hypothetical costs- C-10 to Corvette conversion daydreaming

[anderskorn]

bear with me this post might get a little windy, as its kind of like my general thoughts and feelings on what to do with my truck. 

1. From people that KNOW.  For a power train swap, how much would it cost to put a new crate corvette motor (the new one with the super-CharGer) and transmission into the truck?  cost of parts, AND labor from someone that knows what they are doing with the motors, in tha LA area. 

2. Lets say i find a body for the truck that is in cherry condition, would i be better off getting that and doing the corvette conversion on that and just letting my current run down truck be used as the beater?  I'm uploading a video right now to youtube and i'll post that in a little bit so you folks can get a look at the condition of the body....

3. Is there anyone that feels like i would be better off with NOT doing a corvette conversion.  Will i be able to reach 600+ hp on a small block 350 and still maintain the "reliability" of brand new crate corvette motor installed professionally.?  If there are any that think this is possible please list a halfway decent short list of what needs to be done to get to that point power-train wise.  If not the 350 then what motor should be used?  I want reliability And power in the 600 range....

3. As money isn't really that big of a deal, I still would like to keep the price of the project below 50 grand.  Having said that, i want a corvette red C-10 on airbags, black interior, corvette instruments.  CAN THIS BE DONE FOR 50 GRAND?  Obviously you can do anything with unlimited funds.  But this is a project vehicle that i want to turn heads because you just don't see something like that anywhere.  I'll abstain from saying what i plan on buying for a car before starting this project, having said that, this project is well down the road as i want to buy a particular car first, this also has the added benefit of giving me time to research exactly what needs to be done, and find a shop that i will be comfortable putting this in their hands to do.
In case anyone wants to know, my wife right now makes between 1 and 150k, and her income will only go up.  She's being told by numerous people in the hierarchy of her company that she's being looked at to be the next female partner on the board of directors.  So thats why i get to say that money isn't that big of a deal.  IF we don't have it on hand, i wait a month or two and the money comes in and there it is....    my avatar is us at x-mas 05. 

Anyway, the grand point is... opinions, opinions, opinions please.  This truck runs GREAT, and if i don't use it for the conversion, i'm just going to paint it myself (can't hurt the body anymore than it already is) mat black and put new tires on it and get a good differential rear end (its open atm) and be done with it.   

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[anderskorn]

by the way, thats NOT trash in the back LOL, i just moved out of my other house and am staying with friends, thats just junk that i don't really have a place to put i tossed in bags to get it out of the house so i could final out the house.  I need to clean it out soon...   

[VileZambonie]

Where do you plan to get the engine from? What transmission? What is your truck? What kind of controller do you plan to use? Exhaust? Figure an extra 50 hours for fabrication, fitment and tuning at the least. Good thing money is no object if you're paying someone to do this.

[anderskorn]

Where do you plan to get the engine from? What transmission? What is your truck? What kind of controller do you plan to use? Exhaust? Figure an extra 50 hours for fabrication, fitment and tuning at the least. Good thing money is no object if you're paying someone to do this.

I didn't say money is no object, i said that its not That big of a deal.  I Want to keep the cost lower than a certain point.. that IS an object...  I was just stating facts as they pertain to me.     I'd love to do the work myself, but i don't have that level of technical expertise on modern motors and custom work, not to mention all the specialized tools that will be needed to do the extra fabrication.

as far as where to get the engine from, I assume that i can get one from the factory, no?  Go to a chevy dealer or find a shop that can get this done, and order one.  I wanted to use the same transmission that the motor is paired with by design.  The entire power-train should be as close to what is corvette as possible.  I'm no where Near ready to do this, that is why i'm asking questions and trying to find out if its Even possible; because quite frankly, it IS a daydream right now....

If the corvette power-train can't be done because i can't get the motor and trans from the factory, then i'd like to hear suggestions on what would be the most feasible route to go. 
The truck i have is the very same one in the video i have on my original post. I paid 500 bucks for it about two years ago and since buying it i put that motor and trans in it.  Would have done more with it but the wife and i had to save up for this move back to the mainland.  Priorities and all, this one didn't rank very high on the "Needs" list. 

[VileZambonie]

The engine from a gm dealer will be a long block. You would have to purchase all of the implements separate. That engine isn't even available as a crate motor yet to my knowledge. The super charger, accessories and all of that stuff will very quickly suck up your $50g budget. The LS7 is available however you have better options. Are looking at manual or Automatic set up? What type of emissions regulations are you going to have to endure? Are you bent on going with the Corvette powertrain? You can easily build a higher output supercharged engine cheaper.

[anderskorn]

The engine from a gm dealer will be a long block. You would have to purchase all of the implements separate. That engine isn't even available as a crate motor yet to my knowledge. The super charger, accessories and all of that stuff will very quickly suck up your $50g budget.
1.---The LS7 is available however you have better options.
2.---Are looking at manual or Automatic set up?
3.---What type of emissions regulations are you going to have to endure?
4.--- Are you bent on going with the Corvette powertrain?
5.---You can easily build a higher output supercharged engine cheaper.

See, this is good shoot right there. 
1. I'd like to hear anything you have to say on the subject of "better options"  links, suggestions, general thoughts.  Again, this is just a sounding board for what would be the "best" way to go about accomplishing a "Vette" conversion for the truck.
2.  I'd really like to stay away from a manual.  I'll be living in LA, and having driven a manual in stop and go traffic, it quickly becomes a chore.  /puke.
3.  Will have to be perfectly cally legal, unfortunately. lol.
4.  The reason for the corvette is the truck is a chevy truck.  Paint it vette red, badge it, go vette with a truck.  Some will say, why, but some will appreciate that its fairly unique, not just cool just to be cool, but actually relatively unique.
5.  On that note, if i did that, would vette people accept the truck without the "correct" guts making the wheels spin.  I go something else thats cheaper, will it still be "reliable?"

having said all this, if all i wanted to do was have a "reliable" 600hp street legal emissions legal truck in LA, if you where going to accomplish this, how would go about doing this? 

body and interior work getting done first, power train comes last as the final touch, so I'm prepared to wait till the motor I'm referring to actually is available.   

i appreciate the active conversation.  I'm hear to learn, and hopefully network with a few people already in the LA area, so any insightful education you have pertaining to the subject is appreciated.   

[eventhorizon66]

http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=248897

http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=252730

For alot less $$$ (but alot more fabrication, tuning, and headaches), how about a stroked LQ9 and an STS turbo?  I bet there are plenty of tuners in the LA area that could make that combo emissions compliant.

[Captkaos]

Engine: 
Get any 2000- up 6.0L/4L80E from a 3/4T truck along with the wiring harness (or buy an aftermarket one) $1500 ($500 for harness) 
Buy a STS remote turbo charger (I am a dealer for them and i am going to put 2 on my 6.0L)  $1800 for single $2800 for dual universal kit, $500 for tubing.  This will put you at 600hp EASY!  The 2000 RCSB Silverado my twin has it putting out 600hp right now.
Suspension:
If you want Vette and you want it low call Porterbuilt, they will make you a bolt-in/weld in rear clip for the truck that will utilize 90's C4 Corvette suspension  I don't have an estimate, but the front is roughly $1200 rear I would be guessing around $3000

[oldwhity]

When I had my 57 chevy pick-up back in the day I used to think about picking up a rolled C5 and swapping the bodies. Obviously with a little work due to the wheelbase difference. Just a thought, you could wait for a wrecked new with a supercharger.