Getting started planning my swap into a C3 corvette. Wanting to keep the build within a reasonable budget. Have some experience building old SBCs but no LS experience yet. Assuming that cost and availability are similar, which would you choose and why: Iron 6.0 truck motor LQ4/LQ9 or a later Gen IV alum truck motor like an L76?

I have some concerns about the DoD delete and going down that path. Given the lightness of the car, concerned about the extra 100 lbs on the front end.

Ideally I would like something that I could add a cam and intake and be done. Ideally over 500hp.

Thoughts?

 

Go LS2 if you can find one... swap the cam and headers. Add a tune. 500 plus horsepower. Done

 

Get whatever Gen IV aluminum 6.0 or 6.2 truck engine you can get and do a VVT/DOD delete, then cam it as said above.
LS2's in any kind of good shape are getting harder to find, and aluminum truck engines are getting more common in junk yards. MANY more trucks are made than Corvettes.

 

What kind of budget for this engine?

 

I did a stock LS1/4L60E crate swap into a 71 vert C3. Great swap. Not 500 hp but still very fun to drive.

 

The GM vans have a gen4 6.0 as late as 2014 or later without DOD.

 

Cost and availability are not similar though. Aluminum block engines tend to be much more expensive.

The iron block LS is similar weight as a SBC 350 with aluminum heads, so lighter than your original engine with iron heads. The aluminum block engines go for quite a bit more money but the weight difference is noticeable and will help your car be more nimble. The aluminum car engines in particular have better bay to bay breathing in the crankcase than the truck engines for higher rpm use. All told I think you'll be happy with either engine, both are superior to what you had.

The nice thing about the iron truck blocks is the cylinder liners seem to last freakin' forever. It's common to use untouched short blocks with 100-150K miles. Seems people tend to screw things up more messing with the short block than just leaving it alone.

I don't know the C3 chassis, but it might be worthwhile to learn what intake manifolds and accessory drives clear the stock hood. I know with my 3rd gen F-body I must use a lower profile car intake (truck intake won't fit) which also made me use a car accessory drive. That's a lot of extra money to take into consideration when buying a truck engine.

 

On my 71 C3 LS swap I used 2002 FEA. It worked well.

 

2002 what? There were lots of vehicles made in 2002.

The 2002 F-body (Camaro / Firebird) FEAD is looooong out of production, hard to find, prices gone astronomical. Much of the OEM style FEAD's you can buy now is based on the C6 Corvette.

 

As was said above, every spacing was available in 2002.
Corvette was closest to the block
Camaro/Firebird in the middle.
Truck is furthest out.
Which one worked well??

 

Iron block 6.0 truck LQ4/LQ9 vs Gen IV alum truck motor like an L76 or LS2 in a C3 Corvette.

I'd go with the with an aluminum block L76 or LS2/LS3 etc for a C3. I regret not doing so.

It seems like every pound removed from my 72 vette has helped make the car more fun to drive. Car weighed 3180 pounds with ~3/4 of a tank of gas an iron Dart SHP block and aluminum heads & intake.

An aluminum block LS would taken ~100 pounds off the front of the car and put weight around ~3080 with a ~3/4 gas.

 

Been a little MIA but here are some follow ups:

I cant say I dont have a budget but I also dont want to go down the path of GM's connect and cruise (yet). (a) from my research is very pricey and (b) would like to learn more about LS swaps as I have another vehicle that a 5.3 would be perfect for--IH Scout.

I have read about the iron block cylinder liners and that is a consideration if I am going to have to have an alum block re-sleeved. I know that if i find a truck/van pullout, I will have to ditch the intake, pan and accessory drive. Not sure if there is a market for that and so seems like a lot of cost on top of the long block I will end up with. I have spoke with others -- one a guy in Austin who has a small shop and does this for customers all the time -- and he advised that the cost of a crate engine is not much more than a junkyard takeout after swapping all of the items that will need to be replaced. Add in possible issues with the block and your screwed.

Based on my research on the interwebs, local LS3 pullouts are pretty pricey and I probably would just pay the few thousand more for a crate engine--I know that sounds like I have a few thousand laying around but pay now vs pay later.

Curious about the GM vans--need to research this. Did all Savana/Express have the alum 6.0 or need to look for a 2500?

My goal is to start body work over the winter and hopefully have it primed and ready for paint by summer. I have some suspension mods that I want to address as well and after that, I will need to start making a decision on the engine and trans setup.

Another question: Given the used car market and prices where they are for everything, do you think now is the time to buy if you arent going to need it for a year or would it make sense to wait and see if pricing comes down?

 

The aluminum blocks have steel liners that are just as good.

No van EVER to my knowledge had an aluminum engine, that poster was just referencing that they didnt have DOD to mess with but if your already swapping the cam then its no big deal to delete anyways.

If it were me I would wait and purchase later, people are slowly running out of money and every once in a while some deals are starting to pop up.

 

I misread the post earlier about vans. Thanks!

 

Sorry about that. 2002 Camaro FEA.
Many aftermarket companies make alt and PS brackets.
I used a stock LS6 intake.