So, what do you guys think is better value for whatever I'd pay, given labour etc.
 
I have an S54 in my 96 BEAMS-swapped SW20 Bathurst, syncros are worn and 2nd crunches like no tomorrow, when warm it still crunches but only in high RPM changes.
My mate has an S54 with absolutely amazing syncros all-round, but the diff on it is blown.
 
Both are open diff S54s, is it worth putting together the diff from mine into his S54 and swapping that into my BEAMS?
Or getting a different good condition S54 altogether.
 
Better yet, maybe it's just worth paying extra and getting an LSD S54? Thoughts?
 
-Andrew

For money's sake, getting both and making a better one would be best.

Depends, do you have the money for it or do you have something else to spend it on?

Ideally get both, get a gearbox shop to fit it and have a look over the gearbox, all gears synchro's, shafts, ect for wear them out it in.

And if they find anything wrong, get them to fix it (synchro about to go ect).

Looking for another good transmission would always be a gamble, whether LSD or not.
 
Although the labor cost may be the greatest part of the exercise, the best/cheapest option may be to make one good trans out of the two you now have available.
You'd probably need new diff bearings, and chances are the gears (expensive to replace) in the trans with the good syncros should be ok, so the overall extra parts cost may not be too bad.