FranktoidTM No. 9 - A Wolf in Elephant's Clothing

In the automotive or racing fields, almost everyone has heard the mantra "there is no replacement for good old displacement". More cubic inches meant more power, plain and simple. Back in the day almost everyone wanted a Big Block Chevy, but big blocks commanded big bucks, even back then. You could score one for cheap if you were lucky enough to find a big block equipped passenger car at the wrecking yard, but big block trucks were far more plentiful and easier to locate, provided you looked at the one ton range and lower. The heavier trucks were supplied with a commercial vehicle tall deck version of the big block that shared almost no parts with the standard big block, and for which there were no performance parts made.

Fast forward to the present day. Tall deck big blocks have largely gone the way of the Dodo bird and the LS series small block is all the rage. GM has been stuffing the LS in all kinds of platforms for years now, from passenger cars to pickup trucks. I guess it should come as no suprise that the General also offers it in a commercial truck version, in the form of a 6.0 L (364 cubic inch) engine with a cast iron block. These are far more plentiful then their all aluminum brothers, and generally cost less also.

I never knew it, but you can find a 6 liter LS in a Chevy W4500 box truck. Certain Izuzu trucks also came equipped with the same motor. I spotted this one the other day and it was truly a wolf in elephant's clothing.

My first clue was the "6.0L" signs on the side of the cab

Look what I see lurking below the cab - 6 liters of LS power!