Do you have a project car that’s missing a heart, and the anxiety surrounding the time and cost of finishing your build is getting to you? Fear no more, as we have scoured the interwebs for the most affordable and value-packed crate engines you could put in your project car for $5,000 or less. You might be thinking, five grand, that’s not bad! Well, once you start adding up everything else you’ll need to complete your swap, you quickly realize the exponential nature of building a project car.
Every dollar counts when planning out a successful swap, and considering our $5,000 price point, you should not be surprised that the Chevy 350 Small Block V-8 is the best bang-for-buck engine you can find. Yet, we have done everything possible to keep our list both diverse and affordable, so join us as we break down the best crate engines for under $5,000.
VEGE Chevrolet 305 V-8 — Remanufactured — $1,936
The absolute most affordable engine on our list is an unsung hero of American V-8 glory, the Chevrolet 305 V-8. Despite the constraints of emissions regulations in the early 1980s, Chevy built one of the most efficient V-8 engines of the era while still sharing the same fundamental architecture as Chevy’s iconic 350 V-8.
In the 1980s, the Chevy 305 was the standard V-8 of choice for the majority of GM-branded vehicles and was found in over twenty different GM models of this era. The most significant application of this engine was in the C/K truck series, where it served as the engine of choice for 25 years straight. The Gen 1 Chevy 305 V-8 never offered more than 200 horsepower, but its 270 pound-feet of torque at impressively low 2,800 RPM makes this the perfect truck workhorse engine on a budget.
VEGE Toyota 22R-E Inline-Four — Remanufactured — $2,023
For just about $2,000, you can find one of the most reliable inline-four engines ever made, the Toyota 22R-E. While every other engine on our list is an American V-8, we couldn’t help but include this value-packed legend of an engine. Found in several mid-1980s to mid-1990s Toyota models, such as the Toyota 4Runner and Toyota Hilux, the fuel-injected 22R-E is still relevant today as a dead reliable four-banger that can go forever.
The Toyota 22R-E inline-four may only make a little over 100 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque, but its reliability is so notable that the lack of output is the least of your concerns. With easy serviceability, strong parts support, and decent fuel economy, the 22R-E is just one of the best engines you can buy for $5,000 or less, no matter the application.
ATK Chevrolet 350 V-8 Stage 3 — Remanufactured — $3,625
With a significant increase in price point, we have our first appearance of Chevy’s 350 small-block V-8. The Chevy 350 would come to define generations of naturally-aspirated V-8 performance from the late 1960s until the early 2000s. This particular Chevy 350 is based on the last production first-generation small block, the L31, also known as the Vortec 5700.
The Stage 3 configuration of this Chevy 350 includes upgrades such as a hot cam, dual plane intake manifold, and a 670 CFM carburetor. These upgrades provide a healthy boost to the already stout power unit, bringing horsepower up to 290 and torque up to 375 pound-feet, a solid increase from stock.
ATK/SummitRacing Chevrolet 323 Gen III LS V-8 — Remanufactured — $3,849
The first and only “Gen III” LS-based SBC V-8 on our list is the Summit Racing 5.3-liter LM7-based Chevy V-8. The Gen III (1997-2007) LS engines ushered in an entirely new level of performance and capability to Chevy’s staple V-8, and the LM7/Vortec 5300 truck variant introduced in 1999 is as solid as they come.
For less than $4,000, this upgraded Vortec 5300 V-8 provides a tantalizing price-to-performance ratio with over 450 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque thanks to the power of the Summit Racing Pro LS roller camshaft. Considering the stock LM7 V-8 never cracked 300 horsepower and max torque was 335 pound-feet, this Summit Racing LM7 provides a massive upgrade for any 1999-2007 Chevy truck, such as the Chevrolet Silverado, along with a two-year warranty to boot.
ATK Ford 302 V-8 — Remanufactured — $3,998
Our one and only Ford engine on our list is the Ford 302 small-block V-8, the most popular and common variant of Ford’s iconic small-block engines. The Ford 302 small-block retained the same cast-iron pushrod architecture for four decades (1960s to 2000s) before eventually being replaced by the overhead cam Ford Modular V-8 that is still in production today.
