With an all-new fifth-generation Corvette on the horizon, the time couldn’t be better to introduce the third generation of the legendary General Motors small block V8 engine. The design, which was based on a timeless design by former Chevrolet Chief Engineer and General Manager Ed Cole, the “Gen III” 5.7 Liter V8 LS1 marks a bright new chapter in the highly respected lineage that GM small blocks have established for more than 40 years with an infusion of cutting-edge technology. Originally introduced in 1955, the small block V8 changed the way people viewed Chevrolet.
Chevrolet Camaro 'Tech' - Page 5
A fourth-generation Camaro with a chassis covered in a multihued checkered flag may make you think of images of last-second mad dashes to the finish line, but to Gordon Beers of Palm Springs, California, it represents his love of American hot rods. After numerous customized radical rides and vibrating Harleys, Gordon wanted a true high-performance sports car.
Dreams of a Corvette or a Viper were soon redirected after reading an article in CHP about the Granatelli Signature Series Camaros. The Granatelli name has long been known in the high-performance world dating back to the days when Andy Granatelli was capturing checkered flags at Indy to the present-day Granatelli ownership of Paxton Automotive Corporation.
Tom Kempf is a 35-year-old engineering manager of an automotive OEM supplier, he tests and tweaks things to produce results. It is also in his nature to find the limits of things: destroy stuff, and rebuild it from a clean sheet. Kempf special ordered a 2000 Camaro Z28 from Rinke Chevrolet, with plans from day one to build it into a race car.
He ordered the no-option “B4C” package, known for its light curb weight, hardtop roof, and bare-bones musclecar attitude. Tom didn’t check off on any fancy options that could slow the car down. It took him six long years to arrive at the desired result he was looking for.