Should you put a modern powertrain in a classic car? While some might think it sacrilegious, this could be a great way to enjoy modern power and classic style.

Let’s face it; classic cars were much slower, harder to drive, and more unsafe than modern cars. If you can add modern technology to a car with the gorgeous classic lines of an old-school muscle car, why wouldn’t you do it? It doesn’t matter how far you want to go, adding modern power to a classic machine should result in an incredible advantage for your driving pleasure.

LS Swap; Is this right for you?

One of the most popular engine swaps you hear about and see at-home mechanics perform is the LS swap. The LS engines are from General Motors and provide incredible power in easy-to-install V8 engine blocks. This is a great way to get the classic feeling and sound while utilizing a modern powertrain that might have never been offered during the heyday of your restoration project.
LS engines are great for many projects. These V8 engines have endless upgrades available to you and bring the power you want to start with and can build from to create the monstrosity that will put a big smile on your face.

Should you go vintage or modern?

The car you’re working on plays a big role in whether or not you should swap out the engine at all. In some cases, all you need is a tuned-up version of the original model. If you’ve got the Chevelle SS 396 or an IROC-Z from the 1980s, the original engine is great, but it can use some tuning to make it more powerful and fun. On the other hand, if you’ve got a car from the muscle car era that lacked V8 muscle, you’ll want to perform one of the classic LS engine swaps to give your car more power. This means adding an LS engine to your Chevy Nova or Pontiac Firebird, which were both originally powered by six-cylinder engines.

Could you make something slow go fast?

Some of the family haulers from the 1960s and 1970s have incredible bones, lots of room for a big engine, and all the qualities of a classic muscle car without the look of a sports car. Some examples are the land yachts from Cadillac, Lincoln, and Buick. You also might find it fun and exciting to add a powerful modern engine to an old station wagon, turning a boring family hauler into a fantastic machine of performance and power. One project owner chose to turn his 1972 Chevelle Wagon into a modern power machine with a 5.3-liter LS V8 swap.

How can you upgrade a car with a great engine?

Some cars don’t require the engine swaps that others will need. Additionally, some cars have engines that you love and want to leave alone, but they aren’t fast and require some attention to make them more exciting. The 1970 Pontiac GTO falls into this category.

The GTO comes with a 455 cubic-inch Pontiac V8 engine, which sounds like an engine you should leave alone, but that’s not the case. The original GTO is made to be great, but it isn’t made to best a modern Mustang GT or Camaro SS, despite the larger engine. This means making a few changes.

What upgrades were made to the GTO?

Instead of performing one of the signature engine swaps, the project team (father and son), adding upgrades to make this car faster. This includes a Hotchkis TVS kit or the suspension, a limited slip rear differential, and a set of 17 inch wheels.
Upgrading the engine was a different animal. The classic carbureted nature of the car is admirable and frustrating at the same time. This meant adding a Holley Sniper EFI system that is made to bring old school carbureted engines into the modern era. This system also has a kit that allows upgrades to the electronic fuel injection without the need for a new intake manifold.

What’s right for your project car?

Should you be the next to consider engine swaps in your project car, or do you have a car with such a great original engine that it would be a shame to pull it out? Are you working on a sleeper restomod that might be a fast family car that will blow away modern sports cars or change the personality of a great muscle car? Regardless, engine swaps are part of project cars and can be one of the best ways to add more muscle and power to a car that never had it.