Since before the beginning of motorsports, engine swaps have occurred. Whether it be components for luxury or it be for performance. Many times, it was the basic fact that individuals had to use what was available in order to fix what had broken.
Sports such as NASCAR got their start from folks running moonshine and modifying their cars to outrun the revenue man on their tail. The entire pony car era was the result of individuals cramming bigger engines into the compartments that were designed to have much smaller engines. These desires have continued to grow among the automotive community.
For the purpose of this article – I will be focusing on “the LS swap.”
Many people will debate which is the best option for an engine swap: LS-x, 350 small block, 5.0 Coyote, HEMI, etc. It is only appropriate that I admit to my biased opinion – a GM engine as the best option. I hope to give examples and shine light on some facts that will help justify my stance on the topic.
Henry Ford was a pioneer of his time… with the invention of the assembly line and interchangeable parts. Unfortunately over the decades Ford Motor Company seems to have lost sight of their roots. Many people familiar with Fords know that depending on which platform you have (engine/trans) determines many aspects of what will bolt up. An example, the 351ci engine, there are 3 variations of that platform: the Cleveland, the Modified, and the Windsor. Many components are not interchangeable between these engines to include transmissions which can make building them for power and performance a costly endeavor. This is complicated even more if the “same engine” was available in either a car or a truck creating more issues, “same-same, but different.”
Dodge (Chrysler) seems to fall middle ground with interchangeability of parts compared to Ford and GM.
General Motors kept the idea of interchangeable parts strong. A perfect example, parts from a 1955 Chevy with a V8 has the same bell housing (bolt pattern) as a modern LS based V8 or their nostalgic inline 6 cylinder. It’s worth mentioning that the later V6 that was merely a 350ci missing 2 cylinders. The interchangeability even extends to components between a big block or small block. This flexibility in parts allows a performance engine build to be drastically cheaper than other manufacturers.
Since we already know that domestic products from the 80s (aside the trucks) weren’t that great, many people began restoring older cars or building Hot Rods. Instead of using the factory engine, they opted to install a competing manufacturer’s engine (e.g. 1932 Ford Tudor, with a 350 Chevy small block swap). Anyone who knows anything about cars has at a minimum heard of the notorious “GM 350 small block.” (seen above). There are dedicated websites, clubs, and even shows specifically oriented to these swaps. Annually there are East and West events for LS Fest that are held/sponsored by Holley Performance. Some interesting swaps from this event can be seen in this video (below) taken from a recent LS Fest.
Social media pages such as LS Nation, has people sharing their builds or even stock LS powered vehicles. Sometimes it is amazing to see the ingenuity of these swaps while others have you scratching your head and wondering WHY?!?.
A just to clarify, the previously mentioned 350 small block is the predecessor to the LS engine (seen above). There is such a demand that many companies offer kits for components to make it easier for the DIY’er to be able to the swap with minimal to no fabrication required (e.g. Renegade Hybrids). Some will argue that the LS swap has become too common and overdone. The GM V8 swap has been a mainstay for decades, that is true, but I will continue to argue that when something is done correctly it should be continued, mimicked and perfected… at least until an improved option exists.
With all that being said, I’m currently working on some “GM swapped” projects of my own, so stay tuned for more updates! — And there may be some GM powered cars coming to a track event near you!
