what should I buy?

[drtydog]

I found a 2003 Escalade 5.3 at a local yard with 85k on it for 1200 with harness and ecu complete but after thinking about it I started calling around to other yards and found a complete 6.0 with harness and ecu pedal ect.. 130k out of a 2004 silverado 2500 on it for 1400. What I would like to know is either one worth the cash or should I wait for a lower mileage donor? I'm sure I can find low mileage motors less without the ecu and harness and buy aftermarket stuff but is it worth the cost? Are more miles worth bigger motor? What would you do? This would be going in 65 long step. Thanks for any input!

[OldCreek]

Are you planning on a daily driver or something for fun....

I would think you could find a 5.3 with a tranny for about the same price...

[drtydog]

It's just a toy but I want to be able to drive the sh*t out of it during the nicer months I want to daily drive it so reliability is a must gas mileage isnt 1st priority at all! It must be fun though!!

[BR3W CITY]

both are too expensive for the mileage imo. Its a bit better if that includes trans.
Keep looking, and don't be afraid to put your own package together, just understand what comes with that. My mostly complete 04 lq4 was less than 800, with less thank 65k on the clock, and was drained/warehoused etc. Usually finding a tranny, harness and "big" parts are easy to locate...just try to find an engine with front accessories, intake, maf etc, as those are sometimes harder to track down and stupid expensive when new.
I'd be willing to take a few extra miles for more displacement, but again it depends on your goals.
5.3's are the least expensive usually, offer fine performance with room to grow. I like having more displacement, but if I was going to swap a mostly stock motor for a fun cruiser, there's nothing wrong with a 5.3


car-part.com, check your local yards and see what you can find near you to look at. The only tricky stuff is the DBW components, and if you know the year...you can usually piece it all together.

[drtydog]

Thanks for the input I'll keep looking then I have time as I'm trying to get it back on the road for the rest of summer just a little more stuff from installing airbags left to do my mind works a lot faster than I do. I turned a weekend job into almost 3 months all my own fault being lazy and not wanting to work in the heat! So I have the rest of the year to collect stuff for the swap. Although Im torn with getting rid of the 3ott it's just fun to drive even though I can't drive it like I stole it. Still fun as it is still almost stock and hearing the older generations tell me stories of how they learned how to drive in one just like it And how cool it is to see one still on the road I'm ready for a change with it
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[mooseknuckles]

if your not too worried about gas mileage get the 6.0l.....mine supposedly had 120k on it, with the 4l80e, pcm, front acc, starter, for $2200 taxes in.

[drtydog]

I hope Im not messing up on my way to look at a 8.1 big block 496 I believe with 0 miles and computer already reprogrammed 2900 so I hope it will fit in truck
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[BR3W CITY]

the 8.1 isn't really an ls motor. Cool tho, assuming you wanna use it to pull stuff.

[drtydog]

Well I bought a 2003 vortec 8100 bigblock from speartech with all the wiring and computer reprogrammed and ready for a 4l80e. If anyone knows where I can find a nice trans for this monster near Cincinnati Ohio please give me a heads up. Any advice on how to put this in my 65 or good build threads putting one of these in or is it close the the same as a older style big block as far as bolting it in as far as clearances for headers and what motor mounts to use. Thanks if it wasnt for this site i would not even think about something like this.