The 505 horsepower, 427-cubic-inch LS7 engine from the C6 Z06 Corvette has shown itself as a weighty contender on the street and the track. Many folks have taken advantage of the powerhouse by swapping it into various rides. Chevrolet Performance has made the swap easier, but for several other reasons than just offering the engine as a crate offering.
Much like an in-law, inherited via marital bliss, one of the things which came along with the swap was the LS7’s factory dry-sump oiling system. While it helps protect those vital reciprocating components as the Corvette carves some pretty amazing corners, it also burns up some real estate under the hood. Finding room for the additional oil tank and various components can turn a car’s engine compartment into the proverbial “5lb. bag” rather quickly. The engine was designed to use this system, which meant there needs to be some rather substantial changes necessary if you decided to keep the additional oil components safely on the workbench.
Thankfully, the folks who brought us the LS7 to begin with, have carried it back to the parts bin and done some of the heavy lifting for us. The little engine with the big-block number is now offered in wet sump configuration directly through Chevrolet Performance and we found this scintillating video of one of these brutes on GM’s dyno as it goes through some of the rigorous testing necessary to earn its spot within the Chevrolet Performance Parts book.
As if a light-weight, modern 427 cubic-inch drop-in wasn’t enough to be happy about, the folks at Chevrolet Performance went above and beyond to corral a bunch more ponies under those valve covers. As the production-based 505 horsepower was enough to put smiles on anyone not competing against Chevrolet’s Z-car, the additional time spent in the halls of GM’s facilities brings a new, higher-lift camshaft which helps it produce 570 horsepower and 540 lb.-ft. of torque—increases of 65 hp and 70 lb.-ft.
The amazing thing is this powerhouse is available as a Chevrolet Performance crate engine through any participating GM dealer as GM part number 19421004. Chevrolet Performance has even put together a list of Installation Guides to help you get the parts you need the first time. Check out this video and stop imagining what your ride would be like with one of these brutes under the hood!
