Chevrolet’s Performance LS Engines - A Kit Guide, more or less

[Spex84]

This is fantastic info!

If I may make a request: I've been 3D modeling some ribbed vintage-style valve covers and remote coil pack covers for the LS, but I don't have an example of the engine in my stash. I'd love to know the length of the Revell LS7/LS9 valve covers as shown above. Based on my online searches I'm thinking they should be about 23mm long in 1/25 scale. For anyone who has the engine available to measure: is that correct?

*EDIT* Now I'm thinking they should be more like 20mm long in 1/25 scale. I'd love to have some confirmation. No rush. I realize this is an old thread (but good!)

Thanks!

 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Spex84

[BubbaBrown]

Very nice job, Thank You

[Mattilacken]

Great sumary of available LS spec engines! One that you did't mention is the one found in the racing versions of the Corvette C5-C7. They are some nice engines and would be nice in any custom build. The C5-R have nice valve covers and a intake that realy is suited well for separate TB and funels. It have al the racing bells and wisels as dry sump and feed pump. Would be perfect in any road racing build or dragracing. 

[Dominik]

fantastic work Eric! Thank you for your time you spent for this overview ?

[WillyBilly]

On 4/17/2020 at 11:21 AM, Erik Smith said:

Here is the LS1 from the Revell 1998 Camaro. The engine block is nicely detailed and is attached to a T56 6 speed manual transmission. The coil packs are more detailed but have the wires molded in. Note there is also a nasty ejector pin mark on my example. The intake plenum is a little more detailed than the AMT part, with what looks like the fuel rails molded in, not too realistically. Again, the Camaro comes with a nice shroud and separate electric fans. The Revell version I used came with a very nice decal sheet including lots of under hood details. (There are some additional parts included in this kit - I don’t know what they go to - see photo). I think this engine is identical to the Revell 1998 Firebird based on viewing the instruction sheet.

 

Overall, the Revell engine looks a little better, although the belt and front cover on the AMT corvette, while specific to the Corvette layout, are a little nicer.

Those parts are for the earlier LT1 engine that would have been in the Camaro Firebird 2003-2007, The part on the left is the distributer, and the on the right is the intake tube.

[WillyBilly]

On 4/18/2020 at 10:14 AM, NOBLNG said:

Which engine is in this kit AMT1035M/12?

Should be LS3, but could be gen 5 LT1.

 

[Exotics_Builder]

6 hours ago, WillyBilly said:

Should be LS3, but could be gen 5 LT1.

 

LT1.  All the AMT Gen 6 Camaro kits that have an engine have this.  Some of the AMT Gen 6 Camaros are snap and have no engine.   The AMT Gen 5 Camaros had no engine.

Edited November 17, 2021 by Exotics_Builder
added image

[WillyBilly]

Yes. I have the 2017 pictured with engine, and a 2010 that has no engine

[landman]

On 4/17/2020 at 3:17 PM, Muncie said:

Erik,  This is an excellent reference - thank you for putting it together and posting.  It will be very useful.

Absolutely.Thank you.

[stitchdup]

The engine in the revell c7 vette looks undersized to my eye but I havent measured it. I'm purely going by comparing it to the amt zl1 engine which is very nice and looks about 10-20 per cent larger then the vette engine in every direction so could be used in a 1/24 build, while the revell vette engine cant due to the size diffence.

[robertw]

Excellent article Erik. This should be very useful for a lot of us.

[BDSchindler]

This is great info, many thanks!

Without attempting to hijack this thread, I recently purchased an LS1 3D printed engine for about $20 (or roughly the cost of an entire Corvette kit) from Texas3DCustoms.

The detail is very good and makes for a great alternative to injection molded...

https://tx3dcustoms.com/

[Kenmojr]

Thanks for the info of GM's LS engines.

[1930fordpickup]

Another thank you for your work. Well worth the pin. The pictures to go along with the text will help in the years to come as our memory fads as to what kit the correct LS.

[Ragtop Man]

Don't sleep on the Revell SSR Pickup - that has a very nice LS2. 

IIRC, Revell has re-released it a few times in craft store packaging, might even score one at an outlet. 

[Chris V]

Pardon my ignorance on modern engines, but is the engine in AMT's "Wagonrod" a LS as well?

 

   

[Len Woodruff]

Looks like it is the Corvette ZR-1 4 cam 32 valve engine that was made by Mercury Marine.

[Exotics_Builder]

It is the ZR-1 engine from the 90's Corvettes (C-4's) and was that era's LT-5 as opposed to the modern LT-5 that was in the C-7 Corvette.  The 90's one was a DOHC engine built for Chevrolet by Mercury Marine.  Only the current C8 Z06 now has a DOHC engine as opposed to all others being pushrod.  

90's LT5 engine picture below.

Edited April 1 by Exotics_Builder

[Bill Anderson]

While I'm not a "bow tie" guy, this thread is absolutely filled with terrific information.  Two of my boys have Vettes, and this will help me get the appropriate model for them (I'll build them).