Jump to content

Recommended Posts

The LS architecture isn't limited by its stock exhaust system, it's limited by its pathetic intake system, underwhelming cam profiles, and mediocre fuel injection system. Lots of noise, not a lot of go. Not stock. The LS1 is the worst of the aluminum bunch. (Not quite as bad as the iron LM7 though. Man, what a piece of junk that block is) If I recommended one thing to you, it would be to replace the stock camshaft with something a bit more aggressive, and have a new tune flashed onto it. At the very least the GM OBD2 ECUs are pretty good about taking tune. Or, if you have some cash to spend, find an LS2 from a wrecked Monaro. The extra .3l makes a healthy difference, as do the changes to the head and cam. Best part: it's very nearly a bolt-in proposition.

Or, if you're like me: worst part: It's very nearly a bolt-in proposition. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for the power levels a GM small block can generate, but it's all too easy. I live in Texas, home of the thundering V8. Driving the Subie to a bar yesterday, I was passed by no fewer than 5 lifted Chevies with straight pipes emanating a lot more noise than power. (LM7!) Everything you can do to this engine architecture has been done a million times here, so I find it positively boring. Any time you can ask two people what they've done to their engine and get the same answer, you're working with something I can't care about. Small block Chevy, SR20, RB, 2JZ, it's all the same boring nonsense on repeat. I've got this little puppy in my garage right now:

Won't make nearly the kind of power any of these LSxs are brewing, but it sure does look pretty, and it'll make enough.

Awesome, as long as you are satisfied thats a great thing. For me doing the coyote, its about new tech also. It wouldn't be a pocket book killer to make my motor put out as much as the new 5.0, but I can take a 5.0 truck engine, put a different set of cams to make that power and take 75lbs off the front of the car with better economy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Going Coyote is a neat idea. It's not super unique, but nothing really is- it's at least not as egregious as stuffing a small block chevy under the hood of every car that's ever been. (Even the Honda CRX has been converted)

Plus you get to play with some really interesting stuff- twin variable cams, some neat induction schemes, and a noise that doesn't make me want to break out the shotgun. It's even more fun because the truck block is cheaper than the Mustang block, but they're both aluminum mills, so it's not like taking the enormous weight penalty of going LM/LQ because you couldn't afford LS. (Seriously: an LS1 is in the 400lb range, an LM7 is in the 650lb range) Actually I'd like to see some more Ecoboost 3.5 swaps. Apparently the truck drivetrains are pretty cheap if you can get your hands on a whole totaled F-150 and part the rest of the truck out, but the engine management hasn't been fully tightened down for swaps.

All in all, my thing is, I don't like seeing the same easy way out taken over and over again. Power is easy enough, no matter how you pursue it. I want to see the ingenuity, I want to see the creativity. I want it to be apparent that the person who put the car together put his mind into the project, put a bit of his soul into it. What's special about a car that was built with the pocketbook alone? It just doesn't stir my fancy to see all these LS swapped everythings. Just heard about the new FlyinMiata ND, whereby an LS3 is swapped into a new ND Miata for $50,000, on top of the purchase price for the car. What's the point of that? I mean forget about the horsepower, I just can't understand blowing $50,000 to have a shop put a $5,000 V8 into your car for you. Cool, you've got cash, more power to you. But do you have passion? Or just deep pockets? Makes me leery of people who do LS swaps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's awesomesauce man! Can't wait to hear about it!

yeah its gonna be mad!!! I'll also be travelling through Europe with my father for a few weeks which will be awesome too! We are planning on driving around Monaco F1 layout, doing a track day at Nurburgring and even Spa! Im going for 5 weeks so there should be plenty of time I reckon..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll take the Jag thank you.

I wanna like the AMG, but I'm always coming back to the Jag.

We've seen companies imagine remakes of the Pontiac Firebird using the current Chevrolet Camaro platform, but how about a modern Buick muscle car? The Buick Avista concept is a throwback to the marque's performance heritage. Under the hood is a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 that generates 400 bhp.

2016 Buick Avista Concept

but, It's a Buick...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've seen companies imagine remakes of the Pontiac Firebird using the current Chevrolet Camaro platform, but how about a modern Buick muscle car? The Buick Avista concept is a throwback to the marque's performance heritage. Under the hood is a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 that generates 400 bhp.

2016 Buick Avista Concept

Okay--it does look like they traced the outlines of the AMG nose and grafted their version of it onto the rear of (probably someone else's) another design. But still...that's a Buick? Holy sheep! :blink:

Edited by reddsun1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much for Toyota's attempt at a youth market brand. The Scion brand will be discontinued at the end of the year. What does this mean for the marque's lineup? The iA (a rebadged Mazda2 sedan that is also sold in Canada and Puerto Rico as the Toyota Yaris sedan) and iM (Toyota Auris) will be rebranded as Toyotas, while the FR-S will rightfully be rechristened the Toyota GT86 (though simply 86 is still better).

Scion Brand to Transition to Toyota

Toyota Kills Scion

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much for Toyota's attempt at a youth market brand. The Scion brand will be discontinued at the end of the year. What does this mean for the marque's lineup? The iA (a rebadged Mazda2 sedan that is also sold in Canada and Puerto Rico as the Toyota Yaris sedan) and iM (Toyota Auris) will be rebranded as Toyotas, while the FR-S will rightfully be rechristened the Toyota GT86 (though simply 86 is still better).

Scion Brand to Transition to Toyota

Toyota Kills Scion

Bring back the Celica!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm surprised it lasted this long. The original xB was bought by everyone, including kids, since it was roomy inside and dead reliable. As a result, Toyota never got the demographic it really wanted, which was 20-26 year olds.

Now, if you went into a Scion dealer, the goal was to get you in and out in your new car within an hour. Industry standard is four hours. That's the one thing I hope Toyota brings over from Scion, besides the cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...