it is my daily driver for right now but i just got a 97 monte carlo for better mpg dd so this is going to be a weekend car im still lookin for reliability though, but want to to be able to take a c5 without much effort.

i was looking into the le3's and they seem pretty nice, anyone have a good setup with le3's??

 

some of these guys on here are retards telling you to do a H/C package with 130k on the clock. Sure, you can do it, but it wont be the best idea

Here is how I would do it
pull the motor.

While your heads are getting machined, taek your block to the machine shop.

Get some scat I-beam rods, and some like keith black hyper eutectic pistons.
Then use the stock crank, get new bearings installed, etc.

Its not HP that kills our engines, its RPMS.

so, after you have the parts i mentioned, you'd have a pretty reliable bottom end for an N/A setup (i mean, hell, people with turbos, etc, use stock cranks and some even use stock rods, and any piston will basically be fine for an N/A setup)

Then get an LE3 or AI head/cam package to put on top.

Bottom end should be less than 2k, with that and your heads/cam, you should be under your budget.

Then use the rest for a tune, etc.

 

If I had $5000 to spend. I would do a H/C swap along with all supporting bolts ons. I would have my rod bearing replaced as well. Possibly a turbo, there is nothing like the pull of a turbo.

 

If I had $5000 to spend on your car:

1. Catback exhaust (probably Magnaflow)
2. LS1 brakes w/ stainless braided lines
3. Suspension/chassis stuff (subframe connectors, LCAs w/ relocation brackets, adjustable panhard, adjustable torque arm, front A-arms, and tubular K-member).
4. 12-bolt or Dana 60
5. Clutch

Then I'd realize I'd spent all of my money without adding much horsepower. But then I'd put on a set of drag radials and go around doing 5000 rpm clutch dumps without worrying about breaking anything.

Then work on saving up another five grand and get yourself a nice 396ci stroker or something.