/ harness. It was well worth the money. 4 wires, car started right up.

 

what stand alone/ecm harness did you go with?

 

lolol

 

When people ask how much I spent on my swap...

 

scope creep is a killer. My budget swap turned into a frame off. "as long as I'm here I might as well fix/upgrade this too"
Now its got a larger tranny tunnel, and mini tub rear, boxed frame, narrowed rear rails, lots of new sheetmetal, going to need big brakes, and wheels now... etc etc

 

One thing to remember most people will never be honest about how much they spent. It all sounds good when first get yourjunkyard motor for your swap cheap but then all the other things add up quickly.

 

Old saying; a man with money decides he wants to get into business so he goes to the big city and finds some men who are into business. A few months later these men have the money and the man has the business


Experience counts, but experience costs. Buying engines from yards to swap costs a lot because lack of experience forces us to buy things we didnt know we needed.

Easiest way to keep the costs down? Research like mad and find out what trans and accessory drives will fit your application. If its multiple cars? As in truck engine, vette accessories, camaro pan etc etc then the cost will be high no matter what. If you are swappin an old truck where a complete truck drop out will fit and you can weld your own mounts and exhaust AND willing to keep the engine stock? Buy a good running LS truck and swap it all over. Cheap, but tons of work. Its costs a lot of coin for ease or newness, or it takes a lot of work and living with used items to keep it cheaper.


We did a 5.3 swap with cam, springs, pushrods, 3200 stall, longtubes for just under 3K this summer into a truck. Fabbed everything else up. Lifetime of engine swapping and 15 years of LS building. That cost a lot to get that experience lemme tell ya. Some aches, pains and a plenty of grenaded builds along the way.

You either accept its never 'done' and eventually reach a place where a build is performing well enough and maintain from there or you chase it forever. Knowing your end game is the best start plan

 

Thanks CAM, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Too many people don't understand how important realistic goals and keeping to them are.

After almost 30 years of messing with custom cars I've noticed the two leading killers of projects are poor planning and scope creep. The planning problem is often a lack of understanding regarding ALL facets of the project and scope creep is the dreaded "while I've got it apart..." syndrome. Both situations add an exponential amount of unplanned time and money to the project and keeps it off the road or track that much longer.

In the worst cases the builder get burned out, the spouse gets pissed and after taking up space for too long it gets sold for pennies on the dollar in hopes of making the spouse happy.


My method of making and sticking with goals is ultra simple: I write them down and post them in a prominent place - like on the vehicle itself. I then break the big goal down to a list of smaller segments I can organize, complete and check off. This way I can measure progress even when it doesn't LOOK like progress was made. It also keeps me focused on what I need to do instead of wandering around the car for 30 minutes trying to think of what to do next.

I realize everything can't be planned from the beginning and some bits require a preceding step before they can be planned in detail, but this method gets you started and keeps you on track.

 

In fairness some builds go easy, and some fight you. You also need determination and the understanding that once your on the road actually running? You still have a year or so of gremlin chasing in front of you. This process tests the will of all of us and thats why so few realize their dream. Its the inevitable compromising choices we all must make alone the way that you can choose to either accept, or let eat you up. One approach leads to a positive outcome, the other leads to misery, frustration, hate, and you end up becoming a Liberal

 

HAHAH . This is awesome!

 

I have $1500 into the 6.0 and 4L80e in this truck. That's engine, trans, accessories, wiring, pcm, mounts, fuel lines, hoses, everything. It's all used or fabricated by me.

Any engine and trans are going to be expensive if you are buying all shiny new parts, doesn't matter if it's a swap or came in it. You can do it cheap if you get creative and find some deals.

 

Now THERE'S a scary thought..... (shivers.... cold chills....the horror....)