Is the LS1 the best engine ever installed in a F-body?

**Murder after Midnight** · 03-23-2015, 03:07 PM

67-02? Topic?

**GTP231** · 03-23-2015, 03:35 PM

Best engine swapped into Fox Body Fords also

**Murder after Midnight** · 03-23-2015, 04:00 PM

Buick 3.8 turbo

**67CamaroRSSS** · 03-23-2015, 04:50 PM

Having owned a variety of years (67 to 02, SBC, BBC & LSx) I'd have to say that, "Yes, the LS1 is the best engine ever installed in an F-body"...

**0rion** · 03-23-2015, 05:02 PM

define best ever.....the old 400 made more power and the SD455 made 500 ft/lbs of torque. If you factor power, efficiency, and longevity there's never been ANY small block made that's better than the LS1. It took ford and dodge how many years to catch up to the LS1?

**GTP231** · 03-23-2015, 06:23 PM

From a reliability stand point they haven't exactly caught up yet...

**5.0THIS** · 03-23-2015, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

define best ever.....the old 400 made more power and the SD455 made 500 ft/lbs of torque. If you factor power, efficiency, and longevity there's never been ANY small block made that's better than the LS1. It took ford and dodge how many years to catch up to the LS1?

Those motors were SAE gross rated though. An LS1 f body would rape the shit out of any prior f body with either of the motors you mentioned.

**FasstChevys** · 03-24-2015, 02:27 AM

15 degree angle heads - enough said.

**kingls1** · 03-24-2015, 02:45 AM

**cam02ss** · 03-24-2015, 02:54 AM

LSX is the best engine ever installed in F-bodies

**FasstChevys** · 03-24-2015, 05:09 AM

I'd like to hear what FirebirdJones has to say about it

**0rion** · 03-24-2015, 05:27 AM

I know one thing he'll point out is that the early 400's and 455's were within a few tenths of the LS1's and weighed 3800 lbs.

Not sure I'd consider that raping them. You can point out the difference in power ratings but I don't think many people here would disagree that the 455 was a stump puller and made a shit load more torque than our LS1 cars.

**theorangeguy** · 03-24-2015, 05:42 AM

I would like to think that the LS1 was the best...but some of the old motors would plant you in the seat pretty hard but then again, torque was a pretty big deal back then. These days you hear a lot about horsepower. As the old saying goes, no replacement for displacement and some of the old ones were monsters. LS1 is probably most reliable, but not necessarily the best.

Camaro run down:

1967–1969 L48 SS350 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8 295 hp (220 kW) (1969 300 hp (224 kW)) at 4800 rpm, 380 lb·ft (515 N·m) at 3200 rpm
1967–1969 L35 SS396 396 cu in (6.5 L) V8 325 hp (242 kW) at 4800 rpm, 410 lb·ft (556 N·m) at 3200 rpm
1968–1969 L34 SS396 396 cu in (6.5 L) V8 350 hp (261 kW) at 5200 rpm, 415 lb·ft (563 N·m) at 3200 rpm
1967–1969 L78 SS396 396 cu in (6.5 L) V8 375 hp (280 kW) at 5600 rpm, 415 lb·ft (563 N·m) at 3600 rpm
1968–1969 L89 aluminum cylinder head option for the L78 SS396/375 engine—lightened the engine by ~100 lb (45 kg).
1969 COPO 9561/L72 427 cu in (7.0 L) V8 425 hp (317 kW) at 5600 rpm, 460 lb·ft (624 N·m) at 4000 rpm
1969 COPO 9560/ZL1 427 cu in (7.0 L) V8 430 hp (321 kW) at 5200 rpm, 450 lb·ft (610 N·m) at 4400 rpm

I couldnt find them, but if I remember correctly they had a couple of motors that were in the 400+ ftlbs range in 1970 as well.

Pontiac had some pretty nasty motors too...I didnt even mention them.

**0rion** · 03-24-2015, 05:53 AM

pontiacs
1970:
400 V8 330 bhp @ 4800rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm.
400 V8 (HO) 335 bhp @ 5000rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm.
400 V8 (Ram Air III) 345 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm.
400 V8 (Ram Air IV) 370 bhp @ 5500 rpm, 445 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm.

1971:
400 V8 300 bhp @ 4800rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
455 V8 325 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 455 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
455 V8 (HO) 335 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.

**theorangeguy** · 03-24-2015, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

pontiacs
1970:
400 V8 330 bhp @ 4800rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm.
400 V8 (HO) 335 bhp @ 5000rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm.
400 V8 (Ram Air III) 345 bhp @ 5000 rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm.
400 V8 (Ram Air IV) 370 bhp @ 5500 rpm, 445 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm.

1971:
400 V8 300 bhp @ 4800rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.
455 V8 325 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 455 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
455 V8 (HO) 335 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm.

wow.

**FasstChevys** · 03-24-2015, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I know one thing he'll point out is that the early 400's and 455's were within a few tenths of the LS1's and weighed 3800 lbs.

Not sure I'd consider that raping them. You can point out the difference in power ratings but I don't think many people here would disagree that the 455 was a stump puller and made a shit load more torque than our LS1 cars.

I wouldn't consider it being 'that' either. It's a driver's race. But, I'd still say the LSX is the best, all things considered.

**Zinergy** · 03-24-2015, 07:15 AM

Correct. When you consider all things not just power. While power is important in these cars it's not like the 60s/70s cars were making gobs more. And while trq is cool and fun horsepower wins races. The ls1 is a better engine than those of old for a few reasons. The top reasons being effciency and longevity.

***SMWS6TA*** · 03-24-2015, 07:57 AM

asking about how great the LS1 is, on a LS1 forum.....

**theorangeguy** · 03-24-2015, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

asking about how great the LS1 is, on a LS1 forum.....

I know right...

**0rion** · 03-24-2015, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by FasstChevys

I wouldn't consider it being 'that' either. It's a driver's race. But, I'd still say the LSX is the best, all things considered.

me too and it's not really even close......just for the sake of argument offering up some of the old stuff. I do love me some old pontiac power but the technology the LS1 benefits from is incredible when you compare it to the older engines. Hell....even the gaskets are better