[Scarebird]

My 71 Lemans ragtop had a stroked 400 (440) with Edelbrock Port FI and KRE 85cc heads, roller cam; all hooked up to a M22Z and 2.93 8.5" posi. It struggled to get double digit fuel mileage. I know the purpose of these cars is not fuel mileage, but given we may be in Europe with it and $8/gallon fuel is not good.

So the 440 was sold off locally and the transmission assembly to somebody on the board. My Trans Am has a LS3 EROD crate motor in it coupled to a TKO-600; outstanding power with decent mileage and superb drivability - so I looked in that direction.


GM LS motors come in 3 versions:

1997-2004 Gen III: these are 4.8's, 5.3's, and 5.7's They have cable throttle bodies and cathedral ports

2005-2013 Gen IV: 4.8, 5.3, 6.0 were the main sizes and were drive by wire with rectangular ports.

2014 to present Gen V: 5.3 and 6.2 are the main guys, DBW and Direct Injection and here, with 2019 to present having more advanced ECU's.


I initially wanted to by a Gen IV GM 5.3 crate motor, new - but GM does not sell those even with a big demand for them (the used market is drying up). I ran across this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265152154490

A brand new 2019 L84 with most of the stuff I will need. The sale was consumated and the seller was quick to ship the motor.