Nitrous, Superchargers and Turbos Make Monster LS Powers (photos)
GM made the LS motor tough; with 300hp from the factory it can run forever and never wear out. Plenty of junkyard motors have been swapped and boosted to more than twice that, without problems, with forced induction and NOS.
1. Forcing Big Power from an LS
The LS line of engines are some of the most versatile and easiest to work on power plants you can get your tools on. LS engines are often swapped into machines that had much smaller displacement motors making for an incredible boost of power. But for some people, too much is never enough, and they are easily modified into even more powerful beasts. Adding a nitrous system, supercharger or turbo is one of the easiest ways to get your those tires smoking, and lower your ET. Here are some sweet builds to help give you ideas on your next big project.
2. L98 Block with Vortech V1 Super Charger
New Zealand drifter Fanga'Dan Woolhouse took his Holden VZ Commodore to new heights when he used an L98 long block and topped it off (among many other mods) with a Vortech V1 centrifugal supercharger. This screaming machine can belt out over 980 HP with an 8psi boost and brought him the D1NZ national title in 2013. You can see the details of the car here.
3. LS1 with Magnuson Supercharger
The boys at Kindig It Designs outdid themselves for the TV show Bitchin' Rides when they took a normal looking black 1994 Impala SS and gave it new life. They took out the old tech LT1 engine and swapped it with a heavily modified LSA engine topped off with a Magnuson Supercharger. This blower uses a smaller pulley to up the boost and makes an easy 660 rear wheel horsepower, so you can move out when the need arises. This is one wicked custom ride. Check out a clip from the show here.
4. Chevy Nova Reborn
David Stocker dropped less than 2,500 bills on a salvaged LS1, 4L60 tranny, and Turn Key Engine Supply swap kit with computer and wiring, to swap into this 1972 Chevy Nova. Now he has a fun sleeper you can cruise anywhere, with modern power and fuel economy. Adding a 125hp shot of nitrous system helped this ordinary looking Nova to scream down the 1/8th mile track with a blistering 7.60 ET at over 91 MPH. That would work out to a 1/4 mile run in less than 12 seconds! Check out this build here.
5. 1968 Camaro with Nitrous Fed LS Power
This car is 180 degrees from the sleeper Nova, but it also features an LS power plant on nitrous. Ron Rhodes took this sweet red 68 Camaro screaming down the track with a fully built 400+ cubic inch motor fed by an Induction Solutions nitrous system. He boasted an incredible 4.496 on the eighth at over 156mph. Check out all the rides in the Outlaw Street Reunion series.
6. Caddyshack
If you are wondering what a nitro system can do, look no further than this 5th generation Coupe DeVille. This luxury ride of its day had its power plant swapped for a 6.0 liter LS truck LS engine, then given a healthy 200 shot of nitrous. This rocket ship blasted down the 1/4 mile in only 10.89 seconds at over 122 mph, and the real shocker? The truck the motor was pulled out of had 400,000 miles on it, and the motor hasn't been rebuilt. Watch the video of this sweet run here.
7. LS3 With Kenne Bell Twin SC
Starting with a crate aluminum 6.2 liter, the guys swapped in lower compression pistons before adding boost. This LS3 was mildly boosted at first with a 3.6 liter Kenne Bell Twin Super Charger, and churned out over 650 horsepower at 9psi. Later, when fully tweaked and tuned, the boost was cranked up and they saw over 1000 hp on race gas, but it lost its streetability. You can read about it here.
8. Even Trucks Can Do It
For anyone who loves trucks but don't think they belong on the track, think again. This 1964 GMC truck was outfitted with an LS motor, plus twin turbos built by Loren and Brian Sharrard. This amazing truck can belt out over 1000 HP on the dyno with 15 pounds of boost. Not bad for an old workhorse. Check out this incredible ground-up build here.
9. LS Turbo Cobra Replica
The Shelby Cobra is unarguably one of the most iconic hot rodded sports cars ever made. The trouble is, not many can get their hands on a real one, and few still can afford to drive them hard. Enter the Cobra replica industry. Although you don't own a piece of history, you can still enjoy one sweet ride, and you can power it any way you'd like. Steve Covington of East Texas Muscle Cars liked turbo LS power in his sick Cobra, and made it so. Now this little Cobra is ready to bite with 1000 horsepower! Check out this ride and Steve's other cars here.
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For help with your LS powered car or truck, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com.