There has never been a better time for buyers and sellers to connect. Are you old enough to remember a time when the only way to reach buyers was to pay for an ad in a newspaper? With Facebook marketplace you can reach a much larger audience for free.
Anyway......I've parted out both a Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade......its very easy to sell parts since many folks want to upgrade the wheels, interior trim, steering wheel, front clip, seats, stereo, etc. on their Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon with the more premium Cad and Denali pieces. It's not at all hard to get a known good running engine and profit $1000.
Salvage yard will pay $100-$200 for the carcass depending on weight and scrap metal price. If you are paying someone to take it away....you are doing it wrong...lol.
Not in my area.....but yeah I'm assuming the OP is not living in Beverly Hills.
The OP said he wanted to go fast.
I didn't create this thread.....but the OP did express interest in going with an LS and he has experience with the LS (mentioned a C5 build).....I'm sure he understands their potential.......seems like a no-brainer to me.
Just because its easier to connect doesn't means its easy to find buyers. They still often flake out, no show, low ball, kick the tires, etc. You have to be willing and able to hold onto the hulk and hunt and court buyers using LAARC for extended amounts of time, time that could be spent on others things, high time opportunity costs. 8ne can easily sit on parts for years before finding a buyer.
$1000 profit, lmfao. Maybe after sitting on the hulk for 5+ years and spending most of your time hunting buyers or have good business contacts, maybe. It would be cheaper and faster to just sell the G body and hotrod the Escalade instead. In my area only whole running used Escalades bring any money. Used Escalade non powertrain parts go for such little money its not even worth the time. A fancy powered Escalade seat in my area only goes for $7. Really great profit margins. Most junkyards in my area can easily undersell private sellers on Facebook, Craigslist, etc. After all that, its going to take way more than $1k to get an LS running in a car never designed for it.
Not everyone lives in lawless Pudunk SD either where anything goes. Also house insurance companies will raise rates or drop you for having disabled cars sitting on your lawn besides town fines. Had my house insurance company fight with me over the Regal even though it runs well.
Some junkman want to be paid for removing the worthless eyesore junk driving down neighborhood property values that you are being fined daily for. Many will only pay you if you deliver it to them, if you don't have a means to tow a non operating junk car then they they want to be paid for that towing service. Not everyone owns a tow truck lol. Around here non running cars are pretty worthless, most junkmen don't want a junked car without a powertrain in it to sell to smelters which is where the real money for them is. Its like trying to sell a daimond ring with the diamond removed, a very limited market of buyers. The engine and transmission are the two most valuable parts in any vehicle, most other parts wil generally be chump change.
Generally it depends on the market in your region. The used part market for any model can vary greatly from one area to another. I have heard before SD has a good market for used truck parts. My area you sometimes can't give away a used running truck let alone sell random minor parts. Depends on the local market.
Yes you can go reasonably fast even with a 305, no need to yank everything out and Frankenstein in GM's Ford b*st*rd engine for a street car. More than 400 hp and G bodies begin to break apart without serious reinforcing which will quickly drain any budget. Even 300 hp could stand a full frame boxing to avoid warp damage. Not to mention increased HP also requires increased braking, stronger rear end, fixing the spongy suspension, etc. Overall, there is nothing low cost about hotrodding G bodies.
If the OP wants low low costs, try inheriting a good condition G body for free, and install a used $250 SBC/TH2004R, used $70 headers, $60 computer tune, and a used $100 3.73 POSI rear end. Along with homemade braces for the frame and body.