The LS engines from GM are powerful, plentiful, and are here to stay, and just like the classic small block Chevy before them, they’re the powerplant of choice for all sorts of swaps. Of course, even though the LS will fit nicely in the same “envelope” as a SBC, that doesn’t mean that engine mounts, oil pans, headers, and the like will all line right up with whatever chassis you’re slotting the new engine into. Sometimes that process can lead to pulling your hair out when things should fit, but don’t quite work.
[1]
Holley has a cure for Swap Pattern Baldness though – first up are their new line of Hooker LS engine swap mount plates. With five different variations, you have the option of putting the engine and transmission in the stock location, or moving it forward 1/2, 1.25, or 3 inches forward to get extra clearance between the cylinder head and the firewall to clear things like heater boxes, and there’s a special mount designed especially for applications using a “clamshell” mount like G-body cars.
- Constructed from 3/8 inch hot rolled steel
- Precision machined for consistent alignment
- Zinc plated for corrosion resistance
- Comes complete with countersunk machine screws for mounting
- Utilizes stock small block Chevy engine mounts
[2]
Intended especially for use with their swap plates, Hooker’s full length swap headers fit the way they should because they’re designed around the dimensions of cars like first-gen F-bodies, classic A-body cars like the Chevelle, Skylark, and Cutlass, and shoebox Chevys. They’re available in painted, standard ceramic coated, black “Darkside” ceramic, and “titanium” ceramic finishes.
[3]
To help avoid clearance headaches between the pan and K-member, Holley has also introduced a LS retrofit pan that includes a sump baffle, pickup tube, sump plug, oil filter stud, and oil passage cover.
- Cast/machined aluminum construction
- 5.5 quart capacity
- Traditional rear sump layout
- External max sump depth from flange – 5.89 inches