[bobzdar]

In regards to ls1 vs. pontiac, I've driven a couple of ls1 cars. I drove an '04 GTO with 6 speed and an '01 firehawk with auto. I've also driven an ls2 powered 'vette 6 speed. Compared to my trans am with 400/4 speed, they were not as fun, though the 'vette was pretty impressive performance wise. They all had smoother power delivery where mine was peakier. The 6 speed shifters were ok, better than my St10 for sure but not great. The firehawk was a nice car, I almost bought it and would have if it were a stick. In terms of putting that engine in an old pontiac, I guess I don't see the point. I got 20mpg out of my 400 and it was more fun to drive than any of the ls powered cars, overall it's not as comfortable a car to drive every day for sure, but not much of that would have to do with the engine. I think an lsx would have been worth a couple of mpg vs. the 400 in my car given the same gearing, but not really worth the effort.

If the car is a potential daily driver, the lsx makes sense. If not, it really doesn't. You can make as much or more power for the same money with a pontiac and it makes for a much easier install (until you have to tighten the center header bolts).

Your observation that it's 'magic' to make power with a Pontiac isn't right, but it's also not as simple as opening a catalog and picking out a few parts and slapping it together (aka the Chevy way). That's a big part of the draw as there are a ton of different ways to go about it - do you go with a 3.75"/4"/4.25" stroke, do you go with ported factory heads or aluminum (and round port or d-port, or even tunnel port now), what cam matches up with all of that, which carb/intake combination works with it all, etc. I keep trying to talk myself into building a 100hp/liter pontiac but then I realize I don't have a car that could handle that kind of power.