Engine Placement

[bradpric]

I am in the process of rebuilding my 68 Camaro. I am installing a 427 all aluminum ls7 and a 400 trans. I have also installed glass front end, doors and deck lid. I am not sure how far back to set the motor and trans in the car. I want good weight transfer but is it possible to get too much. I also have a 9" with spool and 33" slicks with a 4 link. This car was a great race car before with a big block and 4 speed, but I wanted to cut a little(or a lot) of weight and also try a new style engine. The engine I am building is a lot like the 2005 zo6 ls7 with out the dry sump, so the engine is not very heavy. I would love any ideas.

[John_Heard]

Now that's going to be cool and something you don't see everyday. Is it going to be N/A, blower/turbo/nitrous?

[bradpric]

lots and lots of nitrous.

[Mike Peters]

How much is lots and lots because I doubt that factory aluminum block is going to handle a load like a fogger can put to it. From what I've read, the factory block is good to about 700HP which, in the world of heads up racing, isn't a lot. For the extra 80-100#, you might be better off going with the iron block which is being used in all the fast LS1-based combos. Do you have the C5-R block? Might get you a little further up the horsepower-handling capability scale but, still not in the league of the iron truck block. Should be a cool car nonetheless.

[bradpric]

I will be using the 2005 Z06 ls7 427 block, that is 500 hp from the factory, I work for a G.M. dealership and have talked to the tech department. With the factory displacement at 427 cid, it is a much stronger block than a ls1 block from a Camaro, or Firebird. Nothing is in stone yet, I still have my 454 I have had forever, I am going to cut a lot of weight and go with a automatic trans, but I feel there may be a lot more performance in the new motors than people think. I have heard of some testing being done on a twin turbo 427, but I haven't heard what kind of numbers it is making. I would guess around the 900 hp range.

[David Lemmond]

I've seen a lot of different engine locations work, but since you have the firewall out of it put the front of the engine about even with the spindle and the crankshaft centerline about 12" off the ground.

David