A lot of things have taken place in the last couple of years that have could heralded the death knell of the performance V-8 in a factory-built car. Ever tightening emissions standards, brutal government mandated increases in CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements, skyrocketing gas prices, and a sluggish economy are not on the side of an automaker keeping a big V-8 in its production lineup. Thankfully we have those at GM who relish a challenge against the most iconic engine platform ever, and take pure pleasure in defeating the enemies of factory V-8 performance in brutal smack downs of horsepower and cubic inches.

In the first installment working with our 402 big-block (9.5:1 compression), we swapped out our factory oval port, cast iron heads for a set of alloy heads from Trick Flow Specialties. Without changing anything else on the engine, going to the better flowing heads netted us a 30-plus horsepower increase.

Unless you have been living under a rock, then you already know there are many benefits to running electronic fuel injection on your engine. If you are reading this mag from under a rock, then we will just tell you that EFI does the same basic job a carb does, but it’s much smarter at doing it. We know that taking off something you are very familiar with—for example, the carburetor—and replacing it with something computer controlled can take some gearheads out of their comfort zone. Yes, we are talking about adding a computer to the fuel system, but nowadays those computers are just little boxes with simple hand held tuners. It’s getting to a point that if you can use a smart phone, then you can use an EFI system.

Last month we introduced our latest LS swap buildup, which features an SS ’70 Chevelle and Chevrolet Performance’s new Connect-and-Cruise LSA and trans package. The story was a simple overview of the parts that come with the Connect-and-Cruise, the car, and the shop doing the work. Before we move on, let’s review the LSA Connect-and-Cruise concept.

Enthusiasts seem to be divided on just what constitutes a real street motor. On one side, we have the daily driver camp, where “street” is defined as the motor used to power your daily driver, as in the car you could jump in to take a transcontinental trip to visit grandma. Positioned to the far side of the daily drivers are those who take the term “street motor” more literally, as in, if it motors down any street, well then by God, it is a street motor. Never mind the cantankerous behavior, the tendency to overheat and the abysmal fuel economy—if it rolls, it tolls.

It’s easy to get caught up in the headlines of big horsepower and all of the glamour and glory that goes along with it. Supercharged and turbocharged engines making over 1,000 hp on pump gas are the hottest rage right now. Monster big-blocks and super fancy LS engines seem to be in every driveway across the land.

When last we left ol’ Project 98, the new 400 cid Dart motor was comfortably between the framerails and a monstrously rebuilt Monster 700-R4 was bolted up. The car would finally move under its own power, but it still had open headers. And while open headers are insanely cool, they make cruising the Jersey Shore for big-haired honeys a little more difficult. Naturally, we had to find a good exhaust system that would let our small-block breathe while providing a wonderfully nasty, powerful sound that would entice a certain blue-eyed brunette.

Our Back To The Streets Camaro is nearing the final stages of its transformation from a dedicated bracket car to a modern day street brawler. This journey has been a ground-up endeavor, with every aspect of the car being addressed. The chassis, engine, suspension, and body have all been upgraded.

The most powerful muscle car Chevrolet produced in the old days was the ’70 Chevelle fitted with the 450hp LS6. After ’70, the power dropped off with each year and we found ourselves in what is considered the dark ages of performance. Now the muscle is back in muscle cars thanks in large part to the LS engine family. While we know the ZR1 Vette is the king of the Bow Tie market, there are a couple siblings that are knocking on its heels. The ZL1 Camaro and the CTS-V from Caddy are respectable machines and are both powered by a somewhat de-tuned version of the Vette’s engine. That engine is called the LSA and it’s a 6.2L fitted with an intercooled Eaton supercharger. The Chevrolet Performance LSA has 556hp ready to be unleashed when you romp on the go pedal and yet purrs like a kitten at idle.

With today’s Internet dyno jockeys, bench racers and chat room engine experts, separating the facts from fiction on late-model cam swaps can be both intimidating and confusing. That’s why Virginia Speed in Virginia Beach has been busy in recent months sorting out camshafts for LS3 street applications. With the difference in architecture between the first-gen Chevy small-block and the LS series of engines, the thought process behind what made one engine work best may not be the same with the other.

The engine is the heart and soul of any self-respecting muscle car. Typically in our market, the nastier the motor is the better. Lumpy cams and loud exhaust just let people know your car means business. Even though the market is almost flooded with pre-built crate engines, sometimes ability, budgets and/or pride dictate that you do it yourself. If you are a seasoned engine builder, then you probably know the value of doing things right, so your hard work and investment stand the test of time. The novice engine builder is where lack of knowledge could pose an issue.

Cooling system woes are as old as hot rodding itself. Any time you build more horsepower, the byproduct is more heat. In recent years, the problem has gotten more acute. Street cars with 700, 800, or even more horsepower are becoming commonplace and these giant numbers necessitate a cooling system just as powerful.

