bout the only downfall of the GM LS engine platform is the engine’s overall aesthetics. This is especially true when it comes to LS swaps in muscle cars, classics, and vintage hot rods. The eight coil packs and that unsightly plastic intake manifold with sensors and wires scattered just don’t look at home under the hood of a traditional Tri-Five or vintage Nova.

There are a several adapters available these days that allow you to cover the coil packs or change valve covers and even a few four-barrel-style intakes if you choose to go that route. One company that has taken LS beautification to an all-new level is LS Classic Series. Started by a Corvette restoration company and now owned by Lokar, LS Classic not only offers direct-fit cast aluminum script valve covers (that do not require adapters) and billet valley pans with the front oil fill tube, but they also designed complete cast intake manifolds reminiscent of the early GM mechanical fuel injection systems. They can even make your LS look like a big-block or 409!

One of the keys to any LS appearance upgrade is to remove the coils from the valve covers. Not only does LS Classic offer trick remote coil mounts, but they also developed a faux distributor that gives you the ability to route the spark plug wires through it and back to the new coil locations. The distributor is fitted with a points-style cap and is hollow so the wires simply pass through the housing, creating a clean and quite sneaky way to route the plug wires. How’s that for LS trickery?

ith the crankshaft installed in our Summit Racing small-block Chevy short-block, we’ve hit the first of many milestones when it comes to building an engine. The crankshaft is the backbone of any engine, tasked with handling the stress of the internal combustion process and expected to survive every suck, bang, blow cycle. So, it’s no small feat to have the crank in its cradle with all the specs checking out. It also means we get to advance to an even bigger milestone: installing the rotating assembly.

In addition to the rotating assembly, we’re also going to address the oiling system by installing a Summit oil pump, pan, and spin-on filter adapter. That will put us in a good spot to continue next month with the valvetrain installation.

ith all modern engines either net lash or overhead cam hydraulics, there is an art form that is slowly being lost to history. For older engines with independent stud rocker arms, one of the procedures that was necessary and sometimes done incorrectly was the art of setting valve lash. Engines like a small-block Chevy or Ford with mechanical lifters required a clearance between the rocker arm and the valve tip, which was usually set hot. Hydraulic lifters were less critical but still required a preload. Decades ago, this was done with the engine running and open valve covers, making a huge mess when the engine sprayed oil over the entire engine compartment from 16 tiny lawn sprinklers.

Thankfully, we’ve progressed to a more civilized and far less messy way to accomplish this same task. The valve covers of course still have to be removed, but the engine doesn’t have to run. A sharp engine builder who has been lost to history created this simple procedure that we’ll now pass along for future engine enthusiasts.

The procedure is simple and straightforward. There are other procedures that can be used, but we’ve found that this one is the simplest to remember and does not require you to memorize a firing order or where in the sequence the next step must originate. That can be confusing. This procedure also makes sense from a logic standpoint if you understand how camshafts work.

hen Chevrolet introduced the Camaro in 1967 it was sort of a design-it-yourself ponycar. Depending on the purchaser’s preference it could be had with a six-cylinder engine or small-block V-8s measuring 302, 327, or 350 ci or a 396ci big-block. Of course it was the Z/28 302 option that would become legendary, but Chevrolet would continue to offer a variety of powertrain combinations in the Camaro from mild to wild.

For most enthusiasts all first-generation Camaros (1967-1969), regardless of the drivetrain, are desirable—and we agree. They’re great-looking as well as light and nimble, making them a pleasure to drive. But, like all cars, they will suffer from the ravages of time and travel.

As luck would have it, we were able to find an original 1969 Camaro. The coupe is presentable with fair paint and interior; underhood is the L14 optional engine, a 307ci V-8. While the temptation with such a find is to rip it apart and make a variety of modifications right away (which always takes longer than planned) our goal was to first make any needed repairs so we could drive and enjoy and make updates as time and money allow.

ngine and driveline swapping has long been a staple of building performance cars since the first rodders began swapping parts in the back of a blacksmith’s shop. Today’s market is full of LS swap parts, upgraded transmissions, and a myriad of rear axle opportunities. But along with all this parts customizing is the reality of ensuring all these parts work together, so your upscale machine sings along nicely on the highway.

One area that is universally overlooked is the link between the transmission and the rear axle. Sure, you spec’d the length of that custom driveshaft right down to ¹/₈ inch and it now fits snugly in between the engine and rear axle. But is the angle correct? Just because the driveshaft doesn’t vibrate or rattle the inside rearview mirror off its mount on deceleration doesn’t mean the driveshaft angle is correct. It’s really something that should be verified.

To minimize the confusion around measuring the driveline operating angle, TREMEC has come up with a slick smartphone application to measure and compute the operating angles for you. It turns out that a proper operating angle has a very specialized set of requirements.