engine swap or beef it up? - I wanted to get some input. Should I save up and do a 6.0L swap? or should I beef up the 4.8L that's ...

I wanted to get some input.

Should I save up and do a 6.0L swap?
or should I beef up the 4.8L that's under the hood now?

From my understanding, 4.8L 5.3L and 6.0L are all straight bolt up..?

Any info would be GREAT. thanks in advance.

I think this question needs more input from you. What is the outcome you are looking for? Are you doing it because you need the truck to work harder for you, or would it be all cosmetic and sound appealing? For the latter of the two, there are plenty of things you could do to make your truck sound better and your engine compartment have more of an 'eye candy' appeal. A CAI would give you a throaty sound as well as look a lot cleaner than would you currently have. On the back end, if you were able to keep your foot out of it after making the change, it may slightly increase your mileage. Some nice headers would also help. BUT, the money you spend on making it sound better could be put to better use with far more power if you just save it and swap to a bigger engine. There is a laundry list of what you could do, but in the end, it all depends on what you REALLY want to do.

I'm sorry. I should have gone more into detail.

I'm wanting raw, nasty power. I don't tow anything (not yet anyway)
I want to be able to be traveling at 60, smash it, and spin tires.
I'm talking about cam, headers, e-fans, CAI, and all that good stuff.

Should I just do all that and more to the 4.8L that's in my truck now?
Or should I get a 6.0L and then eventually do all the same?

60 mph....punch the gas, and spin the tires? I think your gonna need a 351 Cleveland attached to a '72 Mach.

If that is what you truly want, then I would go for the engine swap. I don't know if you could honestly put that much into a 4.8l without spend twice as much as you would for just the 6.0.

My buddy has a 5.3 that's cammed, dual electronic cutouts, headers, etc and EASILY turns over tires when he punches it at 60

Do your homework. Read up on the popular mods to get the HP you're looking for. Check out the parts. Then ask yourself: How good am I with a wrench? How patient and attentive to detail am I? How much money am I willing to spend to make this happen? Can I read and follow instructions? Do I have access to a good machine shop?

Nothing beats cubes.

Get the biggest motor you can find that'll fit.

Make yourself a shop ...a shop area ...someplace you can work on your engine and keep it safe and sound while you do.

Do your homework. Ask questions. Figure out what kind of motor you want to build; a high rev screamer that puts out huge HP or one that twists out Earth moving torque.

HP values are for bragging rights; torque is what wins drag races. I'll take huge amounts of electric motor-like torque and a pancake flat curve to go with it than ultimate HP (which is usually gonna happen up there near the redline) especially in a truck.

Then start.

That's a good bit. Thanks jack.
And you're saying do my homework..
Well, that's what I'm trying to do.
And HP is nice and all, but I want TORQUE!

Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go? I would say do the 6.0 swap along with cam, headers, intake and bigger injectors. Also consider some taller gears in the rear end if you really want it to launch hard albeit at the sacrifice of some top end cruising.

That's what I'm gonna do. 6.0 swap and all of the abvove mentioned. However, I constantly cruise at around 100-115, so I don't want to sacrifice high end cruising..

Hmm, need to clarify a bit. I have a 3.73 posi rear in my Vega and it HATES being out on the hwy. with that. However, the truck also has a 3.73 posi rear BUT with the overdrive tranny it will easily cruise at hwy speeds. You would need to do some checking but putting in some 4.10 's along with your OD transmission might still be okay for the hwy