Finding factory big-block pulley sets is getting to be a pretty difficult thing to accomplish. The junkyards are mostly picked clean, the swap meet guys are usually proud of what they have and charge way too much, and there is still no guarantee the pulleys actually match. There is always the Internet, but again, you don't know what you are gonna get.

In a world of small-blocks where bigger is better, the 327 still gets a lot of respect. Compared to the original 265, the 327 was obviously larger and more powerful, but where the 327 fell short was after the introduction of the larger 350. The 350 had more torque and a production lifespan that endured for decades until the end of the Gen 1 SBC.

Can you remember back in the day when things like power windows and door locks were actually optional? And very few cars were equipped with them? We do and if you own a pre-'80s Chevrolet, then you do as well. Muscle cars with power windows are pretty rare by most standards. It used to be converting a crank window car to power was kind of a pain. You had to find used factory stuff or go with some sort of odd cable system that wasn't quite as good as the factory stuff.

Chris Alston's Chassisworks has come up with an entirely new way of thinking when it comes to a full chassis. Chris unveiled the new gStreet frame system at this years SEMA show in Las Vegas underneath this 69 Camaro. We will be doing a complete tech build up of a similar car in the future but we wanted to give you a quick look at the newest thing that came out of Chris Alston's shop.

Doing things yourself when it comes to engine assembly can be very rewarding. We're not saying there's anything wrong with having someone else do the work, just that when you do it yourself, there's a bonus feeling of accomplishment and pride.

Tightening emissions rules, astronomical CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements, and skyrocketing gas prices--all factors that could spell the death knell for the venerable Chevy small-block V-8, and performance in general. Well, in this topsy-turvy world, thankfully we have the dedicated V-8 gearheads at Chevrolet to send us a lifeline.

If you are an avid reader of this fine magazine, then you already know we are constantly showing ways to make your Bow Ties better. We install suspension systems to improve handling, build motors to lower e.t.'s, basically anything to make them perform at a higher level. Sometimes we can get so caught up in going fast that the vehicle loses all the creature comforts and becomes less street friendly. Take for example our Back To The Streets (BTTS) project Camaro. This '71 was a Lexan-windowed, gutted-doors, fiberglass-clipped bracket car that was all kinds of fun on the track, but could not be driven on the street.

Back in part 7 of Modern Mouse, not only did we add boost to our LM7 test mule (now displacing 383 ci), but we threw in a single turbo test on a stock 5.3L LS as well. We also promised (and delivered) testing on an LS3-based stroker combination from Texas Speed and Performance entitled Monster Mouse (October 2012 issue).

When you think of classic Chevys that can handle your mind probably leans towards the Camaro, then the Chevelle, and then possibly the Nova. The Impala\Bel Air\Biscayne, or B-body line, is probably the last of the classics you would consider a handling car. They're just too heavy, and the designers created the suspension more for a smooth ride and less about whipping it around corners. Even though B-bodies are at a total disadvantage when it comes to cornering, the styling can't be discounted. I think we can all admit Impalas are pretty good-looking cars, but they tend to be built with a stock or Lowrider style of suspension. We think most of the reasoning behind that was due to the lack of high performance aftermarket suspension parts offered.

Metal inert gas and the MIG welder has made it pretty dang easy for the beginner to be able to do some welding. Since these welders are a point and shoot type of design, all you have to do is pull a trigger and focus on moving the molten puddle at the right speed. That is, if you get the settings correct.

It might be the current economic situation, or possibly because it's an election year or maybe we have all just taken a good look at our waistline, but America seems to minimizing their propensity for super sizing. Small is the new big, with a call to arms to shrink everything from the government right down to the size of a New Yorker's favorite carbonated beverage.

The interior of a car is usually overlooked as one of the main cool factors of a super Chevy. The driveline, paint job, and stance are on the top of the bragging list, but the fact is we interact with the interior the most. Upholstery is usually sourced out to a shop since it takes special skills and tools, but we are here to tell you upholstery can be done at home. We're not talking about sewing up a custom interior; we are talking about restoration and mildly modified. Thanks to aftermarket companies, you can get pre-sewn seat covers, headliners, carpet kits and so on that you can install at home. We have scoured our archive to bring you some of the best tips and tricks on the subject of interior restoration. Lastly, we provided a nice fat source list at the end of the story so you know where to get the products mentioned throughout this article.

The small-block Chevy has enjoyed a long, happy life. Sure, the current LS derivatives are quite far removed from the original, but millions of Gen I Mouse motors continue to provide the motivation to everything from stationary irrigation pumps to 8-second drag cars to LeMans-winning Corvettes. Naturally, this list also includes all manner of boulevard bruisers, street stompers, and resto rockets. Heck, we've even seen little Chevy's under the hood of brand-X machinery. The continued popularity of the small-block is not surprising. Take a look at the combination of power potential and parts availability, then multiply that by the cost quotient, and you have the makings of a real success story. Add in the countless millions of potential project engines just sitting around at junkyards throughout the world, and it is easy to see why enthusiasts continue to embrace it. In today's economy, the traditional SBC just makes great sense.