No, buying all new stuff would put BOTH Gen III and the LA engine in same ballpark BUT there’s tons of cheap good parts out there for the LA or Magnum platform plus one can pick them up from the yards for $100 to $300. The lowest Ive seen for a 5.7 is $1500 then you’ll spend $2000 for all the extras to get it in car and running, very little used stuff out there yet for them. Let alone the 392 engines It’s not a bargain basement engine. Be realistic
Gonna have a real hard time building a $3500 SB that will make the power a JY 5.7 will with that carb and intake. Heck whatever carb you use on the SB would work on the hemi so really you buy the MSD and intake.
PS... I have bought several 6.4s under $1000, you just got to know where to look just like finding real good cheap SB goodies... I just had a long block show up in a crate for $900 total including shipping with just a bad cam, I have never even heard of a pair $900 SB heads that flow 340 CFM much less a long block less cam 392 CID SB for that price.
