This Custom Airplane Proves You Can LS Engine Swap Almost Anything

Ever since Chevrolet started putting LS series engines in the Corvette and Camaro in the late '90s, the durable LS engines have become quite popular for engine swaps. Their six-bolt main bearing caps make them suitable for performance upgrades, and the interchangeability of components among the different versions makes upgrading and tweaking an LS engine relatively simple. 

There are still a few things you need to know and certain essential parts you'll need before starting an LS swap, but don't let our guidelines stifle your creative mind. One intrepid tinkerer took that advice to heart, dropping a Corvette's LS engine into his small plane. A video showing the installation and a brief demo flight was published on Cleetus McFarland's YouTube channel, but the 17-minute video is long on goofy bro-speak and short on technical details. However, one comment indicated that the engine was installed in 2003 and uses actual Corvette motor mounts. 

According to the video, it's been mounted in the opposite orientation from which it would go in a car to allow the engine to run the propeller instead of the 'Vette's transmission. The plane's owner, who is identified only as Jonathan, installed a 1.54:1 gear reduction unit to slow the propeller to a workable velocity and capped the engine's maximum speed at 4,200 RPM. Jonathan noted that "this thing climbs really fast, [although it] takes a little bit longer to get off the ground." 

According to the video, Jonathan installed the LS1-series engine using the stock Corvette oil pan and engine computer. The setup fits tightly in the plane's small engine bay, which Jonathan said most owners fill with a much smaller four-cylinder motor. The plane itself is a Van's Aircraft RV7, a two-seat kit plane that the manufacturer says is capable of cross-country flights. 

Jonathan left the stock LS engine accessories in place, except for the air conditioning compressor, which he said shed about 70 pounds. Cleetus and his crew chuckled aloud when Jonathan fired up the engine, noting that the plane sounded just like a Corvette. 

As Jonathan prepared the plane for takeoff, Cleetus observed that he could just drop in on his nearest salvage yard when he needed replacement parts. He acknowledged that his own Piper Cub small plane project was experimental, but admitted that Jonathan had taken the kit plane concept to another level. As Jonathan had pointed out, the RV7 did struggle a little to get off the ground with the added weight in front, but once aloft, it lifted smoothly and maneuvered easily.