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There’s a coup going on in the world of Chevrolet crate motor hierarchy. For ages, the fabled small block “mouse” motor stood at the top of the heap of multipurpose, best-bang-for-your-buck performance. Yet, within these last few years, the wildly successful and equally popular LS-series of powerplants have crept higher and higher up the ladder of popular engine swaps.
We’ve found LS motors powering everything from classic hot rods, vintage GM trucks, ’57 Chevys, old school muscle cars, late model street machines, g-Machines, street rods, lead sleds, flat bottom race boats, swap-running fan boats, and even small aircraft. Surely, the new LS engines are a boon for the General and that is why we weren’t all that surprised when we saw this wicked Duntov Grand Sport ‘Vette motivated by a LS7 at SEMA.
Cranking out 505-horsepower, the LS7 isn’t exactly a spring chicken, but it’s no old fuddy dutty either. First found between the fenders of the Corvette Z06, the LS7 has now been earmarked for E-Rod status. This amazing program is providing enthusiasts with 50-state emissions-legal high-horsepower plants like the 420hp LS3 and monster-making 556hp supercharged LSA.
GM’s E-Rod program is designed to help kit cars and rebodied muscle cars (think the popular-yet-expensive Dynacorn Camaros) get on the road faster and meet all the legal requirements imposed by ravenous, foamy-mouthed emissions watchdogs nationwide. Of course, the E-Rod program can’t help the limited kit car VIN issue existing out here on the left coast.
We’ve seen plenty on GMPP’s E-Rod-powered ’55 Chevy 210-post, but these cool examples of vintage and exceptionally iconic Chevrolet muscle loaded with 505hp-producing LS7s is a cool treat. Late-model powertrain-equipped muscle was in high demand at this year’s SEMA show so it makes perfect sense that GMPP would begin offering all of their LS-Series in E-Rod form soon enough.