I was lookin' through some of my performance magazines the other day and I noticed that World Products was coming out with a new LS block based on the 427. It was the LS7x Warhawk I believe.This motor is all aluminum and can easily be turned into one wickedly nasty and just plain obnoxious 454....The way I want to build my truck is to give it that musclecar themed look and stance, much like the GM 427SS concept truck. Now, in all reality you can build a 408 with a turbo and still make great power, but wouldn't it be cool to have a 454 LS7? Anybody have some opinions on this matter? I'm sure I'm not the first person to contemplate this engine build or the cost. I looked at some of the turnkey engines that are offered in the LS7 line and they're rediculous IMO. But maybe I'm just cheap. The main reason for me to even consider building one, albeit many, many, many years down the road, is just to be different and have some bragging rights. To me, the cost just outweighs the whole thing......... it seems the cost to build one of these large inch LS motors is just astronomical. What does everybody else have to say? Just curious..........

 

It is not really a BBC, the Gen3 and Gen4 are all SBC variants. People have been using LQ4/LQ9 block to build engine upto 443 CID, or others have sleeved their aluminum blocks (mainly LS1/LS6) to achieved those CID. Some as big as 455. The block you are referring to is the LS-X(7) block, not to be confused with the LSX block from GM ... both of which can be built to 500 CID (using EPP (?) spacers). The sky is the limit with the LSx community, it is only limited by your budget.

 

There is no such thing as a BB LS or SB LS. Perhaps a "big inch LSx" maybe what you're talking about. There is a tall deck version scheduled for release but that doesn't mean it's a big block, it just means its a tall deck LSx. Build whatever suits you, everyone likes something different.

 

the big block is no longer sold in any vehicle made by gm, 2006 was the last year for the 8.1L big block in the trucks

i sure wouldnt mind having a 454 LSX though...

 

Ok, so I was a little off. I feel stupid now.....Oh well, you guys knew what I meant though. The main quesetion I had was this though.....Has anyone here really got down to the nuts and bolt price to power ratio of one of these large inch LS motors? I mean, are they really worth it? And am I crazy or are these pre-built motors offered through various companies over-priced? I guess what I'm trying to say is this......Are the large inch LS motors worth the extra cost? Or should you just take that extra money saved by building a smaller engine and make it that much better? I'm not hell-bound on building a large LS, just curious, that's all....

 

i believe its 2004Denali thats building the 434

 

Thanks nightrunner....

Thanks to everybody else for clearin' up the block thing.....Force of habit I guess, I hear 427 and 454 and just assume BBC.

 

A belated welcome Greencountry
First, don't expect the parts to make the larger displacement GEN3/4 engines to be available at Wallmart for at least a few more years.
They're very complicated to build correctly and IMO there aren't many technically qualified builders yet. The ones that are getting it right are the guys that have been at this business for a long while and know the details that attention must be paid to. If you feel they're charging too much your not thinking about the learning curve they had to endure to get here. Very expensive
If you're really not going to consider building a 454 or larger small block for several years the "how to" recipie and parts supply should be much easier to come by over time.

Good luck,

Richard

 

Thanks Richard. You're right, I won't be building something of this magnitude for quite some time. You're also right about people building these engines and building them the right way. There is only one guy around here I would trust and that's Jim Lewis. He's been building motors for decades and for clients all around the US and even Canada. He builds mostly drag motors, but he also builds wonderful street engines as well. Hopefully the parts will become cheaper over time as most things do. I'm just now learning how these LS engines function and I've got a long way to go in the engine world. I may ask stupid questions at times but I'm just tryin' to learn as much as I can while I have the oppurtunity. Plus, there's always those people who want to know but are afraid to look stupid, so I save them the trouble......
Hey Richard, mind if I shoot you a few PMs? I've got some more questions for you if you don't mind answering them.

 

Ask away. I'm always happy to help.

Richard