I am just a huge proponent of having overhead valves with one cam to rule them all. That's just personal preference, though.
I do find it quite funny that the LT-5 is what GM produced in the 90's when they decided to see what overhead cams had to offer. And it made 400hp back in 1993-ish. It took Ford until 2011 to make a 400hp dohc naturally aspirated motor.
I am glad that GM stuck the cam back in the block where it belongs... I think that the choice to build the LS motors versus pursuing the dohc design has more than proven to be the right move.
The LT5 was built mostly by Mercury Marine and is viewed by many as an outstanding design. Gm couldn't machine the parts to the tolerances required and farmed the work out to Mercury. It was discontinued because of cost and not because it was flawed. Same story with the Northstar, 32 valve V8 built by Cadillac. Great engines but discontinued due to cost.
I like 2 valve motors because they are small, powerful engines and look good on an engine stand. I almost put one in my living room, lol. Take a look at a Coyote on an engine stand, it is big, top heavy, and ugly. The Coyote does sound great when it's having the snot wrung out of it.
I think they are very Nice looking! Kinda like the older Indycar V8s.
OHC has never really taken of, but there has been a few attempts at making 4 valve and OHC type heads on US (v8) engines.
In the 80s there where a kind of succesful Top Fuel, but they where very time consuming to strip and put together. But they got them to run good after a bit trial and error. I dont remember the name now, they where Australian. McGee or something.
And you have of course Batten, there is some more that I dont remember right now. There is some racing only Engines though.
And in the Marine world there has been several cool engines. Mercury racing has their DOHC engine, I dont know if it is BBC related or scratch made. But Mercury Racing makes nice stuff.
There have been many cool OHC "experiments" though, not counting factory experiments, even an Pontiac based engine, who Repco made, Repco who made the Formula 1 winning Oldsmobile Repco V8 that won the Formula 1 Championship in 1967.
If the 70s had not stopped the Horsepower chase we would probably have seen a lot of special engines, I dont know if it is good, or bad?
I have always thought it would be nice with an Ilmor/Indycar Chevy in an car, what happens to those old race engines actually? For the racers it is only "Junk" anyway..
Last edited by Twoblackmarks...; 06-21-2015 at 05:41 PM.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
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