LS-A/GN!

Nick Micale

Tech Advisor
Staff member
Joined
May 26, 2001
In all my years in restoring and working on Buicks from the V-8 days, I never thought I would be excited to do a project of installing a Chevy engine in a GN? :confused:

I was not intimately familiar with the LS-A engine which is a supercharged/intercooled 600+ HP engine used in the Corvette and CTSV until one was dropped at my door today!

Actually, this is a complete kit from GM Performance, plus a few other items from various vendors to make the install in a G-Body car rather simple.

This owner is not familiar with "simple", as this project will include a turbo to supplement the factory supercharger.

The object is to have a Street Rod that is unique, and with the 900 HP is he will easily play with the "super cars" on the street as the chassis will be set up to handle this power rather well.

As a street car, it MUST have AC in Arizona so our Vintage Air kit will provide "cool" year-around cruising!

We start this week when the GN arrives, and will post as we progress. :)

LS-A ENGINE.JPG
 
If the customer will allow, please keep us posted throughout the build Nick. This sounds killer.
 
Be careful with the factory rods and pistons. You can easily reach their limits with heads/cam/pullies on E85 with the stock supercharger and put a 4400lbs CTS V into the 9's. The crank is forged. Now the Corvette LS9 is the 638hp forged engine with a 2300 blower. This has hyper pistons and powdered metal rods and a 1900 blower and makes 556hp.
 
old dog learning new tricks?
this should be good! I look forward to seeing this progress.
unless you you get crazy with boost, your OEM parts will live just fine,
I have 6 liter, LQ4 w/ 76 turbo making over 600 Rear wheel HP
and lives just fine, motor has never been apart!
 
"This owner is not familiar with "simple", as this project will include a turbo to supplement the factory supercharger."

Therein lies the major hurdle...........:smuggrin:
 
The corvette LS-9 has titanium rods. The powdered metal rods in the LSA are GM boost rods.
They are GM's strongest LS factory rods.
Here is a link comparing normally aspirated rods to LSA rods.(the guy in the video may be a little over detailed, but...)
They are not standard LS3 rods.
The main advantage to the LSA block are the piston squirters.
The LSA should handle the 900-950 HP/TQ.
The ZL1 camaro supercharger lid will bump it to 580hp without the turbo.
No Cam change. It should idle like glass.
 
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Mock engine block in place and frame notch cut. Fitting lower A/C compressor for Nick's streamline Vintage Air system.
The Vintage Air system Nick put in is so streamlined and opens up a lot of space in the engine compartment!
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Had Nick Put in the Dakota Digital gauge set while he had the dash out installing the Vintage Air system. (Sorry for the blurry pic)
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Update: Frame notch complete for compressor. Engine and Nick's Vintage Air A/C are in.
Nick has been cranking on this project.

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The weather is hot and the Monsons are here making it supper humid. Good thing nick is somewhat use to it.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
With the Vintage Air conversion the engine compartment now looks like the LSA engine belongs there even with all the accessories in place. Before the turbo and other intercooler are added, we will finish the wiring and Lonnie's 4L80-e install, and then get the engine running.

Even though I am a die-hard turbo Buick nut, this is one "sweet" car and proud to be a part of it! :)

LSA2.JPG
 
This really is a great build. I'm still so torn though about this going in a GN. At least it's different with the twin charged thing.
 
Once nick starts on something he knocks it out and makes one hell of a nice piece of art work.

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