in the chassis are important
considerations, but racers wouldn't
be moving to LS engines if they
didn't make plenty of power and
deliver it reliably. These are really
the attributes that have really
sparked the LS revolution.
"It's all of the above, lightweight,
compactness, and tremendous
horsepower capability," says Kolby
Enger, of Turn Key Powertrain.
The company is based out of
Oceanside, California, and has
been on the forefront of LS engine
development, as well as one of the biggest engine suppliers
and builders for off-road racers.
"The LS platform is still a less-
complex pushrod engine, but with
modern technology instead of
1950s technology," says Enger.
Rocko Parker, the lead engineer
at Chevrolet Performance,
GM's arm for aftermarket-style
performance parts crate engines,
echoes those sentiments. "LS
engines deliver a total package of
performance suited to the flat-
out, high-rpm world of off-road
racing," says Parker. "They offer great low-end torque that cam-in-
block engine designs are known
for, along with excellent airflow
attributes that generate big power
at high-rpm. They deliver the
grunt to pull trucks off the line and
through low-speed terrain, and
provide the horsepower to maintain
exceptionally high speeds on faster
course sections. In addition to all
this, you can fit it in the chassis
of even the smallest vehicles."
LS engine builders agree that
deep-breathing cylinder heads
are the key to the LS's power
