[hgs_notes]

A lot has happened since my last post on this thread. The brown truck was for sale to help get me down payment money for a farm place I was buying. Turns out I didn't need to cash for that and got the farm anyway.

Just before I was gonna start moving the engine in the brown truck died. Back fired a couple times and wouldn't restart. I checked things out, has oil pressure, has spark, its getting gas, but won't run. Turned the dizzy and it back fired. We think the timing chain slipped. So it's been sitting since late August.

I used my 71 during the move. Also the 82 4wd crew, but that one is a bit less convenient to load and unload, so mostly the 71. All during the move, over the past month or so, I've been thinking about my options with the brown truck. I really like it and didn't really want to sell it. I could just fix the timing chain issue (if that's the problem) and move on with it as is. I could rebuild the 454 keeping it stock. I could build it for more performance but that is pretty damn expensive. I could swap in a motor, but which one?

If I was going to take the time to rebuild the engine it would have to be a performance upgrade. That's just how I roll. The problem is cost. Power costs money. A few bolt ons were not going to satisfy my thirst. Heads are where power is really made. Heads are around $900 each for a basic performance head. Piston kits are around $400 or more. A few hundred more will get you a stroker rotating assembly with forged pistons. Add more for intake, machine work, cam, lifters, etc and you quickly are looking at a $4000 bill.

Swap options were not great. Another good stock big block is a minimum of $500 (core charges are about $300) and anything better than an RV engine is $1000 or more. If it had any performance parts it was at least $3000 for anything I was finding available. I could switch it to a small block and save a bunch and have performance but that is still upwards of $1500.

Of course the LS swap is almost everyones automatic response, so I checked around. Prices on those have been going up recently. I checked with a few yards and the best deal on a 6.0 was $1150 for one with over 300k miles. Lower mileage ones were around $2000 with accessories and possibly having to pay a $300 - 600 core charge. So I looked at 5.3s and at 2 of the biggest yards in the area it was about $1200 for the engine.

I was driving home yesterday and went by a yard I've stopped at a couple times and I inspect their air tank. They didn't have any 6.0s and if they did they wanted $2500-3000 for it. But they had a 5.3 at their other yard. Has about 200k miles but they said it was a good runner. $500 for the engine without accessories, another $50 for those. No core charge. I said I'll take it.

So Monday I will pick it up and the brown crew will get a transplant.

They driving force, the motivation, is coming from the idea of the next road trip. For any of you that know me and my 71 build thread, its all about the next trip. I am living with my girlfriend now and she has a kid at home yet and I have a son that takes my trips with me. I need more seating capacity but don't have a reliable classic vehicle to use, which means I have to build one.

The brown crew got the nod. It rides pretty nice, the cab is fairly solid, has AC and will make a great cruiser. I talked to my boy about the body work. I'm sending him to school for it I should see some immediate benefit from that. The major rust repair is just rockers. I have good front doors. If I get the newer style front sheetmetal for the 82 I can use the front off that on the brown truck. A buddy of mine has a suburban with some decent rear doors and other parts to have power windows and locks and it has a very nice tan interior. He has a couple good tailgates also. The bed is solid but has some dents. Basically the body isn't a disaster.

I'm shooting for finishing this up by next June, but a lot depends on selling my old house ($$$$$$) and how many other projects and work eat up my time. Next June is the best I think I can do. And it could turn into June 2017.

Wish me luck.