This particular Ford 302 V-8 is based on an 1980-85 engine and comes “fully dressed” with valve covers, dual plane intake manifold, distributor, and a Holley 600 CFM carburetor included. As a result, this Ford 302 is slightly beefed up compared to stock and makes about 230 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque through nearly the entire rev range.
Mopar Performance 345 Hemi V-8 — New — $4,495
The first new (not remanufactured) engine on our list is also the only Dodge product on our list, the third-generation 345 Hemi V-8. This power unit was first offered in 2003 as the new standard V-8 for Dodge Ram trucks. This flexible V-8 engine powered a large segment of Chrysler’s vehicle line-up for decades and is still available today in the 2026 Ram 1500.
This particular 345 Hemi V-8 is equivalent to that found in a 2015+ Dodge Challenger, which makes a healthy 383 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque with a 5,600 RPM redline. This unit is available directly as a crate engine from Mopar Performance, and considering this is an OEM-level product, directly from the source, the price point is great for the performance you get (along with a two-year warranty).
Summit Racing Chevrolet 350 V-8 — New — $4,495
If you want a brand-spanking-new Chevy 350 long block, your most affordable option is Summit Racing’s “all-new” 300-horsepower unit. These engines are built with the newer style Vortec head casting that is less prone to cracking (as found on the Vortec 5700 L31). Though technically a Summit Racing product, the engine itself is assembled by ATK for Summit Racing.
This Summit Racing Chevy 350 matches the standard output of the factory Vortec 5700 (the most modern first-generation small block). For comparison, a 350 HO (high output) base engine from GM Performance is $6,355 for what is effectively the same engine with a bit more power. Either way, you can be assured that the performance will be excellent, and the reliability is rock-solid. The Chevy 350 is the go-to V-8 iron block crate engine for a reason.
BluePrint Chevrolet 350 V-8 “Cruiser” — New — $4,899
For just a little bit more money than the Summit Racing Chevy 350, you will find the BluePrint Engines Chevy 350 “Cruiser”. The BluePrint unit provides up to 341 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque, a healthy bump compared to the Summit Racing Chevy 350.
The power difference between these Chevy 350 variants is that the BluePrint unit utilizes BluePrint’s own maximum flow aluminum cylinder heads as well as a significantly more aggressive roller cam. For your absolute peace of mind, included in the price, BluePrint also provides an impressive 30-month or 50,000-mile warranty, which demonstrates the company’s confidence in its products.
BluePrint Chevrolet 350 V-8 (50 State Legal) — New — $4,999
If you live in California, you might realize that everything you would like to do to your project car is probably illegal. California has the strictest emissions regulations in the world, and literally sets the standards for the entire planet. Luckily enough, BluePrint engines have thought about that and offer a 50-state legal Chevy 350, which is specifically designed to meet factory specifications.
Yet, the beauty of this BluePrint Chevy 350 is that it doesn’t just meet factory standards, it exceeds them with higher quality components and higher tolerances. This exact engine can serve as a replacement unit for dozens of different GM vehicles from 1978 to 1988 without ever having to worry about not passing a smog check. That alone may be worth the peace of mind for many current owners in need of a swap.
BluePrint Chevrolet 350 V-8 — New — $5,049
For just a little bit more money than the Summit Racing Chevy 350, you will find the BluePrint Engines Chevy 350. The BluePrint unit provides up to 390 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, almost 100 horsepower more than the Summit Racing unit, for only a couple of hundred dollars more.
The biggest difference between these two Chevy 350 variants is that the BluePrint unit utilizes BluePrint’s own maximum flow aluminum cylinder heads along with an even more aggressive camshaft than found on the “Cruiser” BluePrint 350 variant. These high-flow heads are $1,600 new alone, and this allows you to get pretty close to LS-based V-8 power levels with only minor modifications to your Chevy 350. Perhaps the most compelling detail is that every new BluePrint engine is dyno-tested, and the results of your specific engine’s dyno run are delivered along with your new engine, on top of your 30-month factory warranty.