Not sure if i'm posting this in the right section or not, but has anyone seen this column in the may issue of Car Craft? It says Dart is planning on making a hybrid block that will allow the use of Gen I sbc rotating components, with Gen III/IV heads. It'll have a standard Gen III deck height so a LSx style intake, efi or carb, can be used. The article says Dart wants to have it ready for production by june.

 

why would you want to do that?

 

Well i suppose because a gen 1 rotating assembly is cheaper than a LSx, and it also would have a gen 1 sbc bellhousing bolt pattern

 

I can think of a good reason: The ability to have a distributor in the block when using a specially cast intake manifold. Dart will no doubt cast an intake for this application. Not only that, it will make it a piece of cake to mount it in a car already equipped with a small block which will greatly appeal to old school rodders.

 

Yeah that was in the article too, you would be able to use a distributor. Maybe i should post this in the conversions/hybrids section...

 

isnt an SBC block a bit longer than the LS1?

 

Wouldn't that require a new cam design?

 

Not if you drive it off the timing chain

check Wegner's Website

 

Good call! I was thinking a conventional rear mounted distributor.

 

Yes Dick Maskin brought this up in a seminar at PRI that was concerning crate engines in circle track racing. It seems the big three are now very interested in the aftermarket and are gearing up to make parts for this segment of the market. With the pockets Detroit has it would make it very hard to compete with them when it comes to mfg performance components because of the financial weight they can throw around.

Dick brought up this idea because as far as he is concern the bottom half of the LS1 platform "sucks". The upper half is phenominal. So his idea is to come out with a hybrid engine that would belong to the aftermarket. This engine would use the tried and true SBC technology that has proven itself for 52 years combined with the power potential that the LS1 cylinder heads can provide. His quote was "give me 18 months and I will have a early model block you can bolt LS1 heads on."

It could get interesting in the months to come.