10 LS engines in Weird Places
With their ultra-high performance potential, bulletproof reliability, light weight, and good fuel economy, LS-series engines have become the first choice for use in GM vehicle restomods, pro-streeters, and racing machines. But there are those intrepid and visionary builders who choose to put their LS engines to rather weird use. Here are ten such machines.
1. 134-mph Lawn Mower
On November 5, 2015, at Norway’s Torp-Sandefjord Airport, this Viking T6 -- fitted with a 408-hp LS engine -- set a new Guinness Book World Land Speed Record for a riding lawnmower at 134 mph. The rules require that a mower must have a cutting deck and a grass catcher box, enabling it to actually cut and capture grass, so lawns all over Scandinavia may soon see dramatic drops in gardening time.
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2. Homebuilt Autocross Race Car
Member 321argon of madmechanics.com built this autocross machine using C5 Corvette suspension and drivetrain parts supported by a beautifully designed tube chassis. It's custom tailored, a bare-bones approach results in an extremely light and superb handling track car.
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3. Custom Turquoise Citroën
Citroën IS19s are rare. Custom IS19s are extremely rare. Turquoise IS19s with an Art Morrison G-Max chassis, 350 cubic inch LS1 motor, and Wilwood brakes are...well, one of one. This Kevin Bradley Kreations masterpiece has been bewildering street racers and casual observers since its debut at the SEMA show in 2006.
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4. 206-mph Saturn Ion Drag Car
Remember we said the builders of these cars are "intrepid and visionary"? Here's a good example. Who could visualize, then be brave enough to build, a drag racer based on a Saturn Ion? This car, which features a Huntsville Engines' 427 cubic inch, turbocharged LSx motor, achieved a top speed of 206 mph on the Ohio Mile.
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5. LQ4 6.0-liter Inboard Motor
Jeff Jost blew up the 454 BBC motor in his jet boat. Since his hobby is swapping LSx engines into all kinds of vehicles -- including his turbocharged 1969 C-10 pickup -- it was a natural choice for him to replace his nuked BBC with a 6.0-liter LQ4 truck motor. As with many first-time swaps, the job wasn't as easy as anticipated. The only exhaust manifolds he could fit into the boat's engine compartment were from a Ford 351, and even they required some custom welding to perform properly. The boat proved to be very fast and reliable, but plans turbocharge were soon put in place. Car guys, boat guys; we're all the same.
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6. 557-hp Outboard Motor
At its debut, Boat.com called the Seven Marine 557 the "...most outrageous outboard motor we’d ever seen—or even imagined." Demand for the engine exceeded all expectations, and Seven Marine followed up with the 627 S, a supercharged 6.2-liter LSx, which produces more power and incorporates other modifications intended to optimize its use in the largest private boat applications.
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7. 5.3-liter Turbo Beetle
WAS: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive Volkswagen Beetle with normally aspirated 57 horsepower 1600cc, 4-cylinder air-cooled boxer motor. NOW IS: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive Volkswagen Beetle with turbocharged 600 horsepower 5300 cc water-cooled LSx V8. What do you do with a 10x horsepower increase? Well, before driving it, you engineer and build a boxed steel frame with integral roll cage and add 4-wheel disc brakes, then make sure your Intrepid Meter is fully dialed up!
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8. 420-hp LS7 Porsche 996 Widebody
An LS7 in a weird place? Nothing, it seems, is weirder than in the back end of a Porsche 996. Why gives? From builder Nick Fousekis, "With the evolution of the tuner culture and a boom in Porsche 911 popularity, we set a goal to demonstrate that the otherwise forgotten 996 chassis (C2) Carrera can be built into a viable, reliable, affordable and great performing alternative to more current sports coupes. A 420+hp 911 with no frills CAN be had for nearly the same price as [for example] a Scion FRS wielding less than half the horsepower."
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9. 131-mph Snowmobile
Appropriately named "Death Wish," this 6.0-liter LS-powered snowmobile has hit 131 mph in a Wisconsin drag race. Not content with the power delivered by the stock LS, the builder added an NOS system! Wisely, he also fitted the wild machine with a wheelie bar in order to better cope with the effects of the crucial squirt.
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10. 445-hp Boss Hoss LS3 Motorcycle
With the exception of a few V6-equipped bikes that are no longer in the current lineup, Boss Hoss has always fitted their unique machines with Chevy V8 engines. Recently, the firm replaced its SBC ZZ4 and 502 BBC-equipped bikes with 445-hp LS3s. Remember what we said about "...ultra-high performance potential, bulletproof reliability, light weight, and good fuel economy."? Boss Hoss apparently agrees with our assessment of the awesome LS series.
>>Join in the conversation about LS Engines in Weird Places right here on the LS1Tech forum.
For information on maintenance and repairs for your LS-powered car, head on over to our How-To section here in LS1Tech.com!