vetteinvt

I was just wondering, I have seen people doing the motor swap with the newer vette motors but why not just go with an older motor with less wires and a comouter? What are the pros and cons of the newer vs the older that DOESNT have a computer. Just wondering what people have to say.

tyancey00

I went with the "older" motor.. it was easier, cost less and quick to do. Just that easy for me. I would love FI and all of the other things, but cash is king and that is what made the call for me. I am about 375 hp. Good little stroker motor with good dart heads and nice fat exhaust.

corvetteronw

I rebuilt the motor in my 1981 and went with aftermarket intake, cam, ignition and heads. Made it into a 355.
Probably cost as much as if I had just bought a crate motor but I could proudly say, "I did it myself".
I really felt great about it later that year when it made it all the way from Michigan to Alabama with no problems

Gordonm

The new motors make gobs of power with very little effort and no strain on the motor. I had a 383 that was putting out 500 HP. Big solid roller big AFr heads and it was pesky on the HP. Now it was fun to drive but the motor was working. I now have a stock 09 LS3 that I put a mild cam in with better valve springs. It makes more power over a broader range and is easy and fast. Yes it was expensive but modern technology is great. I still build a lot of old school motors but for me I would not go back to a carb and old school motors. Fuel injection just rocks. Get in hit the key and drive.

The13Bats

You can get a lot of hp with the new stuff but that comes with the hassles and costs of computers etc, I love some of the modern engine swaps I really dig richards bmw but I just want my old school build to stay old school simplier and cheaper so I run a mild 454
I just get in and drive.......

74modified

It just depends on what you want to achieve. I have a late model injected engine now, but have had several "old school" SBC engines in the same car over the years. Swapping in a used LS cost me less than re-building or buying a crate SBC. But, it is not for everyone, I enjoy doing my own work. I also have picked up skills and experience over the years that some do not have, or don't even want to have. I enjoy working on mine as much as driving it.

A crate SBC is the simplest, easiest, and sometimes cheapest way re-power your car. I have had mild, and wild carb engines, but for what I want to do, a modern injected engine was my pick. That doesn't mean I wouldn't have an old school engine in a different car for a different use - because I do

Shark Racer

If you're just looking for 70's levels of power old motors are going to be a good $$/HP value.

I went with a G1 small block in mine because I couldn't bear the thought of popping the hood to something that didn't look right. It also gives my car a more stock appearance. Of course, the mufflers and mild roller cam belie the fact that it has a few extra HP.

There are a TON of benefits to LS motors beyond just having EFI (it's the cheapest way to get EFI, and the computers are pretty damn good).
(1) Dry intake (take it on and off a few thousand times - no need to worry about coolant or oil)
(2) No need to pull intake to change cam. There are retainers under the head that hold the lifters in place - rotate the cam with the rockers disconnected and your lifters will be retained. Pull the water pump, oil pump and out comes the cam. There are also holes to install dowels to prevent the lifters from dropping down if a retainer does fail - adds some safety.
(3) Cheapest way to get an alum motor.
(4) Piston to valve angle. On some engines 11-12*, but all <20. Most good small block heads are 23*. Really expensive stuff is 13-18* and requires custom intakes and other things.
(5) Fuel efficiency - way better than small blocks.
(6) Roller cam support from the factory, and designed for more aggressive rocker ratios (1.6-1.8).
(7) You can get EXCELLENT flow out of L92/LS3 heads, which will outperform SB heads that cost twice as much.
(7a) If you go big bore (LS7 block, 4.125 bore) you can get heads that flow INSANE amounts of air.

Look at the LS7, 505 NET HP with a 211/230-118 LSA( or was it 119?) cam that gets 25-28MPG on the freeway, passes smog easily and idles very smoothly.

...maybe I need to get another LS car.

hwcoop

I went old school 454, I love the character, keeps the car in the "Era" and tons of torque when you jump on it.

Would love the gas mileage and drive ability of a new drive train but i think i would just go with a C6 if i went that route

Shark Racer

Big blocks are a whole different question IMO. Nothing can replace a big block. You can still build so much more CI out of them and the large size allows for head flow that an LS motor simply can not contain.

I don't need to think about big blocks right now.

Zoomin

Going LS is having your cake and eating it too - the C3 looks with modern reliability. The hardest thing to get used to is not pumping the peddle to get the thing to start. Run from the coast to the top of Pikes Peak without having to rejet the carb. Less weight over the front
wheels.

Having said that, my C3 will have its LS5 in it for as long as I have it.

71 Vert LS1

I'm new to C3's but am a devoted LS guy.

