[Modena]

Ryder, given your situation as you describe, you are probably right not to go the route of buying an entire wreck (space, time, effort etc).

As to whether you buy a new crate motor or from a wrecker, if you're happy with a second hand motor then you will save money, there's not much else in the equation. Just remember that the warranty is likely to be a maximum of 12 months, and you are not likely to have the car driveable in 12 months so the warranty may be useless.

I'm going for a new crate motor because it's what I want in the car - to my mind this is basically a new car, and I'm using a lot of new parts (box, diff, clutch etc). If this isn't important to you then you may as well go second hand and save some coin.

To the original question, L98 and LS3 both have the better head casting. I say casting because they do not have the same gear on the heads. The LS3 gets sodium-filled exhaust valves, bigger valves, etc.

The heads on an LS3 will flow 600hp without port modification.

LS2 vs L98? Same capacity 6.0L, L98 has better flow, but the LS2 seems to be more bulletproof. L98 however is very common here in AU, years from now that may be a bonus. The LS2 was the last of the LS engines with the cathedral port heads, and was rated at 400hp. The factory power ratings are fairly meaningless however, as with exhast and proper edit they will all make over 440hp.

LS3 is effectively an updated LS2, the LS2 was only in production for about 3-4 years I think.

If you ask around the new Holden circles you will hear a lot of people have had their LS3 HSV in for replacement lifters under warranty, in some cases less than 10,000kms. This doesn't phase me as I plan on upgrading cam and lifters anyway in the first year of driving.

I have heard that new LS3 crate motors may now be coming with DoD hardware (what Holden call AFM), even though it wont get used in the current VE HSV. You don't want DoD in your Cobra if you can avoid it, its a bunch of hardware that you wont use and just adds complication for something that you will never activate.

The LS3 is the engine to choose just in comparing technical details. Is it worth 3K more, I would say no, that is to expensive. Brand new in a crate an LS3 goes for about $1,500 more than an L77 (updated L98). Given the specific engines you describe, I wouldn't be paying $9K for an LS3-combo which has been front smashed. The box is probably worth 1500-2000, so that means they want 7000-7500 for the motor and ancillaries. What are ancillaries worth? computer, loom, PS pump, alternator. 9K seems like a lot to me.