Ready to play
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
Ready to play I need as much advice and tips as possible for this build. This will be my first swap. I'm not new to wrenching, I worked on d model apaches for 8years in the military and 1 year civilian over seas. Always been a gear head and love doing my own work and of course that means I'm against labor costs where possible lol.
Project car: 2004 crown victoria p71
Drive train: more than likely it will be an ls1 5.3 and 4l80e match up. They seem to be the cheapest and easiest to find.
Goals: horsepower??
Torque 500 at the wheels.
Don't care really how fast it goes, just care about how quickly it gets there.
Here's the catches. I utilize this vehicle for work and dd. That being said, I need to keep the vehicle appearance AND sound as stock as possible, while not sacrificing flow and power.
Due to the nature of my career, my car is fully equipped with lights, siren, cage, laptop mount, and weapon rack. I intend to either have the rear wheels widened or see if I can find a set of steelie look alikes that will plant the power.
Any advice or tips as far as instal, parts, things to go ahead and do on the stand, wiring etc are much appreciated.
At the moment the budget is flexible between 5and 10k. 10 will hurt but could be done.
What's the consensus? 220cc cnc heads, 224/228 112lsa cam, fast intake. I'm all ears?
Project car: 2004 crown victoria p71
Drive train: more than likely it will be an ls1 5.3 and 4l80e match up. They seem to be the cheapest and easiest to find.
Goals: horsepower??
Torque 500 at the wheels.
Don't care really how fast it goes, just care about how quickly it gets there.
Here's the catches. I utilize this vehicle for work and dd. That being said, I need to keep the vehicle appearance AND sound as stock as possible, while not sacrificing flow and power.
Due to the nature of my career, my car is fully equipped with lights, siren, cage, laptop mount, and weapon rack. I intend to either have the rear wheels widened or see if I can find a set of steelie look alikes that will plant the power.
Any advice or tips as far as instal, parts, things to go ahead and do on the stand, wiring etc are much appreciated.
At the moment the budget is flexible between 5and 10k. 10 will hurt but could be done.
What's the consensus? 220cc cnc heads, 224/228 112lsa cam, fast intake. I'm all ears?
Last edited by Dontrun; Jan 23, 2019 at 09:43 PM.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 526
Going to need more than a 5.3 for 500 rwhp unless you bore and stroke it to 383 cubes. Don't know your real use for the car but all that stuff is going to add weight. I wouldn't start with a 5.3. You'd be better off to start with a 6.0 or 6.2 then stroke it. More cubes you can run a bigger cam and still have vacuum for brakes.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,291
Likes: 3,616
From: Central Cal.
And just so ya know, the LS1 is a 5.7L engine that came in Corvettes, Camaros, and GTO's. That was the ONLY LS1. 4.8, 5.3, 6.0, 6.2, and 7.0 engines are all LS types but not LS1's
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
The intention is to stroke it with a 383 kit from TX speed since it seems to be the most cost effective solution. The price difference in the 6.0 is massive local to me but I'll continue my search for an affordable one. The use of the car was stated and I'm unsure where the confusion come from on that? It is a daily driver, and used for buisness as well. To be more specific I'm in law enforcement, and very often work off duty as either security or traffic control, that being said when I arrive at work I cant have a bumber exit, massive cammed monster chugging at the client's lol. The goal is to build as much tq at the wheels as possible in the mentioned budget and be able to use it for work, and the track on the weekends.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 22,291
Likes: 3,616
From: Central Cal.
So no lopey cam or loud exhaust. A mild cam with no obvious lope and a good set of heads COULD take a 5.3 up to 450 crank HP. Also, a FAST is overkill for an engine such as we are talking . An LS6 intake manifold, either OEM or Dorman will be plenty.
A much easier way to more power would be to find an LQ9 6.0 and do the above. As said, trying to hit your goal with a 5.3 will be tough.
A much easier way to more power would be to find an LQ9 6.0 and do the above. As said, trying to hit your goal with a 5.3 will be tough.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
OK thanks for the pointers on it. I'm not stuck on the 5.3 I'm still planning and looking at options, but yes a big lope and loud pipes are out of the question unfortunately. I am considering electric cutouts for track days though. I found 2 6.0l just the engine for 1k fairly close, I'm not at all opposed to going that route. My absolute biggest fear is the electrical. I've got some local help but I'd like to do as much of the build my self for the pride of it. I know the ls computer can be set up as a stand alone and Ive heard rumor of being able to retain the Ford computer for the gauges and sensors etc. Any advice on this dept. What do you recommend for an effective yet tame sounding cam on a 6.0?
[QUOTE=Dontrun;20035817]I need as much advice and tips as possible for this build.....Don't care really how fast it goes, just care about how quickly it gets there....../QUOTE]
Gears.....at least in the area of 4.10's/4.11's....depending on what's available with your rear end of choice.
