LS-1 double overhead cam engine?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,332
Likes: 63
From: PARADISE
St. Jude Donor '09-'11-'12-'13-'14
LS-1 double overhead cam engine?
Supposedly these were made for some kind of one-off racing class in a Cobra body, and supposedly GM built them.
I have a chance to buy one cheap, and I need whatever info I can find.
Thanks, Dave
I have a chance to buy one cheap, and I need whatever info I can find.
Thanks, Dave
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,401
Likes: 1,141
From: Dyer, IN
Wow, I've never heard of that. You sure it's not an LT5? In any case, it would be a bastard engine setup.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,509
Likes: 240
From: Coconut Creek FL
Interesting...I too have never heard of this and I have read a lot about the design of the LS1...
I read in an LS1 performance book that durning initial testing of the LS1 engine, the engineers put an LS1 and an LT5 (boat motor - 32 valve ZR1 engine) in two test mules and allowed for a field test- although the LT5 @ 405HP showed an increase in power (duh) it was not immediate as was the LS1, meaning the the LS1 made its power lower in the RPM range and gave the engineers a kick in the pants they really enjoyed. Just about all of them preferred the LS1 car despite them not being allowed to look under the hood or knowing what was installed...
Now to my point...
it was after this test that confirmed the direction the LS1 engineers to keep a cam in design regardless of the (then thought) out of cam block design many sports car manufacturers touted as being the best of the best.
I guess to continue to prove this point, they shortly introduced the 405HP LS6 engine and the King of the Hill was no more on its own.
I would guess you have found an LT5 engine...
I read in an LS1 performance book that durning initial testing of the LS1 engine, the engineers put an LS1 and an LT5 (boat motor - 32 valve ZR1 engine) in two test mules and allowed for a field test- although the LT5 @ 405HP showed an increase in power (duh) it was not immediate as was the LS1, meaning the the LS1 made its power lower in the RPM range and gave the engineers a kick in the pants they really enjoyed. Just about all of them preferred the LS1 car despite them not being allowed to look under the hood or knowing what was installed...
Now to my point...
it was after this test that confirmed the direction the LS1 engineers to keep a cam in design regardless of the (then thought) out of cam block design many sports car manufacturers touted as being the best of the best.
I guess to continue to prove this point, they shortly introduced the 405HP LS6 engine and the King of the Hill was no more on its own.
I would guess you have found an LT5 engine...
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,558
Likes: 2
From: Cape Coral FL
2 things to consider.
1: Do you have pictures?
2: Be careful.
If there was a small run of an LS1 of this type I would think if it still ran it would be a: a museum piece, or b: very expensive.
1: Do you have pictures?
2: Be careful.
If there was a small run of an LS1 of this type I would think if it still ran it would be a: a museum piece, or b: very expensive.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 10,924
Likes: 78
From: Forney Texas
regardless, I wouldn't touch it. Next thing you know, you'll be wanting to upgrade parts with nowhere to go. Or you'll have technical questions with no one to ask. You'll go to the local parts store for some simple every day item and they'll look at you like you have 3 eyeballs.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,205
Likes: 2
From: Chicago-NW Burbs Illinois
regardless, I wouldn't touch it. Next thing you know, you'll be wanting to upgrade parts with nowhere to go. Or you'll have technical questions with no one to ask. You'll go to the local parts store for some simple every day item and they'll look at you like you have 3 eyeballs.
I would pass on it.
