MrTorresJr

I am unsure whether to buy a crate 350 or LS1?
What are the ball-park prices for both? .

Nothing high performance, just reliable, power when needed with a strong roar.

All suggestions welcome but please provide some explanation due to my inexperience. Thank you in advance.

cutlassefi

That'll be your call. There are no "crate" Olds 350's, although you can get anything from a short block to a long block to a complete running engine from myself or Smitty and maybe one or two others. Let me know if I can help.

oldcutlass

If your going the bowtie route, you need to price in a transmission as your stock one is not compatible. You also need to figure in engine mounts/frame brackets, accessory brackets and some accessories, miscellaneous wiring changes, etc because things like the starter, alternator, and sensors move. Also depending on what level crate motor you buy, you may also need a distributor and starter.

It sounds easy for someone to suggest a crate motor but the costs are higher to adapt everything

Olds92

Get a stock big block olds. Plenty of power if your not looking for anything crazy.

70cutty

If you are going Chevy go LS anything else is not worth the effort. JMO

csouth

As Oldcutlass said you will need to address the way your wiring is setup along with the frame and motor mounts should you switch to a Chevy motor, crate or LS. You can however use your existing transmission with a BOP to Chevy adapter plate. Personally if not converting to LS, I would just get a built Olds 350 over a Chevy crate motor.
For LS you also have to also factor in new fuel system, harness modification and ECM programming. You can use manifolds vs headers to save money.

ach1992880

I can tell you that going LS is not cheap, even with a lower mileage used engine to start with.

Engine/ecu/harness: 2000
4l60e trans: 500
fuel system: 500
mounts: 200
Headers: 300
Dyno tune: 450
new gauges: 500

There are other small costs that eat into the budget really quickly, but this is an honest list of the larger expenses you'd see if you want to do it well enough to have a reliable and clean installation. Figure almost 6,000 for a stock swap when it's all said and done, that's doing everything yourself including rewiring the harness. For that cost you could build a nice 455 and 400 and go have fun. It's all in what you want.

garys 68&72

Forget the crate LS. If you piece together everything you need new buying the crate LS, then a trans, then all accessories/brackets, then all electronics, then all fuel system, etc, you'll have almost $10k in those parts alone.
Really the only way to do an LS is with used complete takeout. You can consider the iron block truck motors at around 1/3 the price of an aluminum LS1,2,3 motor.
My LS build for my 72:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-iii-swap.html
If you have an olds engine that's workable, consider finding someone reliable and local to rebuild. For a novice, your best bet.
A chevy carbed crate 350 will require adaptations but might be a better option if you don't have a motor or yours is not rebuildable. As pointed out above, you'll need adapters, new accessories/brackets, etc too.

ach1992880

I'm 90% done with my 6.0 LQ9 drive by wire swap right now, it is a very involved process and far more work than a typical "engine swap". I haven't added up my total costs, but by the time i take into account my $2k transmission, $600 converter, cam swap, bigger injectors and everything else involved $10k doesn't seem like an out of this world figure. I know I'm pretty far under that (over the $6k figure I gave you) but I have done a everything in my garage gaining knowledge from ls1tech.com. At the end I'll be loving 400hp at the rear wheels and all day every day drivability with cruise control and mid 20's highway mileage.

captjim

Hard to argue with that, as much as I like SBOs, especially since you are starting from scratch. It is an easy swap. You could build a 403, BB cubes in a SB platform, though there are some little quirks involved.

Octania

If you want to play Dr. Frankenstein why not go with a Hemi? Plenty of them in trucks and whatnot. Blown Hemi coming out now too. YeeeeeeeeHah!

coppercutlass

Like its been mentioned. The ls can be cheap but you will need a take out from a wrecked car. I don't trust junkyard motors. I priced it out for about 7k on the high side for my car. The beauty of the ls is it has all modern technology. Fuel injection , and even the little 5.3 can be made into a 11 second screamer will not so many mods and still be completly streetable and get decent mpg. Now I'm all for olds powered olds but let's not deny technology here. If I had the money I would do an LS all day. But if you want cheap power to drop in then a 455 is the way to go. I'm thinking of going bbo my self but if it cost more than x amount of dollars then going to a ls might be what I do. As one of my old co workers who worked for oldsmobile in the 70's used to say " screw your carburetor GIVE ME TECHNOLOGY ! " lol.

garys 68&72

Funny you should say that. When I first started my LS 442, my first words were,
"It's alive!"

jag1886

A MOPAR in an Olds? I can see the LS, everyone always say Chevy but it's really just a GM engine they use in everything.
As much money as I have in my setup now I wish I had put an LS in I'd have 75 hp more and it would run like a new modern car.