The LT1 V8 powerplant found under the hood of Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray produces a healthy 455-460 horsepower and an equal amount in lb-ft of torque. For some, that’s plenty, but others are left thirsty for more. While they have the option to go all out with a Lingenfelter Performance Engineering supercharged V8 crate engine rated at 720 horsepower, the LT1 Heads and Cam package is a great alternative to the performance of a blower. In fact, LPE has designed cam packages that are rated as high as 630 horsepower.
The 630 horsepower cam package eliminates the cylinder deactivation and variable valve timing systems of the LT1, but the systems aren’t lost in the 550 horsepower heads and cam package. In any case, LPE has been able to figure out ways to improve the LT1, despite it’s sophisticated and efficient design.
“Taken all together, there is a lot to wrap your arms around with the new LT engines,” says Mike Copeland, LPE’s vice president of operations. “It’s still a familiar cam-in-block V-8, but the technologies employed to optimize performance and efficiency in production form mean the traditional methods of increasing horsepower require different approaches to generate a result that doesn’t sacrifice drivability or overall performance for a comparatively minor maximum power gain.”
If you’re interested in finding out more about LPE’s heads or cams, or would like to know what goes into installing such an upgrade, see this article by SuperChevy.
Comments
Chevrolet should license the Lingerfelter LPE cam kit to generate 550 horsepower because you get a 90 hp upgrade over the stock LT1 6.2L V8 while getting to keep the variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation as this would be great for all GM cars and trucks that use the LT1; GM engineers can try supercharging the 550 hp engine.
@ omegatalon
“GM engineers can try supercharging the 550 hp engine”
Superchargers usually add around 100+hp (depending on size), so that would bring that 550 hp to 650 hp, GM already makes an engine like that, they call it the LT4.
The 550 hp engine fits nicely between the LT1 (450) & the LT4 (650).
Funny you should mention that. just yesterday I was looking at the new performance parts catalog. And there’s an LT1 head cam kit.with two CNC ported heads and a camshaft 228° intake duration 248° on the exhaust .577 inches of lift on the intake and exhaust with Lobe separation of 116.5°. they don’t say anything about how much power increase there is.
If you can’t get into trouble with 460 Horse Power…you’re just not trying hard enough !!!
My Vette has 436 Horse Power and it’s plenty