SBC or LS1 and Average Cost of LS Swap?

What if I told you my 10sec. 406 has less than $1000 in it, can crush C6 Z06's with an LS 427 and supercharged LS3 ZL1's.

 

You can make killer power with a nice .030 400 SBC and a good set of Vortec heads. More than 450hp just dripping out of a combo like that. If I have time I am going to take my last 400 that really needs a rebuild, toss it in the car to get a baseline at the track then swap to a set of Vortec heads to see the difference. No other changes.

 

I would ask for a parts list to build a 406 for a $1000 lol I can't even get machine work done on a block for that

 

Come'on man....why do you spread this rhetoric? Be realistic...Its not about an ET which is very subjective with the vehicle set-up and power to weight ratio. A 350hp car set-up to drag race will give me a run for my money too, but I will have a higher MPH because I have more power. Unless you have a garage full of spare parts or very generous friends, you're not building a 406 that makes 600hp for $1000. You'll have that much in decent heads alone. You surely hate LS engines....but put your car on a road course and see how well your car actually does perform against LS7s and SC LS3s...I spin my LS7 to 7200RPMS. These cars are fast!! In full trim too.

 

If I were to do it....use an after 400cid market short block (if you already have good heads) or long block with 1pc RMS and is roller cam ready and would be pump gas friendly. You may have your car set up differently, but I like the torque and grunt down low for launching out of the corner and power on the straights to pass those pesky Mustangs.

A friend of mine just had Don Kowolski put a forged 383 together for him and it was north of $5000 that should make around 550. Don told him to bring it back once he gets it squared away in the car and put it on the chassis dyno to iron the tune out to see what it will do. Block and heads were reused, but all of the rotating assembly was new, forged parts plus the machine work.