If you have numbers matching car stay with the small block or big block.

But if you are so inclined the LS swap is the best.

The vert I'm building now has a LS1 crate motor with a 4L60E. Truly building as a crusier. I would be shocked if it doesn't do 350 rwhp on the dyno and get's 25 mpg on the highway.

Past projects were a 09 L92 with a small cam in a 73 Camaro. 420 rwhp and 26 mpg on the power tour last year.

67 Nova with a 6.0 sleeved with darton sleeves to 4.125 and stroked to 4.00 so 427 cubes. Very mild cam with L92 heads with a 4L60E behind it. Did 480 rwhp with a 3200 stall converter. Idle all day at 200 degrees and 22 mpg on the highway. Very fun car.

Latest hot rod (some may not agree) 99 3 Series BMW vert. Built LS1 with small cam, AFR heads and T56 magnum. Truly a great swap. Solid car that is the hot rod of Germany. Think about a 4 seat vert that has 400 rwhp. All the M3 upgrades are very reasonable.

Oh and my plow Jeep in the winter is a 98 Wrangler with a LS6/4L60E swap. Don't need low range anymore.

I would build only build an LS swap car today.

Truly just my .02. Build what you like and have fun.

Scottd

WOW. Ive learned more about the LS engine in the last few threads than I ever knew possible. Ive always been a stickler for old fashioned simplicity...fuel, air, spark......but this LS seems to be the cats a$$. That being said, I still prefer being able to work on my car and know that there are NO sensors, electronics or computers to mess with. Just good old fashioned nuts and bolts. Its SOOO much easier for a 'average' hot rod guy like me.

My 454 has a MSD ignition, thats the extent of the electrickery. I tore everything else out.....but this LS idea....oh, my next project is getting one.

Shark Racer

You can go carbed LS1, and even set it up to run with a distributor. The only caveat there is that the distributor is front mount... like a Ford.

rcread

An LS engine is boring and common, but they can't be beat for power and fuel economy. It's not an engine where you want to raise your hood at a car show, but I'm into driving, not show. If I were to start from scratch today building an engine for my '71, I would probably start with an LQ9.

diehrd

No doubt an LS is a good motor .. So are big and small blocks.

I wanted unique .. I went 427 sbc ,, sequential multi port fuel injection with a distributor-less ignition .. Not a single "car guy" has looked into my engine bay and not said

"ohh you got an LS in there" Nope its a sbc I tell them and they see 8 coil packs and scratch there heads .. And because I am a ball buster 24/7 I usually get a debate going where in the end I am usually calling them Forrest gump ..

gdh

Went through the Ls vs sbc decision last spring. I opted for a new ZZ383 just because I wanted to keep the original look. I love the Ls engines and I spent a year trying to decide. I may add fuel injection at a latter date.

vetteinvt

WOW, what alot of pros and cons, thanks for all your input and feel free to keep them coming. I have always been a sb 350 guy myself, never owned a BB or FI motor so I really cant say much. My PO is that if you own a efi motor with all that computer stuff you must have to own a code reading devise or whatever its called to be able to tell whats wrong or what sensor needs to be replaced and all that good stuff, lol. I would probably put a efi motor in my project but cant afford and no NOTHING at all about the newer motors with this code and that code, I am used to the ol no codes and just going by the sounds of the motor and for ME, would be able to fix. I can say that I have never owned a car with a BB so I think that is whats going into it. Actually, cant say that. I did own one car that had a BB 454 with a little work done to it. It was a 77 camaro drag car with fiberglass doors and a full one peice glass 72 front end, gutted inside with roll cage, 10 gal fuel cell, powerglide 2 speed trans with a 3200 stall and four link in the rear and squeeked it by for inspected, had a BLAST on the road and left some nice black marks on the road, lol. That was about 8yrs ago tho and really miss the power, so thats why I might go with a BB. Anyways, thanks again for all the replys, they were all very interesting to read and to see where you all stand on which motor you prefer.

C3_ERROR

You can read the codes with a $25.00 bluetooth OBD2 adapter and a smart phone.

The13Bats

Cool thread,
While seems a definitive line between fans of modern engines and old school engines,
It got me thinking, what would "I" call best of both worlds, I realized that would mean different things with different cars to me,

What rcread saidVery honest statement since he still for him likes modern better,

I believe the best of both worlds for me in my 69 would be my bb 454 but with fuel injection and serpent belts, costs of the modern stuff hold me in old school.

qwank

I'm bored with LS swaps now. I like big blocks and large cube small blocks now.
Only LS I would consider would be an LS7