I've been doing research about engine swaps and came across this archived thread

//www.fiero.nl/forum/A...130314-2-117926.html

It's 4+ years old, so I'd like to revive the discussion. What's the swap world look like right now? It seems like the LS4 is a bit more "up and coming" and the 3800SC is the "old reliable" that may be starting to fade. Is this a fair characterization? What kind of cost would I be looking at for these swaps? Based on the linked thread there's already a strong knowledge base about the 3800SC swap. How does that compare to the LS4 swap a few years later?

Not much has changed since then. The people with completed LS4 swaps still love them, but there still are not that many (maybe 20 or so).

The LS4 will always be more complicated and more expensive than the 3800. The 3800sc will remain the go to platform for those looking for a fully documented, vendor support for every needed part, and relatively economical 300+hp swap.

I'm pretty interested in an LS4 swap, I wish I could go for a ride in one.

I'm about to sell off one of my turbo 3800 swaps I need a new project.

If you want cheap & easy, the 3800 is definitely the way to go. If you want a manual trans, without an adapter plate or hacking up the bell housing, the 3800 is definitely a better choice.

If you want a 300+ HP V8 with an automatic trans, then an LS4 is hard to beat.