I don't know why you thought you needed a hemi. Of course they are expensive. That is just one reason why I wont bother with a hemi. I think it is hugely sacreligious to put a cheby engine in a Mopar. Sorry, but I am a real Mopar fan and anyone like me, would never DREAM of doing so. Who care about how cheap an ls engine is. So are 318s, 360s, etc. I've said all I care to on this thread.
