Swapping an LS-series engine into a classic musclecar has gotten so popular, even guys like Chevelle guru Chuck Hanson are making the switch from traditional small-block and big-block power to the trusted 21st century Gen III and Gen IV engines.
It makes sense; they offer tons of power, plenty of performance potential, and the ability to be swapped into just about anything. Throw in the fact that they’re easy to work on, lightweight, and very compact, and you have an instant winner on your hands.Â
We covered the first part of this story back in March, but now Chuck is back with the next step of his project Chevelle, and we have all of the details for you here. The engine in question is a 2003 Tahoe-spec 5.3l V-8, and it’s being installed into an A-body frame (Chevelle, LeMans, Skylark, Cutlass, etc.) that Hanson bought on the cheap!
Now that the 5.3 is bolted securely in place, Hanson is at the next step where he wants to remove the ugly truck intake manifold, in favor of something a little more efficient, high-flowing, and overall better-looking. While he’s at it, he throws on the throttle body, fuel injectors and fuel rails – he obviously doesn’t like to waste time. Where does he get the parts from? Well, none other than our personal friends over at Holley Performance.
We can tell you how the process went step by step, but that would ruin the point of sharing the video with you. So take 15 minutes or so, and follow along with Hanson and the steps that he took to get his rolling frame closer to becoming a running badass!
The Holley EFI intake is one slick piece of craftsmanship, and offers everyone from the casual enthusiast to the hardcore LS engine builder the option of sticking with an EFI-style intake, or switching to a more traditional carbureted setup for their project vehicle.