Those 5.3s are good motors. I had a RCSB 5.3 Silverado that ran 12s. Easy to work on and easy to tune.

 

It's factory! Weren't that many made I believe. There's also a 6.0L version I believe it's called the "97x Aero". That one really snorts I'm sure!

It's not quite the "sleeper" (love that name BTW) as my '70 Firebird, but it is quick!

 

Saab was owned by GM.

 

The Saab 9-7x is basically an Olds Bravada tweaked a bit for Saab use. The Aero version
was a Trailblazer SS in a different body style.

Brakes have been an issue with my Envoy, basically because the ceramic pads were not aggressive enough to clean the rotors. Rust would form on the rotors at the inside and outside edges of the pads, causing the brakes to pulsate. I finally went with some sem-metallics. More dust but no rust. I'm easy on brakes though so you may not have this problem. Seems to be more prevalent in northern cars as well.

 

How can a Firebird be a sleeper?

 

I guess I always thought mine was a sleeper as it had the "poor boy" look with the dog-dish hubcaps and baked AZ paint. Somebody had to have massaged the original motor also as that 400 had tons of tire roasting power! Somebody put a shift kit in the auto trans also as it woudl easily lay 10' of rubber when it shifted into 2nd!

 

You are correct on both accounts there. I checked the insides of the rotors when I fiirst bought it and the backs are rediculously rusted! I plan on replacing all the rotors with drill and plated aftermarkets and trying ceramic pads all around. Worked well on my SS...

Gotta paint up those calipers to show them off as well! Thinking of the blue or perhaps red again.

 

Well I knew Saab was owned by GM, just never in my mind would I expect an LS under the hood from da factory..

Most Cool.. Learned sumpthin new !!!