LS1 engine in a GT40

G

Graham

Ok, so don't all flame me at once....

Have any of you guys got experience of fitting, or running an LS1 (or later) engine in a GT40.

Its just a thought, albeit slightly alien to the original concept of the GT40, and i'd appreciate your thoughts on all things practical as well as esoteric! :lipsrsealed:

Cheers,

Graham.
 
G

Graham

LS1 engine on a GT40

I've moved this from another section as it was probably a bit unsuitable: -

Ok, so don't all flame me at once....

Have any of you guys got experience of fitting, or running an LS1 (or later) engine in a GT40.

Its just a thought, albeit slightly alien to the original concept of the GT40, and i'd appreciate your thoughts on all things practical as well as esoteric! :lipsrsealed:

Cheers,

Graham.
 
G

Graham

LS engine in a GT40...

Okay, i'm a newbie, and this is my third time of trying to put this in the general thread, but i need some help (John Lowe excluded, he has PM'ed me which i appreciate)....

I would like to know who has fitted, or run an LS 1, 7 or whatever engine in a GT40. How feasible is it, and are there any upsides / downsides. John is currently fitting an LS7, which would put a huge smile on my face, but may tragically ruin my bank balance, both for purchase and the inability to pass a petrol station without the need to feed the beast :sad:...

John, i will PM you back, and thanks for your help. If there is anyone else out there who has an opinion (esoteric or practical), i would love for you to share it.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Graham.
(No GT40 yet, but I'm getting there (vvveeerryyy ssslllooowwwlllyyy...)) :rolleyes:
 
D

Darrell

Graham I have a DRB with a LS1, if you have any questions I would be happy to help.
As for upside.
Engine fitted easily,no need to cut away rear clip, great perfomance with lots of aftermaket goodies, no oil leaks,lightweight all alloy. If you realy wished you could paint the block blue and fit eight stack injection and most people would not know what it is.
Downside
No blue oval badge.

Darrell DRB LS1/G50
 
S

Troy

Go for it. If I were starting from scratch again, I'd do it in a heart beat. Just make sure your transaxle will be strong enough...
 
K

Keith

Moderator
Esoterically speaking...

In a '40, there ain't nothing like a

SB

BlueOval.jpg


With a 180 degree exhaust that sounds like this:

YouTube - GT40 spin

I've had both - the Chevy doesn't come close....

The SBF is historically correct, compact and reliable if properly built, will produce enough horsepower to kill you if you're not paying attention, and has won Le Mans twice in a row - with the 1969 victory obtained at a higher average speed than the much more publicised big block MKII's.

Why mess with a winning combination? :)

C'mon Jac - join in...;)
 
brettmcc

Brett James-McCall

Moderator
Graham,
To give you some perspective. Yes, I guess you could. Its not quite a LS1, but Chris Hale runs a SBC in his Tornado; and Jules had one is his 'former Bob Usher-Sparks' GTD.

Chris lives in Kent if you need to see it/discuss with him.

Brett
 
J

Jac Mac

Keith1 said:
Esoterically speaking...

I've had both - the Chevy doesn't come close....

The SBF is historically correct, compact and reliable if properly built, will produce enough horsepower to kill you if you're not paying attention, and has won Le Mans twice in a row - with the 1969 victory obtained at a higher average speed than the much more publicised big block MKII's.

Why mess with a winning combination? :)

C'mon Jac - join in...;)
Click to expand...

Keith.... both you & I have been topside on this planet long enough..some might feel obliged to say longer than necessary... to realise that not everyone has the necessary intelligence & skills to fit their Ford GT40 replica, original twice removed , clone with a Ford engine... rather than try to convince these wayward souls as to the error of their ways we should ignore these futile attempts to improve the breed, if nothing else it can only enhance the value of those cars that have been fitted with the Blue Oval!!!:):)
 
IanAnderson

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
I don't know much about Chev but the give away is the distributor is at the wrong end of the engines

Perhaps with coil packs etc it would not be so noticable

Ian
 
J

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter
I didn't buy an ERA because it has Chevy brakes (Corvette, worse yet:) ) I've had Chevy's, and liked them, but I don't want to mix the two. If that makes sense.

I DO wish I had my '57 Chevy back, though.....shouldn't have sold that one.
 
K

Keith

Moderator
jac mac said:
Keith.... both you & I have been topside on this planet long enough..some might feel obliged to say longer than necessary... to realise that not everyone has the necessary intelligence & skills to fit their Ford GT40 replica, original twice removed , clone with a Ford engine... rather than try to convince these wayward souls as to the error of their ways we should ignore these futile attempts to improve the breed, if nothing else it can only enhance the value of those cars that have been fitted with the Blue Oval!!!:):)
Click to expand...

Eleoquently stated Jac - as anticipated.... :)
 
S

Troy

I look at the economics behind it. Here in Australia, I can have a 520bhp LS3 ready to go for AU$10k, including cam, head work, loom, ecu, etc. That same AU$10k spent on an iron block SBF would be lucky to net 400bhp - especially if you want the 8 stack set up.

Let's face it, there's not many of us running around in pressed steel monocoques, so don't get too caught up in the romantisism of a 'matching combo' if the budget and desired power output don't match up.

Last time I cut myself, I'm pretty sure my blood was red, not blue - so this may explain a few things... lol
 
M

Jack

Funny, I'm a tried & true Chevy guy, but If I were to build a GT40 it would have a Ford engine. More true to the marque and respected.
Anyway, my SL-C has an LS engine...
 
S

J. Salmon

I looked at the build a different way. For me, the car is not a replica. It is a hot rod. That is to say, it is a car built in the style of a 60s racecar, but built to my likes and tastes. I am not trying to pass is off as the real deal. I was 2 months old when the Gulf car won its second LeMans in '69, so it's not like I was watching from the sidelines. But I had a GT40 Hotwheels (or something) car, and I remember that shape. I appreciate the history, I love learning about all of it and read most everything I can get my hands on. But I am not building the car to celebrate something that Henry II did decades ago, I am building if for ME!!!

I wanted:
EFI (tried carbs in the Cobra and the EFI is just better to drive)
All aluminum
Dry sump
Lightest motor/cubic inch
Road motor, not race motor.

The LS7 fit all of these.
When you look at them from an unbiased eye, the LSx motors are the better developed pushrod V8s. Sorry, but it is true. Can you build an equivalent Ford? Yes, but it will cost you more and probably won't have much Ford stuff in it (starting with the Dart block....)

I completely understand wanting to do the Ford motor. We didn't consider NOT using a Ford motor in our Cobra. Ironic that Shelby wanted to use the GM motors at the time, but the GT40 was a Ford product... Oh wait, it was a Lola design, and didn't someone get a little hot when the credit was aimed (or should I say taken by) at Ford?

If there is one thing I have learned from reading about the history of racing, it's this: Racer's have only one goal: to win. They build the best car with the best stuff and plop the best drivers they can get in and push them as hard as they can. Loyalty goes only as far as what the budget allows...
 
J

Jac Mac

If or when I finish all my other projects I might try a Chaparral, with a 351, J44/C6 & two old electroluxs in the back, that should cure everything that was wrong with the 'Originals':):)
 
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