Not new... but it's been about a year...

[txarkitekt]

the LS1 is a 5.7 liter all aluminum motor which is pretty much the norm in camaro's and t/a's. the 5.3 LM7 is the most common motor in 99+ trucks and suv's. in my opinion, its a great motor for any light duty truck with decent power and fuel efficiancy. it is an iron block aluminum head motor which is very durable and can put up with great amounts of abuse(trust me, i do know this first hand). the 65e is the updated version of the 60e and by all means, go with the 65e- its been proven to be a very good tranny unlike the 60. the 80 is for high hp or heavy duty work trucks, most commonly found in the 2500's. hope this helps with any of your questions.

Damn Dave--well done sir!!! You surprised the heck out of me!

That helped clear some questions I had in my mind; thanks. I know the LS1 quite well from having looked at getting a Camaro or T/A for well over a year... I spent so much time on that side that I missed the truck side, at least as far as motors go.

The more I think about it, the more the 5.3/65e combo is starting to look like a good idea and make a lot of sense. I guess what I'm looking for is the drivetrain and harness from a 99+. When did the 65e come into play?

Yeah, you are gunna need a whole new drivetrain. Your rear axle can stay, but you will need a LSD and 3.73 gears at least. As for a 5.3L, you can get one for cheap: Click here. And a 65e is basically a 60e with 5 pinion plantaries, hardened input and ouput shafts. They are found on trucks 03 and newer. They aren't that bad either. I couldn't find one right away, but here is a good unit for a decent price: Built 4L60e.