hen it comes to big-blocks, sightings of Chevrolet’s W-series engines are getting more and more rare out in the wild. But historically, they are incredibly important.

The W-series marked the first big-block offering for Chevrolet, which needed more power and torque for the increasingly heavy cars and trucks it was producing. The 348ci version came first and started showing up in 1958.

But that was the 348. Nobody sings great songs about the 348. The engine that everyone cares about when you’re talking about W-series engines is the famous 409. You know, the one that the Beach Boys sang about in the song … uh … “409.”

here’s nothing better than the adrenalin rush experienced when planning updates to your driveline, especially when you’ve got a fresh LS waiting to get treated with cutting-edge performance products. Gearing your decisions based on overall horsepower expectations as well as the theme of your car opens up a myriad of underhood possibilities, from OEM to contemporary as well as vintage styles. During our most recent visit to Procision Industries in Taunton, Massachusetts, we met with shop owner Pat O’Brien who had just taken delivery of a freshly built 5.3L LC9 LS long-block for his ’71 Camaro. The base packs all the right goods, including a refreshed rotating assembly, aluminum heads by C3 Automotive Machine, and a Stage II LS1 cam from Brian Tooley Racing.

This was a perfect opportunity for All Chevy Performance to follow along, especially with the build showcasing affordable LS power in a car that will see plenty of action on both the street and track. Having made the decision to follow an early ’70s-era theme, we checked some of the new traditionally inspired parts available from LS Classic Series by Lokar. Seamlessly blending modern performance technology and vintage looks, their offerings showcase such classic EFI intake systems inspired from Chevrolet’s early Fuelie V-8s, including those from 1957, 1962, and 1963, as well as ones topped by a Tri-Power intake, classic 14-inch chrome air cleaner, and even reproduction-styled air cleaners in stock, L79, and even 409ci V-8 versions.

hen the discussion lands on handling improvements for both older muscle cars and newer performance cars, the subject usually turns to shock absorbers. There’s a ton of information out there and it can be difficult to figure out the best approach to selecting the best shock absorber for your vehicle. This story offers a few easy-to-understand explanations concerning the differences between single- and double-adjustable shocks and what those benefits really accomplish.

It’s a challenge to approach this subject from both the entry-level ’60s muscle car side as well as from the impressive handling characteristics of newer cars like the Gen V Camaro. Frankly, a properly designed set of double-adjustable shocks on a new Camaro already blessed with big, sticky tires and a 21st century suspension would be an impressive addition that would deliver near-instantaneous improvements. Earlier muscle cars need much more help than just shocks.

f you have been following along, we’ve covered the teardown of this rubber bumper to steel bumper Camaro conversion project. We removed the entire back end of the car, except for the roof, package tray, and framerails. With minimal modifications, this conversion can be done with a solid, general working knowledge of body panel replacement. This time around, we cover the modifications to the roof skin as well as welding up the body panels now that they are located properly.

Craig Hopkins of the Installation Center partnered with Auto Metal Direct to supply all the needed parts. He elected to reuse the roof skin, as it was in pretty good shape. The modifications to the roof are straight forward in order to turn this big back window into the smaller early design from GM. Hopkins gets us started on this modification and shows us how he aligns the AMD panels to make this conversion a breeze.