My opinion. An LS would be the smart choice performance wise and everything else, but if you choose an SBC you will probably have an engine nobody else has soon, Since everybody else has LS in their cars now.

I really don't think LS engines are that common. Many people don't have the knowledge or money for such a swap. Of all the car shows I went to this summer, very few LSs. Still the majority is sporting the sbc

They made small blocks for 50 years?

The first SBC was in 1955 with a displacement of 265 cu in. Technically, the Gen V is still a SBC. http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/n...mallblock.html
GEN I SBC are more common at the car shows, but my Gen 1 SBC 350 with 2 piece rear main always leaked.

Jeff

I was being a bit of a smart ass. Good luck going to any car show in America and not seeing a traditional small block chevy.

Ok, I may have exaggerated a bit, but it is an very growing trend, especially in "handling/Pro-Touring" type of cars, wich is the case here, not only American cars but all brands.

And I think it`s cooler to have an Hot Rodded brand-X-engine than an "bolt-in" LS (even though it is often better)

I do like LS motors! Even if it do not seem like that. I like ALL engines.

But for usability and overall performance an stockish LS is probably hard to beat in comparison. I would use what I have, it is already running and fits in the car. $$ adds up fast probably. It is often too much camshaft that ruins usability the most anyway.

Do what makes you the most happy, thats whats important. And not what others think. :)

Truth.

It does get expensive to do it right, I agree to do what ever makes you happy. I'm very pleased with my LS, except for the low end power.

I thought about going the LS route but it would have cost a small fortune. I changed my heads and cam on my 388 sbc to Profiler heads (they are badazz) and went with a lunati voodoo roller cam. Tons of power all over the rpm range. It cost me about 5 grand less than an LS and saved me probably 3k more from having to change everything out like harness, exhaust, computer, and accessories. I have no regrets.

my dads 383:
.030 bore
5.7 rods
9.6:1 static compression
cast eagle crank
gm heads ported and matched (forget the casting but i know they were popular in the 70s for drag and circle track racing)
edelbrock rpm airgap
~450 hp, a set of afr heads would push it to 500 no problem.