6 Best LS Powered Cars at SEMA
The LS1 and all of its variations are the darlings of the performance build crowd, so there are dozens if not hundreds of examples at the annual SEMA performance aftermarket show in Las Vegas every year. These are the best ones that caught our eye.
1. 1961 Oldsmobile F-85
This piece of art was built by Greening Auto Company, with a motor from Mast Motorsports and a chassis by Roadster Shop, and displayed at the K & N Filters booth. It's hiding a 427 cubic inch LS7 motor under its hood, which develops 700 horsepower. The pro touring look is backed up by modern 4-wheel independent suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. The low stance, the glossy black paint job, and the orange stripe on this seldom seen Oldsmobile compact body style is possibly the best thing you'll ever see in life. There is more information on the K & N site.
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2. Wide Body 2016 Chevy Corvette C7
This tweaked and supercharged C7 Corvette was displayed at the Mobil 1 booth. This car is vicious looking, thanks to the lowered suspension, and full Stance Craft body kit, which adds 4 inches to the front width, and 7 inches to the rear. It performs even more viciously than it looks, thanks to the 700 horsepower produced by the reworked LS motor with a ECS Paxton/Novi supercharger, headers, and a higher flow intake. There are substantial changes inside and underneath as well, including a roll bar. All that extra fender width isn't put to waste, there are now huge Apex RSR wheels by fifteen52 out back, wrapped with 345mm wide tires! You can read more on it at the Stance Craft site.
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3. 1969 Chevy Camaro G-Code
This first-generation Camaro by Ring Brothers (found at the Royal Purple booth) is so nicely finished it belongs in a museum, but it was built for the road. Under this beauty's hood is a supercharged 416 cubic inch LS3 engine, which develops around 1,000 horsepower, and sends power through a Tremec manual 6-speed, like god intended. The 1960's era control arms and buggy springs have been replaces by a full modern Detroit Speed suspension, and huge Baer disc brakes. The stock brick-like aerodynamics have been helped out with custom carbon fiber tweaks to keep all 4 wheels on the ground at ludicrous speeds. If you don't fall in love with this car, you are simply heartless. You can find more details on the Ring Brothers site.
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4. 1957 Chevy Bel Air
This 1957 Chevy Bel Air by Ironworks Speed and Custom at the Flowmaster booth could be the best looking car at SEMA, and it may even be the best looking car on earth. The chrome is now minimal on this car, and instead they went with a stealthy monochromatic green theme for everything, including the bumpers. The Chassis is a reworked Art Morrison piece, with RideTech AccuAir at both ends, rolling on huge HRE wheels, and stopped by Wilwood brakes. That's a good thing, because the engine is a Whipple supercharged LS9 with massive 1,200 horsepower. Custom interior bits, billet trim, and carbon fiber body work are everywhere, even where you don't see it, like the carbon front fenders under the paint. We would all sell our souls for a car like this, but unfortunately, they wouldn't be enough. There are more pictures on the Ironworks site.
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5. 1967 Chevy Camaro V12 LS
What could possibly make the LS motor better then it already is? How about 50% more cylinders? This '67 Camaro by Quality Custom Rides is powered by the v12 LS motor, which received this year's SEMA award for the Best Engineered New Product. This massive 519 cubic inch V-12 engine produces more power than you'll ever need, and it sits inside nothing short of a masterpiece of a car, with every custom styling trick in the book applied to what was once a pedestrian F-body. A company out of Australia is making these motors, but be warned they are not cheap, and you can find out more at the V12 LS site.
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6. 1972 Winnebago Brave
The Ring Brothers Camaro has already been mentioned, but these builders are based in Wisconsin, home of not just Road America, but also Winnebago, and they seem to have combined the two in this motor home build featured at the Prestone booth. The Happy Camper is a rolling hospitality suite, dive bar, and BBQ, powered by a 900 hp, supercharged 408 cubic inch LS motor, which will hit highway speeds in less than 4 seconds. How fast will it go? Nobody has been brave enough to find out yet, but it may be able to set the all time RV speed record at over 120 mph. They claim at regular street speeds it is just as quick as a C7 Corvette. You can find out more about it on their site, and see the unique interior decor in this Thrillist profile.
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For help getting more power out of your LS ride, check out the many informative pieces in the How-To section of LS1 Tech.