Are LS guys Chevy guys?
- Thread starter Clone TIE Pilot
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For me personally, it was simply a progression thing. I've been around hotrods my whole life, the Cutlass was originally a carbed 307, then a healthy built carbed 355sbc. The next progression was the Stealthram EFI which gave it a small boost of power, looked cool and was way more drivable.
When that engine kicked the bucket, it was either build another sbc that didn't like sitting at lights, needed a vacuum pump for brakes, etc. Orrrrr, take the next step of progression and toss a built LS with OD trans and send it. So glad I did, this thing is a blast to drive, sounds great, is way more street friendly with .600 lift cam than a sbc could ever consider being with a .500 lift cam! Not to mention it has great vacuum, loves the highway, and whoops up on a car here and there. I just took it to LS fest, 300 mile trip without a hiccup along with my buddy's LSA blown Monte Carlo SS pushing 600hp. We buzzed down the highway like I do in my Trailblazer daily, sat in traffic, etc etc.
I was anti LS until I understood how much more efficient they are at making power. I like all hotrods though, but the LS based engine is by far the best bang for the buck, the aftermarket shows it, the amount of tuning capabilities out show it. It's a no brainer.
Also, my engine was tuned remotely with nothing more than some input parameters, software, and some seat time to log and make sure everything was happy.
When that engine kicked the bucket, it was either build another sbc that didn't like sitting at lights, needed a vacuum pump for brakes, etc. Orrrrr, take the next step of progression and toss a built LS with OD trans and send it. So glad I did, this thing is a blast to drive, sounds great, is way more street friendly with .600 lift cam than a sbc could ever consider being with a .500 lift cam! Not to mention it has great vacuum, loves the highway, and whoops up on a car here and there. I just took it to LS fest, 300 mile trip without a hiccup along with my buddy's LSA blown Monte Carlo SS pushing 600hp. We buzzed down the highway like I do in my Trailblazer daily, sat in traffic, etc etc.
I was anti LS until I understood how much more efficient they are at making power. I like all hotrods though, but the LS based engine is by far the best bang for the buck, the aftermarket shows it, the amount of tuning capabilities out show it. It's a no brainer.
Also, my engine was tuned remotely with nothing more than some input parameters, software, and some seat time to log and make sure everything was happy.
Exactly. Some won't grasp that though no matter how technical you break it down.
The engine is an inanimate object. We don't hate the engine, we hate the people who have a certain mentality around that engine. 🙂
If someone hates an inanimate object for purely existing, that's a whole nother mental issue can of worms..
I really like the LS engines. I have 3 of the 6.2 sizes in different HP versions from 400-580 right now. But they're only in the vehicles that they came in. I don't care for them at all in an Olds, regardless of year. Cool for you if you do, but I couldn't do it. What's the point of being "different" if you're just going to end up being the same? I've never considered myself a "Chevy" guy, but I've seemed to always had a Camaro or two along with the many Oldsmobiles. I got my first LS engines in 2002 when I got my Camaro SS and the wife's Z28. Other than that cold piston slap on hers every now and again, they were perfectly fine. But I won't hold it against anyone who really wants to install an LS into anything else. There's a guy over on ClassicOlds that LS'd his legit 70 W-30 Convertible. I'd NEVER do that. His money, his car.
To me, I view the LS as the ford flat head of the 50s. Reasonably priced because there's 8 million of them as they ended up in everything, and they're still strange looking. Maybe that's why they put plastic covers on most of them. Power per cubic inch capability is definitely the #1 reason they're still around IMO. Great engines for what they are. Just would never put one in any of my Oldsmobiles. That would be against my religion. I couldn't care less what you do with your own LS engines.
The newer computer car engines aren't really much different than the old SBC's and junk, because they still respond to A/F mixture changes, timing, knock retard, and all sorts of extra sensors. If you can adjust how it responds, you're just doing it via a laptop and software and not with a screwdriver and a wrench. It's more efficient that way. And it should be. After 50 years if it wasn't, they'd need to be out of business.
And anyone that has mad EFI skills for LS engines (LS1 Edit, HP Tuners, etc.) are going to be dated anyway, because as of right now, you can't get in the newer cars' computers anymore and play around like you used to. I'd love to turn off the cylinder dropping on my GMC truck. But I can't. Not relatively cheap, anyway. I think GM actually wanted people to get in there and tweak prior to the lockdowns. But there's always the electricians that can rewind your new EV's motor and make it go around the slot track really fast. 😉
To me, I view the LS as the ford flat head of the 50s. Reasonably priced because there's 8 million of them as they ended up in everything, and they're still strange looking. Maybe that's why they put plastic covers on most of them. Power per cubic inch capability is definitely the #1 reason they're still around IMO. Great engines for what they are. Just would never put one in any of my Oldsmobiles. That would be against my religion. I couldn't care less what you do with your own LS engines.
The newer computer car engines aren't really much different than the old SBC's and junk, because they still respond to A/F mixture changes, timing, knock retard, and all sorts of extra sensors. If you can adjust how it responds, you're just doing it via a laptop and software and not with a screwdriver and a wrench. It's more efficient that way. And it should be. After 50 years if it wasn't, they'd need to be out of business.
And anyone that has mad EFI skills for LS engines (LS1 Edit, HP Tuners, etc.) are going to be dated anyway, because as of right now, you can't get in the newer cars' computers anymore and play around like you used to. I'd love to turn off the cylinder dropping on my GMC truck. But I can't. Not relatively cheap, anyway. I think GM actually wanted people to get in there and tweak prior to the lockdowns. But there's always the electricians that can rewind your new EV's motor and make it go around the slot track really fast. 😉
One time I agree with you. The LS engines, like the old turbo Buick V6s have a toxic fanbase around them that is offputting. 😉
You mean exactly like a SBC was a popular trend for 50 years? Or am I misreading your logic?
Would you apply the same logic to the stock 1980s vintage chevy 305 that came in the G bodies or 1980s pickups? I think we can agree that they were hot garbage to drive then, as you say your experience with modern Chevy trucks is now? Might be kinda similar that they aren't that fabulous until you tweak and tune a little?
Well said. The boomers forgot about when they were playing with junkyard stuff and finding the limits of it.
LS guys throw shade at the SBC because it was the go-to for everything ever hotrodded for 50 years, yet the SBC fan club can't accept the LS is the modern equivalent. The only difference is the LS is better in every comparable aspect than a stock or even most warmed up SBC motors.
Ford's and Mopar don't have the simplicity and trans options, they aren't comparable. The LS is popular simply because you could bolt it to a long list of transmissions and it was tightly packaged aka easy to fit, kinda like a SBC.
Well said Northernregal, now they'll hate you for thinking differently than them, and stating the raw facts. 🙂
That's exactly it right there, somebody has a 4 barrel carb, I'm doing the same thing with a laptop and fuel injectors.
That depends on the year of that truck, I've done several already. But yeah the new new stuff you can't get in.
My preference is Gen III operating systems, I have my HP Tuners dialed in for that and it works absolutely amazing. 🙂
If the logic had continuity we wouldn't argue with them. The LS is just the evolution of the SBC, it's plentiful, reliable, simple to work on and compatible with all Chevy drivetrain options (which are proven and plentiful).
To say it's the herd doing what's popular is ignoring everything since the early 60s in hotrodding. 🤣🤣
I would love to do a 2JZ, N54 3.0 or 2.6 Subaru powered G-Body but I can get 6 LS motors for the same price. It is what it is.
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