1970 LS-7 Chevelle ??

[BUIZILLA]

Fact or fiction ??

Looking for documented proof.

Thanks, Jim

[SS427]

Fiction. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bs.gif[/img]

There may have a prototype or two but I have never seen any. The LS7 was never released in a car as far as I know, only over the counter.
Rick

[MotownMadman]

LS-7 was released by Joel Rosen in at least one car, 69 Motion Camaro with the LS-7, but that was a "dealer built" not factory car in which the LS-7 engine came "over the counter" to Motion, not preinstalled at the factory. Very late built 69 Camaro as the LS-7 was a 70 engine.
Motown [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/[/img]

[JoeC]

There was a red tire smoking 70 Chevelle cover shot on Oct. 69 Car Craft Magazine and it stated in big letters 454 460 hp. Inside they said top Chevelle engine was LS7 460hp. They decribed it as a 454 cu in L88 type engine with 12:1 cr, alu heads, hi rise intake, ZL1 cam, and 850 Holley DP. This could have been the King Kong of all muscle cars but did not make production. It is another Jake LaMotta car - "I coulda been a contendaÖ"

[Chevy454]

I'd have to check my stuff, and mr70 could answer this for sure, but...

...if I remember correctly, the LS-6 was originally gonna be 460hp and installed in the Chevelle, and the LS-7 was gonna be 465hp and in the Corvette. I think something similar was in the dealer literature...or something close to that anyway!

An LS-7 Corvette would have been 1 bad mofo...

[Rowdy Rat]

Jim,

To the best of my knowledge, the only car slated to get the LS-7 as an RPO during the 1970 model year was the Corvette although it ultimately failed to make production.

There were actually two engines tagged as "LS-7" which often leads to a little confusion...

The first was the production LS-7 intended for the 1970 Corvette. If the data that GM released to the AMA is to be believed, it would have been nothing more than the Chevelle LS-6 with the addition of closed chamber aluminum heads and a slightly different camshaft. Horsepower was stated as 460 in all the reliable GM sources that I have seen. The engineers worked through May 1970 to get the engine into production, but it was finally cancelled as the 1970 model year came to a close.

Apparently, Sports Car Graphic did a road test of a pre-production LS-7 Corvette... It would be neat to locate the issue it appeared in. I seem to recall a 13.8 e.t. with two people in the car.

The second LS-7 was the service engine that was available from the parts counter for many years. This engine was considerablly more radical and for the most part was a 454 cid version of the second design L-88 from 1969; the only exception being the cast iron open chamber heads on the LS-7 in place of the second design L-88's aluminum version.

Joe,

I remember the Car Craft article... I'm wondering if the production LS-7 started out as something more than what it eventually became or if Car Craft just "guesstimated" as to what the content would be. I can tell you that the GM specs show that the Corvette LS-7 would have had 11.25 compression, low rise aluminum intake (necessary to clear the standard big block hood), vacuum secondary Holley, and the previously mentioned oddball camshaft (.520/.550 lift, but had second design L-88/ZL-1 duration)... Quite a bit different than what Car Craft claimed.

Regards,

Stan Falenski

[ORIGLS6]

Me too, Rick. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bs.gif[/img]

That's been a lot of years but I recall the LS-7 being slated for the Corvette and Chevelle only. There may have been a factory mule Chevelle but I don't EVER remember seeing, or hearing of one being released.

I do seem to remember a Green/White Stripe BM LS-7 Chevelle in one of the old Hi Perf. magazines but, obviously, it would have been a transplant. Now I gotta go digging in the archives.

[olredalert]

-------Its been a long time,but I think Billy Clement used to claim he had one.Another time he claimed he had an L-89/LS6 convert,or it might have been the same car.Billy claimed he had alot of stuff.He did come up with some amazing cars and parts over the years,though,and just hanging around with him was a real treat.I never went down to Lubbock to see any of these myths,so tend to doubt their existence.
------Another myth maybe you guys can dispell.Did Chevrolet ever have an over the counter fiberglass 70 SS hood?Ive never seen one,but different people(Billy Clement included)have mentioned the possibility.
------O.T......Rick Nelson,I tried to E-mail you off the sight this morning and it came back as undeliverable.Can you shoot me another E-mail or a ph.no.?
------.............Bill S

[Mr70]

ChevyCraft in Lubbock,Tx..
Bill Clements did have an LS6 70 Chevelle Convt.,but the L-89 Factory option was disproven.Chevy High Performance August 1995.
Interestingly enough his Chevelle was found here at Dick Wickstrom Chevrolet in Roselle Il.My uncle works there now,and can not lend to the story though.
Yes,I believe there was indeed an over the counter FiberGlass hood available for the 1970 Chevelle made by either A&A,or Acme Fabricating Co..

I have documents for a 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 being built at the factory,then Ray Ridge Chevrolet in Trenton Michigan took it out and went absoluetly radical with the car.
They added a 454 ZL-1 aluminum block and heads for 3K.
Modified TH400 trans,HD shocks and lifts,Headers in the Trunk,Fiberglass hood,Fenders,Trunk lid with Spoiler.
Prowler rear strip tires,Sun Gauges,
The car was built with Ft. disc brake delete,and 3:90:1 posi.
This car was sold with no warranty or Insurance for a total of $6281.31 to a man who drag raced it.
Very similar to a Baldwin/Motion Chevelle,but Ray Ridge Chevrolet was sold many times over,and is now Rogers Chevrolet in a new Location. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]

[SS427]

Bill,
you have a PM.

As far as Bill Clements is concerned, just about everything he owned was fabricated. Neat stuff and very neat guy but he gave me MANY sleepless nights and long days in the very early 80's! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bs.gif[/img]
Rick