V-8 Lt

[All Star]

I would rather see an LS with the only change being the 5.3L V8 put into it, or a V6 Performance Package with suspension upgrades and a real axle ratio of 3.73 or 3.92.

The V6 moves pretty quick for its heft, it can easily get to mid 5's in the 0 to 60 with some minor changes.

[CamaroWinz]

Originally Posted by mikeinmobile

In high school(co82) I had a 70 Camaro with a 307 2barrel and a 350thm tranny(3spd), and moderately well optioned. My best friend had a 70 plain jane, but it had a 350 4barrl with a 2speed hydra glide. So I see the op's point that it's cool to have a wide variety of options. By the way, that 307 would boil the tire off (who knew?)! There was an all original 1970 model "bussiness mans coup" Belair in Chevy magazine several years ago that was bare boned plain ass as they come, but it had a 427 4speed. I understand the economics of today's options, but it'd still be cool to have a "bussiness mans coup" Camaro with a ZL1 and 6spd manny hidden under that no frills skirt!

I had a girlfriend back in the day who owned a Chevelle with that same 307 2bbl drivetrain. It was a nice little sleeper.

[mikeinmobile]

Originally Posted by CamaroWinz

I had a girlfriend back in the day who owned a Chevelle with that same 307 2bbl drivetrain. It was a nice little sleeper.

I can vouch for how tuff this motor was, I ragged the s**t ouuta that block and the tranny fried but the engine still purred.

[TastyBake]

Originally Posted by GretchenGotGrowl

Yeah, but look at the powerplant options on the F-150 now. 3.7 N/A V6, 3.5 FI V6, 5.0 V8 and 6.2 V8. I don't think a few more engine options would hurt if they are used in different product lines as well.

Kinda.

Businesses have a bigger range of requirements. They need trucks from everyday, cheap, hauling to high torque. Not to get too off topic but the only reason why the 5.0 V8 is with the F150 was to calm enthusists and its cheaper than the 3.5 FI V6 but with similar specs minus torque.

But back to the subject, they can add additional engines but the power and mpg differences needs to be big enough to justify the cost of GM building and maintaining them. If they place in a 5.3, should the numbers be 350 hp? If so, people would need to choose between 300, 350, and 400 hp?

Another selling point is mpg. If the v6 gets 18 mpg city, and the 6.0 gets 16 mpg, the 5.3 V8 would have to get 17 mpg. If it got 16 mpg as well, people would say "GM, why are you building that 5.3??"

And the biggest factor: Cost. How much less does the 5.3 has to be? $2000? $4000? Then people would say "I'll pay the extra for the 6.0."

[TastyBake]

However, I do agree with having the v6 with performance suspension.

Overall, I say keep the engines but put in more variety in other things. They don't need to penny pinch that much anymore.

[Bonanza7]

Originally Posted by beeguz

GM has fallen into the Honda system, these are the cars we have choose your color and transmission, we will choose the rest.

When I wanted to buy my 2012 ls I was told I couldn't have what I wanted unless I spent an extra 2K for an LT, then I couldn't have the 6 speed stick, but I had to take a power seat, which I did not want.

In days of old GM made the car or truck you wanted, the way you wanted it.

the bean counters run the place

[camaroimpalabob]

Yea I agree the 5.3 is a 327. I new camaro with a modern 327 would be cool.

[puertoricanfont]

The only problem i see in this equation is the price of a possible "upgraded v6". A fully loaded 2lt cost almost as much as a 1ss. If you slap a supercharger or a turbo that's gonna increase the price higher than a 1ss.

[beeguz]

Originally Posted by Bonanza7

the bean counters run the place

Oh how true you are, but I find ways to get the chevy I want by making it myself.

You got to do what you got to do.

[v6sonoma]

Originally Posted by beeguz

GM has fallen into the Honda system, these are the cars we have choose your color and transmission, we will choose the rest.

When I wanted to buy my 2012 ls I was told I couldn't have what I wanted unless I spent an extra 2K for an LT, then I couldn't have the 6 speed stick, but I had to take a power seat, which I did not want.

In days of old GM made the car or truck you wanted, the way you wanted it.

Part of the reason why it's not like that is because it's a lot more expensive to do it that way and it lowers quality. If choices are limited to only a few than the same things get installed the same way more often. By increasing variables the door for more mistakes widens. That's why they bundle the commonly chose options together. An example would be power and manual windows. By only offering power you save on the cost of developing and testing the manual ones which lowers the overall cost of the vehicle and the customer mostly prefers the power windows anyway. So while I agree it would be nice if it were like the old days when a car could be painted any color that a GM car offered. Those days are long gone and never coming back.

[SSGUNNER]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallas

I dunno...I think we're thinking too small here..

We need a V12 version, and call it the Camaro BAMF edition.

Nice

[TastyBake]

Originally Posted by Bonanza7

the bean counters run the place

Actually that has changed.

I heard Bob Lutz on autoline detroit. His biggest hangup was the MBA degree folks ran a lot of things including design. Not the designers. Bob said the 2004+ Grand Prix design was terrible. The designer said "I know but I have no control over it".

He said that changed where the designers now dictate choices but with less MBA intervention to keep it pratical. He points to the cruze having two 12V outlets instead of the MBA philosophy of having one and the interior having better materials than past models.

[Wizard1183]

To me it couldnt have made much diff as to engines being set in place. The same body of that LS is the same as an SS. Suspension is different, engine mounting is different. I will assume if its a V8 small block whether 5.3 or 6.2 would be stationed in the same exact place in the car. Sure it'd require different pricing but that bean counting is not that hard to pull off. All GM crate engines are backed by the same warranty in a car. Not like you have to test whether or not a smaller V8 will perform in the car. You already set the range from V6-6.2 though it shouldve been optioned to install a 427 if you wanted. Not like the car cant handle it. You simply adjust prices accordingly. Now saying that, the ZL-1 may or may not have existed. But Im going to say it still wouldve with the Magnetic Ride and Supercharger factory installed.

Reason why its no longer done is probably because theres too many chiefs and not enough indians IMO Had it been done simply attach the gas guzzler tax to it and be done with it. Trying to save a dollar in the pocket to satisfy yourself rather than satisfying the customer is a little selfish but thats how corporations are run.