Images Source: GrassrootsMotorsports.com

When one thinks of a Lincoln LS, the first thing that comes to mind is a small four door sedan that wasn’t around for very long. The production run for the LS was only for about six years, which produced around 263,000 cars in all. 2,331 of those models were powered by a 3.0 liter DOHC 24V V6 and were equipped with a Getrag 221 5-speed manual transmission, like the one Grassroots Motorsports forum user Strike_Zero owns.

Plagued with quality issues, and mixed reviews, the LS never really took off for Lincoln. It was originally touted as a way for Lincoln to attract younger buyers, and was built on the Jaguar S-type platform. The cars suffered everything from some fairly severe gasket issues, to failures in cooling system components, numerous ignition coil complaints, and some wanky issues with the car’s electronic systems. The ride and handling with factory gear was never in the same category as the German competition it was originally supposed to compete against, relegating the LS to also-ran status, and just another failure in the long list of those from Lincoln.

Given its myriad of problems, many enthusiasts would probably never consider a Lincoln LS to be a good project car: but what you probably are unaware of is, the Lincoln LS is actually quite the opposite –at least for those willing to put in the time and effort. To its benefit, the LS weighs just shy of 3,700 pounds, has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution, and is rear wheel drive. Now if you ask us, that sounds like the characteristics of a great autocross or handling car, with potential to be something more along the lines of what it originally aspired to.

And that’s exactly what the owner plans to do with this build. Replacing the OEM 3.0 liter V6 will be a GM 4.8 liter V8, with the transmission being a NV3500 5-speed manual from a Chevy Blazer. The owner is keeping the factory LS’ 8.8-inch IRS setup in the rear, with plans to weld subframe connectors and upgrade the gears to a 4.10.

From what we’ve gathered on the users thread, the new 4.8 liter will be receiving some modest upgrades: like a GTO oil pan, a LS1 intake manifold, a C6 Z06 camshaft, and a few other ’04-’06 GTO components.

We recommend checking out the build thread for yourself. There’s a good amount of progress detailed there, and we can’t wait to see the project once it’s been completed. We’d love to see this thing on an autocross track.