Comments on: Video: LS9-powered Camaro HPE700 by Hennessey

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:03:55 +0000

Whoever says that Pushrod V8 engines like the LS2; LS3 are antiquated; passed their use by date or even hard to work on; extract power from.

One of my mates owns/runs a mechanical Workshop in WA; he did some work on a customers [supercharged] VE SS Ute and was able to get over 900hp at the rear wheels. He also says that there are cars in Oz with Pushrod V8s producing 1200-1500hp.. There aren’t that many [if any] cars with OHC engines producing that much power – are there?

By: 4:20 All Day

4:20 All Day — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:44:29 +0000

I think the same goes for AMG. It’s the same basic theory of ‘shoehorn the biggest engine we can possibly fit into the engine bay and see how much power we can get.’
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of classic muscle cars and have owned a few myself, but i think the days of huge cubes have passed. It kind of seems like cheating in a way. Instead of trying to develop a smaller, more technically advanced engine with the same output, they just stick with the ‘bigger = better’ theory. Still, each to their own. I’m sure there will still be a market for these type of vehicles for a long time to come.

By: Power

Power — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:56:57 +0000

yeah heaps of go!

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:46:24 +0000

That may be so but they still use superchargers don’t they?

Not only that; but with the aid of a supercharger AMG only manage to extract about as much extra power out of their engines as GM-H do out of theirs – despite the fact that the AMG engines are more technologically advanced than the old Pushrod V8s

By: SteveH

SteveH — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:00:26 +0000

At least Benz/AMG already have overhead cams on their engines. GM keep pushing their outdated pushrod designs.

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:16:15 +0000

You say “GM’s antiquated theory of more cubes and sticking a giant supercharger on the top to get huge power is becoming seriously behind the times.”

Yet what about when someone like Merc-Benz / AMG do it?

By: MisterTwo

MisterTwo — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:25:07 +0000

Yes, the Aussie muscle car scene is owned by the Brits.

By: 4:20 All Day

4:20 All Day — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:12:46 +0000

I take it you haven’t had much tuning experience with LS engines. They are awful motors to try and get the best out of. Low end torque is rubbish and the earlier motors have a tendancy to chew through piston rings. Harldy ‘more durable.’ That’s one of the reasons the Holden-based V8 supercars use the chev Aurora motor. I’m all for powerful engines, but GM’s antiquated theory of more cubes and sticking a giant charger on the top to get huge power is becoming seriously behind the times.

By: Devil666

Devil666 — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:34:34 +0000

I’d say the Commy has the better front end, with the front mounted steering rack and most independent motoring authorities would agree.

Ecotec was also the Commodore engine design from the 90s.

Finally, the LS engine design is far from ‘S..T’, as it has less moving parts, easier to service, has a longer service life and is a more durable design. Sure, it is less and less efficient in today’s marketplace, but it is tried and tested design that still has life left in it.

PS: George, do you mean KW and TQ @ the rears? Lol who let that ‘and’ slip through

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:10:56 +0000

GM had plans to sell the Pontiac Sports Truck [which is a bastardised VE SS Ute] but it never actually made it into production