Clone TIE Pilot said:
It's not your fault, sadly some of the LS crowd can be snobs that looks down at older tech, just ignore them. The 5.3 is probably going to be the cheapest route for an LS swap. LS1s are sort of on the way out being the most primitive of the LS series and can't use the more advanced LS heads such as the GM L92 cylinder heads and having thinner cylinder walls than later LS blocks.
Wow. You really have some serious chips on your shoulders, don't you? First the Turbo Buick guys are practically prison gang raping you at car shows, and now anyone with a late model engine is a snob too?
Well here let's try this on for size...
While the LS1 is older, nearing the middle of it's second decade, it is hardly antiquated or "primitive" - in fact the basic architecture and interchangeability of parts has remained stalwart right up until this year. That is effectively 15 model years of consistency and commonality among parts. Moreover, you can easily make 400-1000hp with bolt-ons to boost on virtually one iteration of a stock (or lightly breathed on) LS motor to another; 4.8L to 7.0L. I am pretty damn sure you can't do that with a boat anchor Gen 1 SBC with some serious capital investment and planning.
Case in point: My MCSS went 12.7 @ 112mph with a stock Target Master 350 (0.030" over) short block, some stock Vortec heads, an intake, a carb, headers, dual 3" exhaust, built transmission with a stall, 4.56 gears, slicks, drag shocks, weight reduction, and a metric sh*t-tonne of tuning (car and driver) - aka THE WORKS. On the other hand my wife's stock (less some comparatively trivial bolt-ons, and a set of 4.11 gears) high mileage LS1 Camaro went 12.6 @ 111mph. It is that simple... the LS1 is superior; and feel free to take the time research just how significant that ET and trap speed are for the lack of modifications done to the car.
Evidence (because you can talk all the sh*t you want, but the proof is the pudding):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7mlArSR0rQ
And here is the kicker, the 250,000km engine that is in the Camaro is coming out and getting CNC'd heads (which out flow the precious L92/LS3 castings), a .600" lift cam, headers, exhaust, blah, blah, blah, blah... and getting shoved right back in the LeMans wagon @ somewhere between 400-450rwhp (as per dozens routinely proven combos on LS1tech.com). How is that not worth the price of admission into LS-land?
Oh and before you go running back to Google to try and debunk my actual fact based experience... I still have this (yeah, it is the same 355 Vortec headed Gen 1 SBC from before - just with twins stuck on it):
A project which I will never finish or run simply because it is a grenade by comparison to a similar LS build. BTW, it is for sale if you want to buy it in order to try and prove me wrong.
😉
In closing, OP if the 5.3L is solid go for it! Just do your research first before committing.
