It's a money pit!! But it's an LS motor!! So that's ok!!

Once again I am disgusted by magazine writers infatuation with the GM LS engines. In the current issue of Super Chevy, the staff decided to put an LS engine in a 1965 Chevelle. Since it was a garden-variety 2dr post coupe, not a Z16 SS396 or anything special, I didn't have a problem with that, so I kept reading. What I DID have a problem with started almost immediately. They wanted to go low-budget, so they started searching junkyards. They bought a 5.3 out of a Tahoe that had 150,000 miles on it, and needed a rebuild. Since they only paid $200 for it, they thought it was a screamin' deal.  Then they figured out it was a 4.8, and were disappointed, because the 4.8's make substantially less power than the 5.3's, either stock or modified. Ok, stop right there. Why didn't they take it back to the junkyard and demand their money back? Even if the junkyard refused to refund their money-for $200 I'd have just gritted my teeth, tried to re-sell it to someone else, and started looking for a 5.3, 5.7 or 6.0. Think about it- if you were looking for a 350 and a junkyard sold you one that turned out to be a 305, wouldn't you take it back and demand a refund, or that they at least get you a 350 which is what they promised?  I certainly would. What I wouldn't do is just go "Ok, now I guess I'll just build a 305, which isn't going to have half the power of a 350, yet cost the same to build."  Well they decided to proceed. They thought they could just do a rings-n-bearings, cam replacement type freshening. Turns out, it had piston damage, crank damage, and cylinder head damage. Again-right here-I would have cut my losses and started searching for another engine. They'd only be out $200, and perhaps a more careful search and a few more dollars would find you a much better engine to start with. One that wouldn't need an expensive rebuild or one that ran good enough that you could just put some hot rod parts on it-intake, exhaust, maybe a chip or a cam, and go with it. I just think they were posessed-"Dammit, were building THIS engine if it's the last thing we ever do!"  But that kind of thinking can get expensive and not net the best performance results.  Mastermind