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Old 10-10-2017, 10:58 AM   #13
The1960APE
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Asheville NC
Posts: 494
Re: Just got a 85 GMC SWB are the LS swaps that hard?

Quote:
Originally Posted by gmachinz View Post
Well I will not comment on the price ranges you stated-but I will say theres a huge difference between trucks with an obvious LS swap vs trucks with one that is so clean it appears factory-nobody seems to appreciate a really well done LS conversion. Now, if the install looks shabby AND you paid those install prices, then yes I'd say they are crazy. But keep in mind shops have to pay for their employees and I dont think you'd want some knuckle dragger working on your clean truck half assing everything right? Its always going to be probably half as much or better doing it all yourself-but thats how it is with everything. The days of a $500 motor/trans swap are long gone lol (sad to say)
/\...Well said. My 1961 Apache was my first swap, most of it was done at a close friends shop. Just a rough guess but I'd bet after you secure an engine and tranny and fixed or depinned harness you may be looking at around 1500-2800 in parts and tuning at a minimum and if your really meticulous you could probably make it look ok but if your going to do AC flush the firewall, hide all the wiring, do nice looking billet pieces, and really go for esthetics then your looking at quite a bit more!
And those guys are right.... if its going to be low, change the pan!
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