The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Anybody ever see a decent looking Chevy LS engine?

I drive a few year old Chevy truck daily with a 6.0 engine and really like the performance and the fact that you basically put gas in it,change the oil,and change the plugs every 50k miles,maybe.

But the engine is just plain fugly.Maybe its the coil packs and that you can barely see the valve covers.I'm not too crazy about that plastic Vortec thing on top of the engine either.I'm not a big fan of cladding covering anything on an engine.I like the look of a small block and the "what you see is what you get" styling.

I want to use the 6.0 in my 1953 AD Big Bolt project.I guess there are more important things to worry about,but are there any good looking LS engines out there?

I agree, they are gnarly looking. The more new stuff you take off them, & the more old school stuff you put on them, the better they look. http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/...uff/20-131widepaintlarge_zps2c05686a.jpg

There are dress up kits available. Basically it has components to allow you to relocate the coils and cover the heads to make it look more like the first gen Chevy motors. http://www.jegs.com/p/Proform/Profo...rackets-and-Accessories/2417321/10002/-1

Is that a carburetor setup on that motor?The problem is that the injection system is probably the best thing performance wise about that engine.And the coil packs...and no distributor.I guess it is what it is.

Agree they are ugly.

Some random thoughts on the ugliness of them:

Another thing folks do is just use an engine cover over the whole thing, but that kills any and all old school vibes. Check out the plastic covers on Escalades--you could score one at a junkyard and with some grinding off of logos and some flat paint make it plain looking.

There is also a kit to install smallblock valve covers on them, again you have to re-locate the ugly coil packs. Holley makes some covers that look a bit like regular valve covers but cover over the whole coil-pack debacle. Hot Rod John'l 2nd link probably covered this type of stuff.

The truck motors are the ugliest, the plastic intake looks bad--you can switch in an LS1 or LS6 car intake that look much better, but that would be the only reason to change them out.

I have seen someone cleverly use two four-barrel carbs that were mounted on top of it all. The carbs were gutted or wired open and served as air cleaner mounts and for looks only. Air pulling through them was then routed to the front of the fuel-injected intake. From 20 yards away it looked OK, but the closer you looked the worse it looked.

I have thought about using an old 14-inch air cleaner from old 64 283 smallblock mounted on top and routed to the intake, just concerned I might achieve the same results as the guy with the two cards just mentioned.

In the end what I may end up doing is just keeping the hood shut. The good thing about the LS motors is that keeping the hood shut is very achievable as they are very trouble-free.

Corvette vendors have all kinds of dress up covers in stainless, carbon fiber, perforated mesh, etc.

Not in agreement with the fact that they are ugly, but they are certainly not old school. go to an ls / sight and see the creations that some of the guys have done. The truck intake is sharp when cleaned up , shaved down and painted, color matched coil packs, chrome coil pack brackets etc.... but if ya want old school there are plenty kits that cover this area up. Me personally will go the 6.0 (3) piece cover look which can be purchased new for about $125.00. sand it down and instead of corvette , or any other logo stovebolt will do. Use your imagination on this one.

Not a bolt swap but one I am working on right now...

Amazing what a bit of paint will do to an LS.... LS painted

If you can get us a few more photos of that engine it would be great.What is it in?

I know a few folks have mentioned covers and plastic,but I would go that route for myself as a last resort.I like the old school look of honestly presenting what you have,rather than deceptively covering it up.Maybe painting the coil packs my favorite shade of nail polish is the key?

That is a pretty fuzzy and small picture. Paint??? Marc, from you I would expect some pimpin finned aluminum fuel rail covers. Having bought a C5 Corvette with an "ugly" LS1 last week I may just have to do that myself.

You can follow the entire swap process here

LS swap

Check out this site, lots of LS info etc.

http://www.trifive.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=65

I know it's non an LS, but I like the look of this one.

http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/w...amp;_suid=140020209797607267597277275595

BTW- It's 100% GM.

A friend stopped by with his 2014 Chevy pickup and the coils are under what looks like conventional valve covers. The whole top of the engine is cleaner looking---maybe GM has been listening.

It's a plastic cover, but it does look better: Click Here

It's long been the stance of GM and other OEM's to watch what's happening in the aftermarket and build those modifications into newer vehicles. That's exactly why we now see 20" wheels as commonplace, taller trucks, factory running boards and bed covers, in-bed lighting, performance cars with factory superchargers or turbos, etc. I'm glad it's seemingly carrying over to engine bay appearance.

Not sure if this is entirely true,because GM has always been late to the party,but they are getting better.

People have been crying for 20 inch,8 lug dually wheels for at least 10 years,but all we hear are crickets.

I didn't say it was immediate, it never is. 10 years ago they didn't have 20 inch wheels standard on regular trucks, and they've just because standard on 2500 truck in the last 5 years or so. These changes don't happen overnight but they do eventually.