Brand New Crate 3800 V6

[gottico2]

National Bank of Mom financed my engine r and r. Bought new crate motor from GM 3800 V6......$2800 with sheetmetal and flywheel

na na na na I got a new motor....

But seriously....
Any difference in the 3800 motors from 1996 to 2005--Its simple bolt on, I know but have there been any engineering upgrades to the newer motors or are they mechanically identical...

Plus any idea how much true horsepower I would have had from the old motor ( 160K miles...very slight , almost non detectiable rod knock)
New motor is 200 HP right? Will I be able to tell a difference?

[99v6cam]

Differences in the motor? Not many, 99+ will have a drive by wire throttle. 00+ will have tubular exhaust manifolds. 99+ have a straight thrrotle body (where it connects to the upper intake) as opposed to the angled one in the opreivous years. Other than that stuff they're identical and you should notice a difference between a new motor and a motor that had 160k miles on it no matter what.