1- heads and cam 5.3 into a 97 2wd, love it.
2- not really. Everything works just as it should and even looks like gm put it there for the most part.
3- didn't really have a "budget" but that said it wasn't bad. I spent extra on all go fast stuff but if I had stayed stock it would have been very affordable.
4- first LS swap but far from first motor swap. I read all I could for weeks and weeks before the swap and did it all in a long weekend.
5- no towing here
6- absolutely. Only way sooner. Glad I didn't go any other route