Just wondering how pricing compared nowadays. I last bought a GM crate motor in 1997 and it was around $1200. Anyone know how much they run now? How has had a shop put together a long block for them lately? How much was it running? I understand it cost more when you install a different cam, heads, etc?
Looks like we are right in the same area. I used a GM Goodwrench crate engine for my K5 last year. It was $1700 with free shipping from summit racing. It runs great and is quiet. I used a new water pump, had a new core put in my radiator, new wires, cap, rotor, plugs, tstat, belts, etc. I didn't want to mess with trying to get more power out of a tbi engine, so I went stock. I had the new engine to put parts onto as I was pulling the old engine. It was a great choice, but the stock power level on an 88 5.7 is crap, especially with 35" tires.
My pickup has been another story. I went custom and local on it. I got over 100k miles on the 383 from star auto in Redlands, but the machinist that did the work is no longer there. It failed with a head gasket and it looked as if he failed to deck the block. That block had the same head gasket failure when it was a 350.
Two years ago I pulled the 383 instead of doing just head gaskets, since it had hard miles on it. I had it built into a 406 (different block) and had some major porting done on the aluminum heads and intake. This time I went with a 10:1 CR scat cast crank, forged rods, hyper pistons, hydraulic flat tappet cam (comp 270h magnum), and kept the roller tipped rockers from the 383. It ran like a raped ape and had incredible low end torque, that you could really feel from 2500 to around 4800 rpm (by seat of the pants feel), but still pulled well to 5500+ rpm. I need to go to a bigger carb, so I never saw it's full potential. It was based on a magazine article called 406 Impersonator. It's a small block that pulls like a big block. Their dyno tests and dyno runs on other engines that my head guy worked on were rated at 420hp and 525tq, with something like 470tq at 2500 rpm
Last month, with 27k on the engine and trans, I lost the trans and learned that the thrust bearing was toast on the engine. It is now being rebuilt by the best friend of the guy that builds my transmissions. The trans guy is the only employee of my uncle who owns the trans shop (lowells automotive in Fontana). Engine shop is BMS machine in San bernardino.
There were some skipped or less than perfect details with the machining and assembly of the last build. BDS just got a new forged crank for my rebuild and sent it to their crank guy (the only step they don't do in house). The crank had to be turned to be trued. It was new and a major brand-still have to ask what brand they chose. It was turned and re-heat treated. The cast scat cranks have had quality control issues with surface finish and squareness and stroke. The last builder used "P" bearings, which are supposedly bottom of the line. The new guy will use "h" bearings.
The new build will have a full roller cam and rockers and the guide plates will be adjustable to get good valve train geometry. We are reusing the hyper pistons, but the newer forged pistons can be run pretty much as tight as hypers and they weigh less. I just can't justify the money when mine are good and it won't make much difference in the build. If it had to be bored again, I would go full forged.
It all depends on what you want to do with the engine.
My K5 needed to be cheap and reliable while working with tbi.
My 79 C20 needed to have as much torque as possible out of a small block, since I didn't want the expense and hassle of swapping a big block (I already have near a grand in headers, and a swap means a smog referee).
I got 4 of them 
I read it like my life depended on it. only odd thing that voided it was not having a new or rebuilt radiator and water pump at time of install and reciepts for both
