Throw an Isuzu 4 cyl diesel in it :lol:

LS1:
300 HP stock
Good enough gas mileage so you won't fear taking it out for a nice, long drive
Great drive-ability, even with high HP numbers.
Cheap enough.

Then throw a turbo on there. ;)

Con:

You have to make modifications to your trans to run one.

And its not an LT1. Major con.

I voted for another TPI engine. TPI is great for a street motor, lots of low-end torque...and it's already in your car. Get a mild 355 longblock to shove under your current intake, and enjoy the car. I'm sure that Josh down at JS Performance could put something together for you for well under your budget.

- Justin

i'll sell u a 96 Impala SS LT1 engine.. 6,609 original miles. Custom stand alone harness ready to go. $2,000

i have been in contact with josh, just having issues getting the car there for him to diagnose.

smokingss i will keep that in mind

LS 364/440 Carbureted

lsx

i think you should go big block. even at modest compression ratios, big blocks have kansas-flat torque curves that last until red-line. they've become much more inexpensive to build, and there are many in the junkyards. do the numbers and you'll see for the same amount invested you'll be ahead of the small block boys by a mile.

LS for the reasons stated
+ No Opti.

I picked up a complete LS1 to swap in my 94 for $1500.

I agree with Jim, how nice would it be to have a carbureated 396 or 427 under the hood of that baby. -Jeff.

I'd suggest staying small block, and probably staying TPI for affordability sake. Since all the hard work is done, dropping in a long block, or fixing your existing motor may be the best way to go. TPI is a great system for its day, especially with its low end torque it's a great street motor.

If you were looking for horsepower per dollar I'd bet an LT1 would be the best way to go, since you could use your existing trans and not worry about that space issue associated with the LS1.

Big blocks are great for street power, but gas mileage would be out the window, and I'd imagine it would make things pretty cramped under the hood.

LS1s are pretty popular right now, and the truck motors are kindof affordable, but there are quite a few obstacles in the way of this swap. I've looked into everything myself, but I feel like for my situation the LT1 met what I was looking for the closest. It'll come down to what you can live with, and what you are looking for.

While I agree with your reasoning Jim, he's looking for a 300ish hp street cruiser on a budget. He already has a TPI motor in the car, so all the wiring, mounts, etc are ready to go. Having a mild 355 long block built will satisfy all of his needs/wants well within his budget, and get better mileage than the big block as a plus.

- Justin

As matt said before, a fresh TPI motor with a procharger setup would be nice.

Certainly would, but why bother with a power adder when he's only looking for 300 horsepower?

- Justin

why not!?

:lol: I forgot he was only looking for 300hp

With the way that prices of LS1/2 take outs have been dropping, the power levels they make even with all the emissions stuff hooked up, and the gas mileage they deliver, an LS motor really is a logical choice.

Engine from a dodge neon!

The goal is 300hp, not to find a $300 engine

Not really, most of the time the engine take outs come with the trans. Just look up seller "fparts" on ebay. It is the guys from Contemporary Corvette in Bristol, they have competitive prices, a warranty, and they always include all of the electronics and such.

-Tim

Given the $5k limit, you should just have the long block rebuilt. You can get better heads & a nice cam for well under 5. Then you don’t have to replace a bunch of related stuff, like harnesses, ecms, mounts, headers, hoses, fuel system, cooling system, etc. And your serp setup will bolt right on. KISS principal. Then take the $1k+ you save and buy something else. Or just save it.

If I were you I’d call Josh, he’s good with those setups.


You doing this yourself or paying to have it done? If you have to pay labor, staying SBC is even cheaper for you....

Yeah, but if his existing trans is pretty fresh then paying for another one is a waste.

im taking the car to JS hopefully by the end of next week, and im gonna go from there. if josh thinks i need a new engine, im pretty convinced to go with a new longblock and keep the TPI setup since all the hard parts are done. an LSx would be nice, but i think it may be out of my range for what im looking for. thanks everyone for your input

Good call.

The nickle & dime (& $100 bill) parts for an LS swap would waste your budget.