V12 LS1 Build
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, Washington
V12 LS1 Build Hey all! Figured i'd throw up the build we are working on!
Another LS12 build
We're currently in the process of building this one, the crank is almost done and finished the cam earlier today.
Found this 1471 littlefield blower laying around so we decided to make a new intake for the next step.
Have several already completed blocks layin around so this is the first one we've built that we're going to be putting in our own car! Plan is for this one to go in a Datsun 240z.
I'll update when we get further!
Another LS12 build
We're currently in the process of building this one, the crank is almost done and finished the cam earlier today.
Found this 1471 littlefield blower laying around so we decided to make a new intake for the next step.
Have several already completed blocks layin around so this is the first one we've built that we're going to be putting in our own car! Plan is for this one to go in a Datsun 240z.
I'll update when we get further!
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, Washington
No joke!
We've built several LS12s so far. One went into a suburban, and another went into 3/4 scale P-51.
We have a bunch of LS parts still laying around from those previous jobs so we're putting together some 12s for ourselves! The process gets refined each time we do it making it a little easier each time hah
We figured out how to section two stock cranks/cams and create our own firing order, and we cut out about 12 grand in crank/cam creation costs.
We've built several LS12s so far. One went into a suburban, and another went into 3/4 scale P-51.
We have a bunch of LS parts still laying around from those previous jobs so we're putting together some 12s for ourselves! The process gets refined each time we do it making it a little easier each time hah
We figured out how to section two stock cranks/cams and create our own firing order, and we cut out about 12 grand in crank/cam creation costs.
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 333
Likes: 4
From: New Zealand
God bless the hot rodders like you in this world! That is as pure as it gets. Love to know more.
I guess the engine would have realistic capacities ranging from 8L to 11L depending on bore, deck height, and stroke combo?
An LS3-12 would become a 9.3 - YES PLEASE
I guess the engine would have realistic capacities ranging from 8L to 11L depending on bore, deck height, and stroke combo?
An LS3-12 would become a 9.3 - YES PLEASE
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, Washington
Love the responses! Glad there are a bunch of LS enthusiasts interested!
I started taking pictures of this build a little later than I should have, so i'll try and illustrate everything we do as best as possible
This block we have was sleeved to 4 inch with stock stroke, so its 545 cubic inch (8.9L)
The goal for this build is to experiment and enable us to build an entire LS12 with essentially two stock motors (crate or supplied)
Now onto the process
The hardest parts are paring together the block, heads, crank and cam.
(this isn't the block we're using, its just one that we have for mockup)
The block is cut through the center of the bore inbetween the lifters (on this design). After skinning both halves, then you line them up and weld. You weld inside and out, and install a wet sleeve on those two cylinders to cover it. Between the ribbing and the additional deck, the weld is just as strong as the original cast block.
For the heads, you pair them together and cut one cylinder off each side
Similar process, the big trick is pairing them together straight and lining up bolt holes/dowel pins.
For the crank, we also saw off both ends and pair it together in the middle of the journal.
This build we are NOT designing the crank like a 12. The firing order is set up so it is like a V16 minus four cylinder. We plan to push this crank and see just how much power we can make on it. We save a lot of money and time not making brand new cranks ourselves, so we're giving this a whirl
Esstienally the same for the cam, pair it up/line it up, and weld through the center cam support journal. We are sending this off to be reground.
I'll answer all questions best I can!
I started taking pictures of this build a little later than I should have, so i'll try and illustrate everything we do as best as possible
The goal for this build is to experiment and enable us to build an entire LS12 with essentially two stock motors (crate or supplied)
Now onto the process
The hardest parts are paring together the block, heads, crank and cam.
(this isn't the block we're using, its just one that we have for mockup)
The block is cut through the center of the bore inbetween the lifters (on this design). After skinning both halves, then you line them up and weld. You weld inside and out, and install a wet sleeve on those two cylinders to cover it. Between the ribbing and the additional deck, the weld is just as strong as the original cast block.
For the heads, you pair them together and cut one cylinder off each side
Similar process, the big trick is pairing them together straight and lining up bolt holes/dowel pins.
For the crank, we also saw off both ends and pair it together in the middle of the journal.
This build we are NOT designing the crank like a 12. The firing order is set up so it is like a V16 minus four cylinder. We plan to push this crank and see just how much power we can make on it. We save a lot of money and time not making brand new cranks ourselves, so we're giving this a whirl
Esstienally the same for the cam, pair it up/line it up, and weld through the center cam support journal. We are sending this off to be reground.
I'll answer all questions best I can!
99% of me wants to yell Photoshop! Please prove me wrong!
Nevermind, you posted while I was typing. I would never consider chopping and welding a crank. In a plane no less!
Nevermind, you posted while I was typing. I would never consider chopping and welding a crank. In a plane no less!
Last edited by S10xGN; May 1, 2013 at 08:09 PM. Reason: posted while typing
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, Washington
And we aren't welding the crank. We are bolting it together like a flywheel. 8 half inch bolts through the center journal with an alignment spigot through the center!
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, Washington
We're still working on the current design so we can take two crate motors and stick them together (and what they are capable of), so we don't have a price yet!
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Miami, FL
Incredible, I love seeing machining stuff like this, it's amazing what you can do with the willingness to attack the hurdles. How does the firing order get changed with the crank design now? IIRC an inline 6 or V12 is very well balanced harmonically due to evenly spaced firing pulses, are you getting the same effect using this arrangement as opposed to an engine designed from the outset to be a 12 cyl?
