LS the world !!!!

[au350hp]

The small block Chev of the new milennium. What does my head in isn't the fact that the LS powers Commodores but when I pick up a Street Machine magazine & nearly every car has turbo charged LS motor's. There's nothing wrong with wanting lots of power etc but I have always preferred old cars to run the motors they came with or at least a n/a V8 from the same maker. Call me old fashioned I s'pose.

[mike_nofx]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

The small block Chev of the new milennium. What does my head in isn't the fact that the LS powers Commodores but when I pick up a Street Machine magazine & nearly every car has turbo charged LS motor's. There's nothing wrong with wanting lots of power etc but I have always preferred old cars to run the motors they came with or at least a n/a V8 from the same maker. Call me old fashioned I s'pose.

But blown V8’s are by no means a new thing. Pick up an older street machine and you’d likely find just as many supercharged 8’s.

[XByoot]

Back in the day everyone threw a red motor in whatever needed a conversion. Now it an LS..the modern red mote!
I get it if you need cheap power or cheap runner for a conversion, makes sense. Guys used to also fit Windsor’s , Chevs, Holdens into lots of conversions too. Not so today, It’s the size of today’s Ford V8s it’s basically eliminated them from any conversion unless you want to do major (and sometimes questionable ) front end swaps. It’s basically uneconomical to undertake such a conversion in most cases unless you really want to for some specific reason. These things are a similar size to a 427 SOHC engine!
Old stuff was made for push rod V8 engines...enter the LS. Personally I’d stick with the older engines and show some workmanship in a resto, but if your not an engine guy then it’s a no brainer. I respect guys that spend the time to research, gather parts, modify and build their own old Skool engines, it’s an art. If it was a daily runner and you didn’t care then throw the LS in there, but for something special no way.. Just my thoughts.

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

But blown V8’s are by no means a new thing. Pick up an older street machine and you’d likely find just as many supercharged 8’s.

Turbo LS? Meh.
An old Skool supercharged V8 is by no means an easy deal to build. A piece from here, a piece from there
https://youtu.be/EK2ijfxqlnY

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

But blown V8’s are by no means a new thing. Pick up an older street machine and you’d likely find just as many supercharged 8’s.

I started collecting Street Machine in 1984, along with Performance Street Car. Those two publications played a major roll in my limited high school success

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Roostercam

I started collecting Street Machine in 1984, along with Performance Street Car. Those two publications played a major roll in my limited high school success

That takes me way back to my limited high school ability.... I had every issue of street machine from 97 to 2008 or so. For the most part in the late 90s ones it was efi holden 304s going in things that was 'retrotech'. In 98,99 the ls was what wheels magazine was creaming their pants over in the then new 5.7L ss.

[arronm]

My first issue of street machine was in 1982, had a yellow HQ on the cover...

I still have it and the other 1000.

[PooDog]

Originally Posted by XByoot

Back in the day everyone threw a red motor in whatever needed a conversion. Now it an LS..the modern red mote!
I get it if you need cheap power or cheap runner for a conversion, makes sense. Guys used to also fit Windsor’s , Chevs, Holdens into lots of conversions too. Not so today, It’s the size of today’s Ford V8s it’s basically eliminated them from any conversion unless you want to do major (and sometimes questionable ) front end swaps. It’s basically uneconomical to undertake such a conversion in most cases unless you really want to for some specific reason. These things are a similar size to a 427 SOHC engine!
Old stuff was made for push rod V8 engines...enter the LS. Personally I’d stick with the older engines and show some workmanship in a resto, but if your not an engine guy then it’s a no brainer. I respect guys that spend the time to research, gather parts, modify and build their own old Skool engines, it’s an art. If it was a daily runner and you didn’t care then throw the LS in there, but for something special no way.. Just my thoughts.

So true about late model ford v8,s the 5.4l is wider than a 460 big block...no wonder you need fingers the size of an Oompa Loompa to fit headers to one in place

[mike_nofx]

Yes and I totally agree. Researching and hand building an engine is an art form. There’s no doubt about it, and it definitely earns respect.
But some people want to make horsepower, not art.