630 Horses! 1974 Chevy Van Gets One Hell of an LS Swap
There are very few things, if anything at all, that are better than an LS-powered vehicles. Whether that car came with the engine from the factory or if it was dropped in to improve everything about the ride really isn’t entirely relevant.
LS engines are clearly dominant and amazing, and to deny them such a title would be terrible. After all, they are still around many, many years after they were first made. They persevere and continue on. That’s why it isn’t surprising that when this 1974 Chevy van needed more power, the Hot Rod Garage turned to an LS7 to do the job!
The ride itself came originally as a quarter ton model with a short wheels base, a 250 I6, and a Turbo 350 transmission. But the motor that will soon be going in is an all-aluminum Lingenfelter Performance LS7 V8 that is said to put out approximately 630 horsepower. So this van will soon be a force to be reckoned with! Amazingly, they hope to have it complete in time to drive it across the United States for the HOT ROD Power Tour 2015!
In addition to putting in the new engine, they will also be putting in a Gearstar transmission, a new MSD Atomic EFI Air Force intake manifold, and more. Being quite smart, they purchased a plastic model engine (found through P-Ayr) in order to verify fitment before moving forward.
In the end, they ended up being able to mount the engine without having to cut into the floor by moving it higher and more forward to accommodate the necessary space. The oil tank is now where the battery used to be, and the battery has been relocated behind the driver’s seat.
Though they clearly are not done yet, there is a lot to be expected from the coming episodes of Hot Rod Garage! We can’t wait to see this monster completed! They will be doing many things in coming episodes, including adding a new rear end to support the amount of power the old van will have!
Check out the video below and be sure to enjoy more information on the swap and the motor, as well as listen to the question and answer session with pro-drifter and muscle car enthusiast Tony Angelo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxkg1nuFO84