Quote:
Originally Posted by CBRich
Of course that small block has been around since the 50s sooo . . .
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I don't think there is a single part that is interchangeable between the LS3 and the cast iron 4.3L OHV V8 that came out in '55, making 180 (gross) hp.
The Gen III Chevy V8 engines came out in 1997. The only thing that is the same between Gen I and Gen III engines is the bore spacing, which Chevy did only for historical reasons. The water jackets and head bolt spacing are different, so the heads are not interchangeable.
If you want to compare apples to apples, the Nissan VQ engines came out in 1994, making them 3 years older than the Chevy Gen III engines.
The most recent iteration, the Chevy LS3 came out in 2008, the same year as the VQ37 arrived.
Within 2 months of the Camaro being released by a bankrupt company that was obviously unstable for more than a year, the aftermarket swoons in with a kit that lays down 560 horespower to the wheels.
Where is the aftermarket support for the Z? It's technologically a superior sportscar that will have great sales worldwide. The Camaro on the other hand is a (low end) niche car that will only sell well in North America. You would think that aftermarket companies would be scrambling to get the VQ37 into top form. It's not like no one knew in 2007 when the VQ37 was announced that is would make its way to the Z car.