Wrecked on Christmas, Flooded....Need some help

[06DDLBZ]

Hello Everyone. I am from South Louisiana. 15 months ago on Christmas day my wife decided to take my truck to bring her Grandmother a plate, even though we were visiting there later. I did not say anything because it was Christmas. About 20 minutes later I got a call from her telling me she put my truck in the ditch. She didn't anything head on but the hood, passenger fender, passenger front door and bedside got raped. All cosmetic just looked pretty bad.

I brought the truck to my buddies home shop who works at a very good paint and body shop so he could do it on the side. He got the truck about 99% fixed but could not finish it because Mishimoto's Intercooler they replaced for free was on backorder (see how my luck goes so far...)

We then got hit by a massive rain storm and got 25-30 inches in a single day. My family lost all their homes to the flooding except two. My truck that was almost complete, also flooded.

Because of demoing our homes and fighting the mold I was not able to tend to my truck.

I have pulled the motor and transmission out and the truck has just been painted. I now have to figure out build this motor. I doubt if anything I have is even any good.

The motor had about 100,000 miles on it. The transmission WAS a Calvin's tranny. I am sure both are shot. The truck has sentimental value to me so not fixing it is not an option. The truck would/is a daily driver. I would like the most horsepower on the street that's fun. I have gone overboard before on a race car build and the car wasn't fun because it was too much. 12.5-13 second quarter mile truck is plenty for me.

I am not looking to drag the truck and I don't tow too often, if I do its lighter loads that don't even qualify as towing like four wheelers ect.

Can someone please help point me in the right direction? I am sure I need pistons and rods. I am sure my engine is rusted. I just need some direction on how to go about this the right way I have a little common sense when its comes to motors but I don't know how to approach this any help would be appreciated. I cannot go to crazy on this because this flood has hurt quite a bit.


I have mostly bolt ons...
Intercooler
Radiator
RDL Up Pipes
Exhaust/Downpipe
EFI Live Kory Willis
Ruined Calvin's Tranny
My EGR pipe got bent a little from when the hood got hit...


I attached a pic of the truck before the wreck. Truck has never seen mud until it saw that ditch.....you could eat off it any day of the week it makes me sick.

If there is any reputable builders in south Louisiana or near me please let me know.

Thanks

 

[zakkb787]

That was a great looking truck. Sorry for you losses. My opinion would be try to find a donor for the truck. It looks to be an 06-07 lbz from the grill. Those stock rods will hold 600hp or maybe a little more or so I'm told. But the pistons are weaker than the earlier engines. I would swap over a good donor motor and put your bolt ons on it. But if you're set on rebuilding. Use Your rods if they aren't roached or get another set of stock rods and get a set of lb7 pistons (preferably delipped but not really needed at this power level). A super sport pump. A set of .30 over injectors. As far as the tranny... I'm not really sure. You could pull it apart and see how it looks. Maybe rebuild it? If you go the donor route you'll have an extra engine to build if you ever get a wild hair to want huge numbers. Just my .02. But I'm just a kid so what do I know

 

[06DDLBZ]

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[06DDLBZ]

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[06DDLBZ]

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[06DDLBZ]

Thanks for the input


I tried to post all the pics when it was done with paint but I cannot load them.

 

[CarolinaHD]

Try resizing the pictures, it's been near impossible to upload pictures since the forum was updated. Sorry about the bad luck. You can easily reach your quarter mile goals with a stock motor.

 

[WVRigrat05]

Mine was flooded and the guy that bought it got it to run just fine, not sure how long or if it's still alive.

I'd also find a wrecked truck for the drivetrain and go from there. That way if any electrical component is bad you can just swap it.

 

[TheBac]

Just get rid of the EGR system and rebuild the trans. The rest of your parts list should get you into the 12's as is.

And no...600hp really isnt a wise goal on a stock motor.

 

[zakkb787]

Just get rid of the EGR system and rebuild the trans. The rest of your parts list should get you into the 12's as is.

And no...600hp really isnt a wise goal on a stock motor.

I stand corrected. Went back and reread some of the threads I got this numbers from. Stick around 550. Even then be sure you're tuned from someone trustworthy. I don't wanna be responsible for your blown motor especially after everything you've been through. I apologize again.

 

[036.6turbo]

That was a great looking truck. Sorry for you losses. My opinion would be try to find a donor for the truck. It looks to be an 06-07 lbz from the grill.

Find a beat up truck for a donor. Even a northern rusted truck. With the water damage you may need some modules, switches etc.

All my vehicles are rebuilt from salvage. Its not that tough, just take your time.

I'm doing a 2015 denali now, from a roll over.

 

[06DDLBZ]

No one thinks I should just do pistons, rods and head studs if I get another drive train. I don't want to pull this motor out again. Can anyone shed any light on what horsepower it takes for a 12.5-13 second truck? I was working under the assumption that anything over 600 on the street is too much. I have terrible luck I could see a piston melting at 600hp no?

Thanks for all your input

 

[WVRigrat05]

If an injector goes and ou don't catch it, you're gonna loose a piston. I'd do pistons and rods just so it's done, you can run a smaller turbo and some decent sticks and keep the power low and have a 600-650 max tune if that's the route you want to go.

A stock air/fuel truck can run 12.5-13 sec. if you want to run low 12's and have a reliable truck, do a set of rods and pistons a set of 60 overs and a 472 and call it good.

 

[06DDLBZ]

I am buying a donor motor, with transmission, transfer case, and the all ECU, harnesses, ect for $7500 shipped with 113k miles on it Wednesday.

The motor looks very clean and is from California. I cannot see any mods on it. It does not come with any type of warranty. I guess it should be find since I am going into the motor anyway.

 

[Awenta]

That's pretty steep


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[WVRigrat05]

That's pretty steep


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A little, but a lot of these assholes with low mileage motors (10-50k) want that just for the motor.

 

[cdbright]

that was one hell of a ditch she found

 

[06DDLBZ]

Remanufactured are going for 4-5k without any miles but I don't know these companies like Backwater. I saw a YouTube video of ford motor built by Blackwater and it was horrible.

Used stock GM engines are going for the same with 100-200k miles.

One guy has a front clip, engine, tranny and harnessed ect for $11,000

Been searching for about a month and the guy that wants $7k plus shipping is the best deal I have found.

If you guys find anything else please let me know. I am purchasing this motor Wednesday.

I will post pics.

 

[06DDLBZ]

113k
$7k plus $500 shipping.....

 

[06DDLBZ]

that was one hell of a ditch she found

I wouldn't have been as upset/pissed if she wrecked it during a normal routine errand, not one that was unwarranted.

The ONLY positive thing I can say is that it never hit anything head on I was able to remove the radiator and intercooler and they were in perfect condition. Just a whole lot of cosmetic damage......if that tree that got the side touched the cab it would have been over.