Custom 323

Another question for you gear heads,
I just paid off my truck and of course the day after I got into a @#$%!@#$% wreck with some idiot in a subaru that thought she could run me off the road-she definately got the worst of that one at 60, I barely got a hail ding.
The question is now that I've paid it off it's time to start customizing. Are there any reputable companies out there that can build a custom 323 (5.3) that blows stock away. I'm looking at a $4500 budget and preferabley someone around Dallas-Fort Worth...you would think it would be ez to find someone around here but there really is not much advertisement for this kind of stuff not even on the net. I thought of just rebuilding the original, but I'd prefer a newer engine that does not have the piston slap on a cold start which I hear the generation 3 engines have eliminated. One other thing I've been looking for is a radio that is the same dimension as the factory anything less just does not look as good. Any ideas out there let me know. As usual your expertise is very helpful.

for $4500, look at yanking that 5.3 and swapping in a 6.0 or ls6. they are both fairly straight forward swaps, and the 6.0 runs about 55 extra HP over the 5.3. I don't really know how much a LS6 would cost, but i am fairly sure the 6.0 (LQ9) can be had for about $2500. Talk to slowprocess about doing the swap

Another question for you gear heads,
I just paid off my truck and of course the day after I got into a @#$%!@#$% wreck with some idiot in a subaru that thought she could run me off the road-she definately got the worst of that one at 60, I barely got a hail ding.
The question is now that I've paid it off it's time to start customizing. Are there any reputable companies out there that can build a custom 323 (5.3) that blows stock away. I'm looking at a $4500 budget and preferabley someone around Dallas-Fort Worth...you would think it would be ez to find someone around here but there really is not much advertisement for this kind of stuff not even on the net. I thought of just rebuilding the original, but I'd prefer a newer engine that does not have the piston slap on a cold start which I hear the generation 3 engines have eliminated. One other thing I've been looking for is a radio that is the same dimension as the factory anything less just does not look as good. Any ideas out there let me know. As usual your expertise is very helpful.

Well first welcome to the forum. Secound if your going with a diferent motor then go big or go home. 6.0 is what you should build IMO. Slow process is a regular herew at af and he may chime in or make sujestions as he has done this swap and it seems from what he has told us it was farly easy. Why go to 6.0 you might ask? Well i would do it because you can make a 6.0 practically bullit proof farly cheaply. You see its already a heavy duty motor. Better block castings, rods, mains you name itits just better than the 5.3. What i would like to know is if i can put a 6.0 in my truck that is a short bed standerd cab with a 4.8 and a 5 speed manual.. The tranny cellection for me may be the problem. Finding venders for speed parts for these new trucks are just starting to show up in parts magazines so my suggestion to you is to start reserching four wheeler mags, keep pestering us here at the forum, holler out to Slowprocess , and just take your time. It would help if you told us what your driving specifically so that someone out there who has that exact truck and has done somework can let you know what they have found out..jj

Hello,
thanx for the suggestion-is the 6.0 a reliable engine. Except for the piston slaps on cold starts I can't complain about the 323. I guess that opens up the forum a bit more as I did not know how complex changing engine sizes would be. I did know going from a v6 to a v8 would be a pain in the arse. But if the 6.0 is a fairly straight change that is definately an option-now finding a reliable company that knows what they are doing is the hard part. The ls6 is a vet engine is it not? that would be sweeter- a sleeper silverado-yeah!

P.S. You want bullit proof if your a maniac like most people and like to show off occasionally at the track or ect.. that way its a dependable daily driver and you can beet the ever living @#$%^ out of it and just keeps going...jj

I drive a 2000 ext cab silverado 5.3- with overdrive tranny. Would the tranny have to be switched for a 6.0? the more i think about it, that seems to be the route to go, unless a vet engine could be done reasonabley.

i think the transmissions are the same until you get up into the 8.1 liter with the allison 5 speed auto lol. the v-6 tranny is likely the same if not similiar to the bigger engines. i dont know how the new trannies compare to old ones, but my buddy used a tranny designed for stock smallblocks or smaller engines (turbo 350 auto) on his big block 454 with racing internals, such as the huge cam. that little turbo 350 never complained, and it actually outlasted the engine. if chevy still makes trannies like they did back then, then i bet it's safe to assum you will be fine with your current one. you can just go online and find a site like kelly blue book maybe that will let you put in the 6 liter and see if the tranny is the same as the 5.3 liter.

You will definatly have to buid up your tranny no matter what you do because the stock trannys are crap. I dont know if you use the same model tranny or not for the swap motor but like i said its a moot point because yoou will have to do somthing to the tranny(refresh it maybe ) even if you build the 5.3...jj

I think the minimum they couple the 6.0 from the factory with is the 4L65e, and what is in your truck right now is a 4L60e. Basically, the 65 is a tougher version of the 60, and they're a direct swap.

If you're spending that kind of money though, why not look for a used 4l80e? Then you wont ever have to worry about busting the tranny.

The LQ9 6.0L is based on the LS6, better built. You want to build a better 4l60 or get a built 4L80 and never worry. The GenIII engine V8's are all built around the same basic block. The difference you will have fun with is butting up to the 4L80 but can be done. Go big or go home!!!!! :2cents: :evillol:

However, the 4L80 is not a direct bolt in like the 4L65 is, I know the crossmember has to be changed. Wouldn't using a 4L80 cause you to burn more gas?

First gear the the 80 isn't as deep as in the 60/65's, not sure about the others. Full stats are available at gmcanada.com in the specs, not sure if they're available at chevy.com anymore.

That doesn't seem to slow down Parrish, though =).

Originally Parrish did the 6.0 swap.. then I think he switched it out again for a 383 or a 402 or something around that size, paired with a 4L80.

He used to have a website that detailed all of his stuff, and showed his old truck. Two weeks after doing the 6.0 swap on it, the stock transmission blew up going down the dragstrip =).

Check out Parrish's latest video here:

http://turbotruck.toolbarnracing.com/parish9attempt.wmv

1000+ RWHP seems to do that to a 4L60E.... :bloated:

1000+ RWHP seems to do that to a 4L60E.... :bloated:

:evillol:

http://www.neufamily.org/truck.html

Heh, can you picture my truck doing that??

1000+ RWHP seems to do that to a 4L60E.... :bloated:

LOL

I vote for a 6.0 :ylsuper: