Opinions on our Project C4orce wanted!

LSx into a C4 Corvette

Posted February 13 2007 09:35 AM by presidential
Filed under: Corvette Project Cars

We'd really like your input on this one, so put your thinking caps on and warm up your keyboards.

Let's just say that you're a big C4 guy and you've got a C4 that is getting a bit tired in the old engine/transmission department. You've looked into buying a newer C5 but it was just out of the budget. Your body/interior are mint and you love the car but the cost of the motor/tranny rebuild to have the same old stock power level don't interest you. So what should you do?

We've got a project brewing, we've decided on a 285 hp 5.3 LS-truck motor for our '87 C4 (45 more hp than stock) with a bevy of other goodies slated for this car. So now that you've got a little bit of teaser information, we're in need of your opinion on a few things.

Here is the part where you and your opinion come in:

If you had a total budget of $15,000, ($11,800 remaining) what components would you choose? Specifically, we’d like you to indicate type and brand of headers, camshaft, intake manifold, clutch/flywheel, shifter, brakes, suspension, wheels, tires and anything else you care to mention.

So there it is. We'd love to hear from you. Feel free to post a comment here or email us at corvettefever.features@primedia.com. We'll be looking forward to your suggestions and comments.

~Craig

Reader Comments:

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1. Hi Craig,
My first thought...Most Corvette owners
& non owners are not of the belief that
installing a smaller engine is a real
well thought out plan. I mean would you
wedge a Blue Flame 6 in a '67 427/435??
SCOTT

1985SSC - Posted January 14 2007 12:07 AM

2. I think this is a great idea, and I don't agree with Scott. Certainly, you wouldn't replace a 427/435 with a blue Flame, but I'd take a 350-horse 327 any day of the week over a 300-horse 350. The LS engines crank out a bunch more power than larger old-style engines, so why get hung up on cubic inches. With a little work a 5.3 will crank out 350 horsepower. that's gonna really embarrass guys with 350 and 383 Tuned Ports.

C5power - Posted January 15 2007 04:50 PM

3. A lot of the consideration in this project is price and weight of the powerplant. We really don't want to mess with the front suspension too much, otherwise we'd be putting in an aluminum blocked LS1 I'm sure.

I think the idea of a 327 powered Vette is a good one, I can't wait to see how this thing comes together. Of course, I'd want to turbo it but people often say that I'm not right in the head. :D

presidential - Posted January 17 2007 12:17 PM

4. There is 2 things wrong with this idea...I don't agree with using a smaller engine 5.3 vs a 5.7 and NO matter what you do a 5.3L chevrolet it is still and always be a truck engine! It is like a well dressed fat chick, no matter how well dressed the chick is, at the end of the day she is still fat! :)

Ryan Kelly 1996 LT4

kellyrm - Posted January 24 2007 09:13 AM

5. I forgot to add...If it was obtainable...maybe the project could be changed to be a build up of a LT1 or LT4 as opposed to a L98 car? I know at least 30 owners that would love to see a modern build up of a LT1 or LT4, brakes, suspension, exhaust, heads, interior the goal would be to make a minimum of 550hp and shoot for a nice grand touring interior, sparco seats, carbon fibre accents? Almost like a C4 extreme makeover edition! :)

Ryan 96 LT4

kellyrm - Posted January 24 2007 09:23 AM

6. Good stuff, I'll make sure Alan gets to see all of this. :)

presidential - Posted January 25 2007 02:31 PM

7. If I have the meaning of this story right, is that this build has a budget. Yes big blocks and tons of HP is great, but it costs. The costs of aluminum block/heads are twice the price of truck 5.3's plus the accessories are usally at extra costs too. The other big item is that the lighter block will change the suspension and how the car sits, again...more costs. The 5.3 is a great little motor and I believe it is just right for the BUDGET build.

ALL6VETTS - Posted January 27 2007 12:12 PM

8. OOO interesting I will be looking out for this article because I am considering swaping a LS1 in my late 86 vette.

corvette_crimson - Posted January 27 2007 06:09 PM

9. Power is power no matter how you make it. The 5.3 is capable of a lot more than what many people realize. With a much better power band and more power to start with bone stock, I am betting the car will easily out perform a tune port. Throw some little tricks and modifications at it and I know it'll embarrass a tune port. 327 used to be the standard in a vette, so what's so wrong with going back to that? I think this is going to get interesting and be great when it's done. It's going to turn some heads, and it's going to change many peoples view of a lowly "truck motor". I want to see this thing going down the road on it's own and running respectable times in the quarter. I think both will easily be accomplished.

Chimera-#001 - Posted January 28 2007 09:00 AM

10. Most of you guys are forgetting how cheap the C4's are getting. They are finding their way into 4th and 5th owners who buy them at rock bottom prices. Most of these people can not afford to do much in the way of modding. You can see if every day on the forums. These people are cheap!

This is a good topic for a lot of owners as the LT1/LT4 is long in the tooth, and most aftermarket companies have long forgotten them. The LS series motor is where it's at. Even the hot rod guys are ditching the L98 and LT set ups for the new plastic wonder.

What this article really will do is set the ideas in motion and people will be able to spend more money if they want to.

And Ryan, I doubt you would recognize the difference between the 5.3L 5.7L or 6.0L motor if you saw all of them sitting in front of you.

jake11566 - Posted January 28 2007 03:16 PM

11. Looks like more people are for this idea then not? I respect that...I am not going to lie, I'm very curious to see what the outcome is? I just wish there was more options for the c4 project?

Ryan

kellyrm - Posted January 28 2007 08:18 PM

12. This is an interesting concept. However, to reach most of your readers, I'd use an LS1 at the very least. I say this for several reasons:

1) Some will have problems accepting the fact that the engine is smaller (yet more powerful) than what they currently have.

2) Performance parts... I see a ton for the 5.7L LS engines, not sure how many translate over to the 5.3L LS engines. Some people may want a 500HP engine when their done, a tall order for an Gen I or Gen II street engine.

3) For California folks, you must use the engine from a same body type. In this case, it must be from a car and not a truck. I am not sure if using a Camaro LS would be legal or not.

I like that you confine the scope to a modest budget, a used LS1 (Y-body or F-body) would be the best path for me. Next component would be the tranny: economical/practicability of using C4 transmission vs using C5 transmission. Those two things right there will eat away at that $15k budget but IMO will pave the way for a better setup in the lon

Performance nut - Posted January 29 2007 05:50 AM

13. Overall, a budget article is cool for those who want to know a) about how much it will cost and b) what it will take as far as labor to keep the cost down. An article that gave options (dont have to do all of them, examples would be LS1 vs LS2 vs LS6 vs, dare I say, LS7) will better suit a larger audience. For instance:

We chose the LS1 for this project; however, if you decided to use an LS2 for the extra umph, it will put back on average $x,xxx; require X, Y, and Z parts; and would require A, B, and C modifications. Or, for those who want to save a bit of cash, can use the 5.3L engine...

My ideal setup would be an LS6/LS2 (few mods to get me in the 450HP range) and an ideally suited six-speed (could paddle-shift work in a C4... hmm). Suspension and brakes would be very important in the fact that I like to autocross, but I dont want to drop big money to get the same feel as my Z51 suspension. Aim for the middle.

Performance nut - Posted January 29 2007 05:56 AM

14. I've been doing some thinking on this one a bit, here is what I'd like to see:

1. Keep the 5.3. 327 cubes and an iron block...sounds great to me. Some AFR heads with some mild port work, t-rex cam for a VERY healthy idle/midrange and maybe a FAST intake manifold port matched to the heads.

2. Wheels...oh the wheels. I'm a big "staggered offset" kind of guy. I'd love to see some black centered CCW or HRE wheels with some major dish in the back.

3. Paint/body, where do I start? Realistically, I'd love to see a nice subtle blue/grey metallic on the car with no ground effects/bodykits installed. Clean, simple, smooth. Keep the stock rear bumper as well, it is the way a C4 should look in my opinion. Maybe smoke out all of the lights for a modern appearance and to tie into the black centered wheels. Paint the top/roof/pillar black and tint the windows dark black.

4. Interior. Basic black is my style. Maybe a dash of blue from the outside to tie it in but nothing major/excessive.

I almost forgot

presidential - Posted January 29 2007 10:59 AM

15. I think some of you are missing the point. If this is a budget project, a 5.3 is the best choice. Having said that, the mechanics of installing an LS engine in a C4 will be the same, whether you use a 5.3, 5.7, 6.0 or a Godzilla version. If you don't like the 5.3,and you have deep pockets, that's fine-- don't use one in YOUR project. We all know the kind of power an LS1/LS2 can put out, but the 5.3 is a little unknown. Personally, I think it adds a nice twist. And just for reference, this "truck" engine is also used in the Impala SS, which, last time I checked, was a car. Also, how many C5s and F-bodies with LS1s are running around with 5.3 heads?

C5power - Posted January 29 2007 12:18 PM

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