The Warhawk Engine Block For Chevrolet Corvettes - High Flying Hawk

Next came the camshaft. We used a factory LS7 cam, PN 12571251. It delivers 0.591-inch lift on both the intake and exhaust sides, and 211/230-degree duration. The lobe separation is 121 degrees.

After a double-row, true-roller timing chain was linked to the crank and cam, World's builder bolted on a GM gerotor-type oil pump. It is driven off the snout of the crank.

A front cover was installed next. The torque-to-yield fasteners are only finger-tightened at this stage, as a couple of the oil pan bolts connect to it, and care must be taken to make sure the front cover, cylinder block, and oil pan are aligned perfectly.

The rods and pistons were next on the "to do" list. The rods are Eagle 4340 H-beam types that are 6.125 inches in length, while the pistons are from Manley and made of forged aluminum. The rings are from Total Seal. With the 72cc combustion chambers on the heads, the dished pistons will deliver a squeeze ratio of about 10.6:1.

When the connecting rods were all torqued in place, the oil-pump pickup was installed, along with a windage tray (not seen here). Because there's neither a distributor nor a corresponding hole in which to use a priming tool, motor oil should be poured into the pickup after it's installed to help prime the system.

A deep, wet-sump oil pan from Moroso was used on our engine. Like most other components on the LS engine platform, no liquid or paper gaskets are used. That means no RTV sealant to squeeze around the edges of the pan rail.

With the bottom end buttoned up, the engine was rolled over, and a set of roller-tip rocker arms installed.

Next came the installation of the cylinder heads. They were carefully lowered onto the block and cinched down with premium ARP head bolts. Four-layer head gaskets were used between the block and heads.

World's LS1X heads hold the valves at a 15-degree angle, allowing factory-style valvetrain components to be used--no exotic (and overly expensive) parts required. The rockers have a 1.6:1 ratio.

GM production-type valve covers were then bolted on. They're not the most attractive covers, but they're needed for the coil-pack mounting provisions. Visually appealing covers and coil-relocation kits are available in the aftermarket, but we'll address that after the engine is installed in a car.

Components specific to the LS series and its EFI fuel delivery include a variety of sensors, such as the crank- and cam-position sensors, knock sensor, and oil-pressure sensor. Here, the cam-position sensor is installed.

An Edelbrock single-plane, high-rise intake manifold and 870-cfm Dominator-type carburetor provided the aspiration for the engine. Spacers between the manifold and heads are required when using the tall-deck Warhawk block.

A simple plug-in connector links the coils to MSD's 6A ignition-control box, which instantly sets the correct timing when the engine is started for the first time.

For the ignition, we used MSD Blaster coils, GM mounting brackets, and MSD's ignition controller. The Blaster coil kit, PN 82458, includes all eight coils. They must be mounted to the attaching bracket, which is then mounted to the valve covers.

Here's the finished engine, awaiting testing on a dyno. World Products estimates it's worth about 610 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. Besides its big-block displacement and power output, this 427-cube Warhawk LS engine is a great physical companion for a Corvette, because its aluminum block and heads combine for a very low-mass assembly. That means a better front-to-rear weight ratio, not to mention a superior power-to-weight bias.