Hard-Edged Hauler

This ’72 Cheyenne packs a wallop with a healthy dose of LS power.

The third generation small-block V8 was first introduced in 1997 on the C5 Corvette platform and almost instantly became a legend in its own right. In the seventeen years since the LS1 arrived on the scene, many new LS-based derivatives have been introduced to power everything from base model pickups to GM’s highest horsepower offering, the ZR-1 Corvette. The aftermarket immediately responded to the popularity and variety of the LS platform and it wasn’t long before these engines garnered a legendary reputation. This was mostly due to the LS’s responsiveness to performance mods and versatility for making power. Whether running low boost turbo or blower setups, or through a potent heads/cam/intake package with more traditional bolt-ons, stock-bottom-end LS engines are capable of highly respectable horsepower numbers while maintaining late-model drivability. Part of the popularity of the LS platform can also be attributed to the incredible aftermarket support these engines receive. These days it’s possible to build an all new LS engine in a myriad of different displacements and power levels, letting the engine builder tailor the engine to the application; applications which are increasingly including classic cars and trucks. Such is the case with the 1972 Cheyenne featured here.