Make Hot Rodding Great Again.

[jlcustomz]

The old school way of budget hot rodding does still exist, but honestly I consider it one of those skills you either have or you don't when it comes to doing things more on the cheap. Too many times many of us regulars are as simple as we can be laying things out on a given subject for newer, less experienced ,& less talented new members and they just don't properly get it. Can't help out hot rodding but so much.
Takes real talent & a pretty good basic tool collection to be more than a bolt on hot rodder. Those of us in that category know who we are & can only hope for some younger people to be able to take our place someday.

Also I will refrain from participating in LS swap comments. I haven't swapped in one in over 16 years now, so I can't claim to be a modern day expert on them.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I have no problem with grabbing a fairly new motor to put into an old car. Old motors are getting rare and pricey so why not use what's available and cheap? Too bad it comes with gobs of computer stuff but at least you get the dependability, performance, and economy that was designed into the new stuff. If we profess to "use what we have", well, not everyone has six Pontiac 400's stashed away like me. Right now i have access to a 2004 Tahoe with a V-8, automatic. Is it an LS? I don't know but it starts right up and runs like a sewing machine. I can see why they swap them into everything.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

I think LS'ing old stuff is 100% hot rodding. Back in the beginning guys threw in whatever motor they could find that would make more power, even if it was a nailhead in a shoebox ford, or a hemi in a 55 chev gasser. When the small block chevy came out, it was cheap, very available and the optional parts became endless, so this became the most popular swap no matter what car it was being installed in. To me, the LS is today what the 283 was in the 60's

Even if you bought an "LS Swap kit" with mounts, headers, etc, you still have to be able to fit it all, and make all your gauges and accessories work, among other things (I've never done an LS...)

My only exception to this, something I do not consider hot rodding, is this exact quote

As if Hot Rod can talk. Most of their "projects" consist of "We sent the red Camaro over to ( fill-in-the-blank) for a total suspension upgrade then over to (so-and-so) for a complete fuel injection install then to (mega-bucks) for a new custom interior blah blah blah.

 

[jakes87SS]

the only car that looks out of place is the yellow deuce coupe most of the other cars i feel could be made in someones garage, maybe we should just be happy ppl care about old cars instead of nit picking everyone apart. its literally why i loathe car shows and avoid them and just go cruising.

 

[shoedoos]

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/return-road-make-hot-rodding-great/

While the premise is accurate enough and one I align myself with philosophically. I do however find the images they chose to be extremely disingenuous as most of those cars are bought, and not built.

The up and downside of this hobby is just how accessible solutions (power, handling, aesthetics, etc) are today - but, the biggest downside is how industry preys on the insecurities of the average person and their inability to gain access to all of these "must have" products. I take particular exception to the concept of a cheap LS-swap.

Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick two.

Anything worth doing well takes time - and skills, tools, and the will to see it through. These overnight sensationalized high-dollar sponsored builds are killing me (Cleetus McShitbird, Horsepower Wars, Turbo Tom, etc). Hell... even Mighty Car Mods and Sloppy Mechanics are starting to shill and cash-in more and more (I get the production costs are quite high, and you need content and money to survive). At least there are still a few gritty down to Earth channels.

The high of instant gratification quickly fades... but, yet people are sold on the idea and jeopardize themselves financially to achieve them. My oldest come to me yesterday and said: Daddy you do car crafting (having just read the cover of said magazine). To which I assured her I did indeed, and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to achieve results - and the result is very satisfying.

Anyway I am rambling here... I am going to jump in my wagon now.

^^^^^^^ took the words right out of my mouth......very, very honest appraisal from you motorheadmike

 

[87National]

I look at LS swaps like the Fox bodies of yore; every part to do it is mass produced, so there's no reason that anyone capable of turning a wrench can't be a "hotrodder".

I think your view understates the effort required to perform an LS swap. If it's true that "anyone capable of turning a wrench" can do it....... why are most of the old school, 350 sbc folks terrified of undertaking such a project? My own dad is a prime example ........ he's been turning wrenches his entire life......anytime I show him what I'm working on, he's amazed that I can integrate 2000's era technology in an 80's chassis.

When you consider all aspects of the swap......designing the fuel system, making factory gauges/senders work, adding electric fans, fuses, relays, potentially switching to an electronic transmission, tuning, header/exhaust fitment......etc......It's just a little more complicated than ....say ..... swapping an SBC out for another SBC.

 

[Turbolq4]

I have no problem with grabbing a fairly new motor to put into an old car. Old motors are getting rare and pricey so why not use what's available and cheap? Too bad it comes with gobs of computer stuff but at least you get the dependability, performance, and economy that was designed into the new stuff. If we profess to "use what we have", well, not everyone has six Pontiac 400's stashed away like me. Right now i have access to a 2004 Tahoe with a V-8, automatic. Is it an LS? I don't know but it starts right up and runs like a sewing machine. I can see why they swap them into everything.

The engine in your Tahoe is almost certainly a 5.3. It is in the LS engine family, more specifically it's a gen3 design. Great engine.

 

[fleming442]

I think your view understates the effort required to perform an LS swap. If it's true that "anyone capable of turning a wrench" can do it....... why are most of the old school, 350 sbc folks terrified of undertaking such a project? My own dad is a prime example ........ he's been turning wrenches his entire life......anytime I show him what I'm working on, he's amazed that I can integrate 2000's era technology in an 80's chassis.

When you consider all aspects of the swap......designing the fuel system, making factory gauges/senders work, adding electric fans, fuses, relays, potentially switching to an electronic transmission, tuning, header/exhaust fitment......etc......It's just a little more complicated than ....say ..... swapping an SBC out for another SBC.

That's just fear of change. It will become the norm soon enough.
Think about why there are 1000 times more GM LS projects than say, Ford Coyote/EcoBoost or Chrysler Hemi. Why? Because it's easy.

 

[87National]

Think about why there are 1000 times more GM LS projects than say, Ford Coyote/EcoBoost or Chrysler Hemi. Why? Because it's easy.

That's only partially correct.....I agree that the availability of LS swap oil pans, motor mounts, trans crossmembers, etc. does make it easier to go with an LS.

However......there are more GM projects out there than Ford/Chrysler....so naturally, guys are going to choose LS more frequently based on brand alone. Also, cost is a factor......when/if coyote truck motors get to $500 like their LS counterparts.......you will see a shift to them being used in the majority of mustang swaps.

 

[fleming442]

But, what about the non-GM vehicle swaps? There are tons of them- everything from 240Zs to Rolls Royce (and those were just at a local show here in MD).

Fast. Cheap. Good. Pick two.

Oh, and easy is a relative term....😉