Few engines boast a festival named in their honor, and the LS is one such engine. Introduced two decades ago in the Corvette, this powerplant has come a long way since the 1997 model year thanks to variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, and the adoption of direct injection.
Light, easy to service, compact, sturdy, and easy to modify, the LS is a popular choice for professional builds such as the Derelict 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and homebrew projects such as this Chevrolet C10 Stepside. Spotted at the LS Fest 2021 by Holley, the rat rod pickup is a jaw-dropping machine thanks to just the right amount of patina, over-the-top performance from a twin-turbo upgrade, and sticky drag radials for the rear end.
The old-school workhorse spins Weld five-spoke forged aluminum wheels with the help of a torque-converter automatic box. The make and model of the transmission aren’t known because Holley didn’t interview the owner, but the interior shots reveal two carbon-fiber paddles on the Alcantara-wrapped Sparco steering wheel instead of a column- or floor-mounted gear shifter.
Equipped with three digital displays, two brushed aluminum pedals, metal door cards, custom-fabricated window cranks, and a neat-looking bench with GM-branded seatbelts, the one-off C10 is rocking a black intake manifold and electronic fuel injection system from none other than Holley Performance.
The HPEFI for LS-type engines may cost a lot at $2,287.95 at the time of writing, but it’s a plug-and-play kit that allows you to accurately control the ignition and fuel of the engine. What’s more, the HP EFI is much obliged to handle an LS with forced induction, nitrous, or water/methanol injection.
For a brief moment, you can also notice the brand-new chassis and a fuel cell right behind the rear differential cover. The finishing touch comes in the guise of a Wilwood master cylinder that squeezes ventilated rotors all around.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News