KW
Gears.....at least in the area of 4.10's/4.11's....depending on what's available with your rear end of choice.
KW
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
I agree I will more than likely end up swapping gears, I believe my p71 came with 327 gears. 98% of what I do is city driving anyways. What's the consensus on a 4l80e to match up?
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
I also looked into boost, only down fall with that is if I'm doing traffic durring the summer it's usually following a paving crew around so it involves alot of very slow almost idle coasting. Not good on snails. And during the winter, it's a ton of sitting stationary and building idle hours. Although I suppose if I could get the setup for a decent price it would work out. I can and have installed both SC and turbo before on fi and carbed engines. And there's a ton of room in the panther bay for a set up. Hell most do the twin with the swap. I think at the moment I need to find out how I'm going to manage the wiring. I'd like to run both the ls and the Ford computer in harmony in order to utilize the factory gauges if possible.
Restricted User
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 7,192
Likes: 109
From: Ohio
Most production vehicles now are available with a turbo option, even V8s are heading that way.
If they weren't capable of sitting idle for long periods of time, they wouldn't be preferred by OEMs over superchargers.
It'll be quieter than N/A, you can run a small or even stock cam, stock heads, and make the power you want.
If they weren't capable of sitting idle for long periods of time, they wouldn't be preferred by OEMs over superchargers.
It'll be quieter than N/A, you can run a small or even stock cam, stock heads, and make the power you want.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Saginaw Mi
Yea turbo is the only way im seeing a mild 5.3 make it to 500ftlbs. On the electrical side there is a good amount of standalone harness companys now. Thats what i would do in order to bypass all the stupid stuff to make it work. Call up some junk yards around your area and see if they got some truck engines still in the truck. I was able to score my truck engine for a lot cheaper because i pulled it myself. Also see if you can get the harness too, its cheaper to have a harness converted rather than built. Good luck
6.0 should not be hard to locate for a decent price. i have $500 in mine, came from just an hour north of Louisville. Just spread out your search a bit. Many times you can buy a combo/whole truck and part out what you don't want or need.
I bought a complete 4x4 drive train for 1200, sold the trans and t case for 700 to get my 500 LQ4. OR buy a whole truck, can be found wrecked for $1500 or less even.
but a mid size cam, through full exhaust and decent heads will net you a good 500 crank possibly, but to the wheels will be a much harder task without a little help from forced induction of some sort.
as for Sloppy Mechanics, join the Private page for actual teqh questions, the Public page is garbage for any real tech. Or check out the wiki for all of the Denmah's build list and such.
I bought a complete 4x4 drive train for 1200, sold the trans and t case for 700 to get my 500 LQ4. OR buy a whole truck, can be found wrecked for $1500 or less even.
but a mid size cam, through full exhaust and decent heads will net you a good 500 crank possibly, but to the wheels will be a much harder task without a little help from forced induction of some sort.
as for Sloppy Mechanics, join the Private page for actual teqh questions, the Public page is garbage for any real tech. Or check out the wiki for all of the Denmah's build list and such.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
Yea I've spread my sight from Nashville though Indianapolis and come up with several good finds on a 6.0 4l80e combo. I've also decided to go turbo. That's the main reason I wanted to contact sloppy mechanics is to get my cam from him and also get some pointers and ideas on if they kept the factory gauges and ran both computers in synch, or race pack, aftermarket analog etc. I've got several pictures of the turbo and twin turbo ls swapped panthers now for a reference on fitting. I'm planning on getting an lq4 (will check pull a part first then grade a) update the rods to gen 4 have the heads worked over, new springs, one of sloppy's cams and a borg Warner. Then I'll have a local shop tune it. Does anyone have an email for him? What state is he in. He seems to be the guy to go to making 992whp on a simple build.
Matt Happel is his name, Goes by Denmah on forums and Social media.
Cam that is popular is the Elgin 1840. Made by a few companies. He does not sell the parts. Check out the sloppy mechanics wiki, it may answer a lot of your questions. i know he list the cams and where to buy them on there, as well as exactly what turbo and such he used.
Cameron powers i know has a LS swapped panther and has a lot of info about it.
Cam that is popular is the Elgin 1840. Made by a few companies. He does not sell the parts. Check out the sloppy mechanics wiki, it may answer a lot of your questions. i know he list the cams and where to buy them on there, as well as exactly what turbo and such he used.
Cameron powers i know has a LS swapped panther and has a lot of info about it.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Kentucky
Thank you his actual name kept slipping me, I've been studying his wiki page and can't seem to stay away from it now lol. I've also been watching cams videos etc on YouTube. These are definitely the 2 biggest resources for me if I can get ahold of them.