Lingenfelter Performance Engineering (LPE) is best known for the wonderful work it does on Corvettes, but the scope of the speed shop has gone well beyond that. Back in the 1990s, Lingenfelter built a very limited run of the Chevy Suburban, packing a 9.9L (605ci) V8 pumping out 550 horsepower and 705 pound-feet of torque. 0-60 mph is estimated to be achieved in 4.6 seconds. YouTuber Tedward got to spend some time with one recently and fell in love.
The story goes that GM was commissioned by the Saudis to produce an SUV for them that was both fast and bulletproof for the unique needs of the Middle Eastern authorities at the time. Armoring an SUV while keeping it nonchalant adds a lot of weight; this was especially true 30 years ago. GM can make moving a 9,000-pound vehicle insanely fast look easy nowadays (see GMC Hummer EV), but back in the mid-nineties, it had to be done the old-fashioned way – with lots of displacement.
This is where Lingenfelter entered the picture. GM delivered a stock Suburban 2500 with four-wheel drive, a 7.4L V8 rated at 230 horsepower, and a 4L80-E four-speed automatic transmission. Lingenfelter swapped out the engine for a bored and stroked marine-grade engine block with an intake manifold designed by Mercury Marine. It still has GM port fuel injection, but it’s been modified by Lingenfelter. Naturally, the intake tube, airbox, and air filter are all super-sized. Custom-built headers and an exhaust system sourced from a Chevy 454SS sport truck complete the masterpiece.
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The example in the video above was restored by Ai Design in Tuckahoe, New York. Tedward describes the truck as a “total wreck” a few years ago, but Ai Design restored it to its original condition inside and out while retaining the Lingenfelter performance. He also states that only eight or nine of these are believed to exist since the cost of the modification package exceeded the base price of the Chevy Suburban 2500.
It’s hard to estimate the value of a Lingenfelter Chevy Suburban, but one example sold on Bring a Trailer for $27,500 in 2021. Since then, enthusiasts have renewed interest in the GMT400 Tahoe and Suburban, especially the Suburban 2500, which would likely make a rarity like this much more valuable today.
Comments
Absolutely love that body style! My son’s 98 C/K still brings a smile to my face every morning when I see him pull out of driveway for school.
Didn’t even know this existed! Very cool that Lingenfelter made these
The ’96 -’99 OBS had the most comfortable seats every put in a GM truck.
HHMMM – no mention of how many gallons per mile of fuel….. And so much torque. I love torque.
Overdrive tranny and an big block with iron cylinders and heads, might be suprised. Also, by the sounds of it, non EPA compliant cam and exhaust, so it might actually break 10mpg.
Heck yeah! I had some Lingenfelter parts on my IROC back in the day, loved their stuff.
I worked with the Lingenfelter crew to get the THM 4L80 transmission matched and viable. The torque was enough to snap stock stator shafts!
When you need to get your groceries home fast before the ice cream melts.