Fourth-Gen Camaro Goes Old School with 632ci Big Block
Seeking drag race glory, Camaro owner ditches his old LT1 in favor of a large displacement big block.
For the most part, we tend to focus on LS-powered vehicles around these parts. For obvious reasons, of course. But we also have plenty of love for that platform’s predecessors. Particularly big blocks, which sound and lay down power like nothing else. So we were obviously enamored when we came across this incredible fourth-gen Camaro build from LS1 Tech member FlightRisk. Unlike most builds that aim to replace older motors with newer ones, this one’s turning back the clock in the best way possible.
“I thought I would start a thread for my 632 big block swap in my LT1 Camaro. I’ve also installed a 9″, K-member, Magnum T56, Kirkey seat, and a 6-point cage. We are getting closer to installation now. This build is for the 1/8th mile, but it could also run the 1/4. I should be making some more progress this week/weekend. I am waiting on headers to be shipped, engine to be done, and the clutch to be sent back from McLeod. Gonna finish up some wiring in the next few days and I will snap some more pics then.”
The engine build was already underway at this point and pretty close to completion. After that, the plans were to get this Camaro on the dyno as soon as possible. But first, there were obviously a million little things to take care of. The OP describes the build as “mild,” running on pump gas with a single carb. But with 632 cubes of displacement, it’s obviously still quite capable of making big power.
The OP also reveals that his motivation for making the switch is the fact that he wasn’t competitive with the old setup in the stick shift class. He was running 6.8-seconds at 101 miles per hour with the LT1. That was also with A/C and a full interior, things that were going away with this rebuild. So now, the plan is to make something reliable and faster.
“This will be a 10.5:1 compression engine. Just a simple pump gas engine. Simple makes things repeatable, or consistent. Consistency is what wins races. That is just how I see it, you know the least number of variables there are, the less there is to go wrong.”
It’s only been a few months since this project began, but the OP just wrapped up his engine install and fired the Camaro up for the first time. Needless to say, it sounds awesome. So be sure and head over here to stay current on this cool old school build as it gets closer to the finish line!
Photos: LS1 Tech forums
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