Any LS swaps yet?

Has anyone swapped an LS motor into a 71-73 Riviera yet?

 

That will be pretty funny looking. The 455 looks small in that engine compartment, I can't imagine the little corporate v-8 in there.

 

Very true. More room for turbos...

 

and maybe a sofa and a big screen LOL

 

Even with turbos, it wouldn't have enough torque to pull that heavy beast of a car around. All it would do is sit there and scream until it blows up. A good 455 would still dust it any day of the week.

 

A few thousand Grand National owners might tell you differently.:3gears:

 

LS motors seem to do just fine with 6,000+lb Trucks and SUV'so No:

Nothing like the look of a NHB or a BBB though.

 

How about a 455 with a T/A SP-X injection manifold with the LS ECU for fuel and ignition control and throw in a 4L80E?

Only if these things didn't cost money!!!

 

Well, I don't want to start a flame war on the merits of LS engines over the original equipment. True, they work well on modern trucks, and true, turbos help out GNXs. Won't argue that. However, look at the stats, the modern LS builds its maximum horsepower and torque at a very high RPM, whereas the Buick builds maximum torque at 2500 or so RPM and is probably underrated. The LS is a fine motor and is probably best designed and best suited in the product it was intended for. So was the BBB.

I guess I just get a little peaved whenever someone wants to toss out the original BBB or whatever and replace it with a modern generic or Chev sourced engine. Instead of doing a bit of research, spending a few dollars more on building the Buick some people have this idea that a new Chev is better. And this a Buick site after all, is it not?

My apologies for the rant...

 

Would be hellishly reliable and could easily move a boat given the right cam. The options for superchargers and turbos that can make power right from low rpm are numerous (combined with a higher stall converter) there would be plenty enough grunt.

It just seems too easy though. It would look quite miniature sitting in there plus I like being able to say I have a big block too much!

 

638...HP and 604...TQ . It should work

http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/Parts/showcase_detail.jsp?engine=2

 

Look, I'm not trying to start a what's better war...I was simply asking a question. Now that being said, I know the BBB is a torque monster and will get this land barge moving quickly BUT as was stated above, the LS motors have no problem getting huge trucks and SUV's moving at speeds way faster than a hot BBB could ever hope to, reliably and more efficiently. I love my 455, I really do, but the simple fact of the matter is the LS is world's above the 455 and rightly so as it's had 30 years to develop into what it is.
Consider this, the Trailblazer SS has a 395hp/390lb-ft LS motor, 6000lb curb weight, and it goes 14's in stock trim...way better than the 4400lb Riv with a 330hp/450lb-ft motor. Plus it pulls down way better gas mileage and just everyday driveability than the BBB ever could.
LS motors are NOT Chevy, they are GM, which if I'm not mistaken Buick is a GM product as well. In fact, many components on the BBB are "GM", i.e. alternator, a/c compressor, radio, lights, and on and on an on. In the grand scheme of things, if i was restoring a car, or had some rare car that would lose value by swapping in a new drive train then sure, I'd stick with the original engine. But, I'm not, so who cares?
Hot rodding has been taking place ever since the automobile was invented...and that's what I'm doing.

 

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Plus it pulls down way better gas mileage and just everyday driveability than the BBB ever could.

I am a huge fan of the LS motors. :3gears:

That being said the impression that the 455 can't get the mileage or the driveability of one is flat out wrong. I get 19+ out of my GS with an 700R4 overdrive with a carb. Everyday driveability? This is a car that anyone could get behind the wheel of and drive anywhere! It runs 12.50's at 108+ at the drag strip on street radials pulling one tire off. If someone took the time to really dial in an EFI system, I feel you could get your fuel economy up into the mid 20's. EFI is the key here. The setup that I am using today was built 15 years ago and freshed up once about 5 years ago just because I pulled it to put in the overdrive. I really did not need to do anything.

I have had Rivi's and Electras in the past and both of them got 18-20 mpg on the highway without overdrive if they were tuned up correctly!

If you want to put in a LS motor great! Put one in. Make sure though you also put in the matching overdrive trany and EFI system. If you don't your mileage and driveablility will be no different than the 455 that came out.

Mike

 

We built a '66 GTO with an L92 6.2L Escalade engine a few years ago. With the working variable valve timing, 4L65E trans, 3.89 gear, and a mild tune - all stock engine parts - the thing ran 13.0 at 108 MPH, and got 26 to the gallon. That was also the first pass on the strip, spinning the tires, and the driver's first trip down the quarter mile. A '66 GTO is a pretty boxy heavy car. The all-aluminum construction pulled tons of weight off the car, and the drivability was fantastic. Not saying you can't do that with any other engine, but it was cool to see.

 

I'm really considering it as my buddy is doing one is his 64 impala rag right now. Looks so good and got the engine tranny and harness all for $2000

 

I am interested in what you have done to your GS (engine combo, tranny/stall, gear ratio, tire size and overall wieght) to obtain those results. Also, is 19 the highway or city number?

 

Ya.. but 23K?..

http://www.jegs.com/i/GM Performance/809/19201990/10002/-1?CT=999

I could build you one killer supercharged 470 BBB that would wipe that thing up and down the block.. and get 20 mpg with good driveablity, with the right drivetrain.


The reason that the new trucks feel so good these days has more to do with driveablity engineering and gear ratio's, than it does with raw power ouput.

But is is true that this is the new wave of hot rodding.. everything is getting that LS based drivetrain, plenty of new speed parts for this engine are coming out every day.

It's the SBC 350 of this century.

to each his own.....

JW