Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

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Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by RobZ28 »

I have had a few LS cars and they run well.. I just think they have a lot of fans who are a little too noisy. That being said, what would some of you build that would rival them on the street?
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by RobZ28 »

Look guys, I know there is no way you can match a street driven LS based engine with a gen 1 SBC. They drive tame enough to take your grandma to bingo and still belt out 455hp/455tq. But certainly there has to be a few of you builders who have built something for a customer who didnt want an LS that still drove extremely well and put out some respectable numbers. Just looking for ideas and real world experience. Money doesnt grow on trees where I live. Thanks.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by NormS »

The name of the game , on the street, is TORQUE...assuming that your car can hook up the torque that a good small block Chevy can make.If it can, then build an engine based on the 400 block. A 406 is a 4.155" bore X 3.750" stroke, and a 434 is 4.155" X 4.000". Torque is what accelerates a car, not top end HP. Put some good heads on it (plenty to choose from), cam it torque, and put long tube headers on it. If it makes peak HP at or below 6000, use an Edelbrock RPM Performer 2 plane intake, with the plenum divider lowered about 3/4", and rounded off, with a modified 1" cloverleaf spacer,
and a prepared 4150 series carb.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by Walter R. Malik »

For getting that kind of power number without breaking the bank, a well thought out 383 will get you there.

A bigger engine will certainly up the ante.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by lefty o »

it all depends how much money a person is wiling to spend. dart iron eagle tall deck raised cam block, poked out to 440+ inches with a great set of heads wont have to be bashful around any ls.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by CGT »

RobZ28 wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 2:44 pm I have had a few LS cars and they run well.. I just think they have a lot of fans who are a little too noisy. That being said, what would some of you build that would rival them on the street?
RobZ28 wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:07 am Look guys, I know there is no way you can match a street driven LS based engine with a gen 1 SBC. They drive tame enough to take your grandma to bingo and still belt out 455hp/455tq. But certainly there has to be a few of you builders who have built something for a customer who didnt want an LS that still drove extremely well and put out some respectable numbers. Just looking for ideas and real world experience. Money doesnt grow on trees where I live. Thanks.
You sound a bit LS noisy yourself :lol: . Just kidding, the beauty of the LS to me is what is available to you in stock form. Once outside of that, they lose their glam. As far as your 455/455 example. That can be done with Gen 1 vortec heded stuff pretty easily, mostly using stock parts and inches. The driveability factor you mention has way more to with the LS engine management system, than the engine itself.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by RobZ28 »

CGT wrote: Fri May 31, 2019 10:43 am
RobZ28 wrote: Wed May 29, 2019 2:44 pm I have had a few LS cars and they run well.. I just think they have a lot of fans who are a little too noisy. That being said, what would some of you build that would rival them on the street?
RobZ28 wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:07 am Look guys, I know there is no way you can match a street driven LS based engine with a gen 1 SBC. They drive tame enough to take your grandma to bingo and still belt out 455hp/455tq. But certainly there has to be a few of you builders who have built something for a customer who didnt want an LS that still drove extremely well and put out some respectable numbers. Just looking for ideas and real world experience. Money doesnt grow on trees where I live. Thanks.
You sound a bit LS noisy yourself :lol: . Just kidding, the beauty of the LS to me is what is available to you in stock form. Once outside of that, they lose their glam. As far as your 455/455 example. That can be done with Gen 1 vortec heded stuff pretty easily, mostly using stock parts and inches. The driveability factor you mention has way more to with the LS engine management system, than the engine itself.
I totally agree. I am trying to get some ideas on what I should put in this car, and thats where the thread comes from. I think I am on the right track using a good dart block, building the thing to 421 and using some good heads with a roller. I don't think the thing will get picked on too bad and thats the whole idea.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by Outlaw383 »

If you're planning a 421 with a roller I would have to agree you most likely arent going to get picked on too much as long as you go with a solid combo of parts that work good together. So many times I've seen engine builders spec out a combo that is proven and the customer changes one or two things because either they got an opinion from someone else or because they fell victim to the bigger is better belief. Stick to your plan. Good luck to you with your build let us know when you get it going.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by Dave Koehler »

RobZ28 wrote: Thu May 30, 2019 11:07 am Money doesnt grow on trees where I live. Thanks.
I am curious as to what this LS vs anything else budget range might be.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by TrOll »

421 is a good choice for a 1st gen! I've built several 434 1st gens in both stock and 1184 bowtie blocks that were a pain in the arse where crank/rod clearance in the bottom end is concerned! If I were to ever build another "big inch" SBC it would be a 421 for that reason. :wink:
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by englertracing »

I wouldn't want to build a pinched port, baby dick pushrod, tiny ass base circle Cam because the rotating assembly is too close, pile of junk, that's for sure.

I'd build something like this
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by RAS »

I'm a big Pontiac fan. If cost was no object I'd do a Billet Block with a set of Visner Symmetrical port heads. If cost was an issue, probably a 9.2 deck ford 427 with a set of Kaase P38 heads. Still the LS is king and will be for a long time.
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by dannobee »

Here's one ready to go that's not an LS.

What's your budget?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nascar-Chevy-S ... SwHIlen0pf
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by econo racer »

840 Hp at 8600 rpm :shock: That will be streetable right . :D
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Re: Best anti-LS SBC for a street car?

Post by Walter R. Malik »

RAS wrote: Fri May 08, 2020 9:16 pm I'm a big Pontiac fan. If cost was no object I'd do a Billet Block with a set of Visner Symmetrical port heads. If cost was an issue, probably a 9.2 deck ford 427 with a set of Kaase P38 heads. Still the LS is king and will be for a long time.
It seems that almost every time an LS and a Gen III Hemi are run against each other using equal preparation, the LS comes out on the short end of the power stick.
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