World Products recently tipped us off to what they believe to be the very first supercharged example of their cool new Motown LS. As you remember from our tech article last year on the Motown LS, this engine takes the best features of both the LS and the traditional Small Block Chevy designs, and incorporates them together in one stone-cold cool package. The Motown LS allows you the simplicity and availability of SBC rotating assemblies, mixed with the superior technology and air flow of LS cylinder heads and induction. The block is built to accommodate 4-inch strokes and can be bored to 4.200, giving you big block cubic inches in a small block package. Throw in the reliability and strength of World Products, and the ability to easily bolt one these bad boys into anything that previously had an SBC (without buying a new oil pan or accessories) and you can clearly see that this Frankenstein combo is a winner.

But Frankenstein just got a jet pack. Thunder Custom Auto (TCA), out of Sandy, Utah, (a member of the World Products Engine Builder Program) recently took a Motown LS engine and ironed out how to bolt on an LS Magnuson TVS Supercharger to see what this engine could do under pressure. Now, you are probably are thinking, “What’s the big deal about bolting on a supercharger?” Well, the Motown LS typically relies on a classic SBC style distributor mounted at the top-rear of the engine for its spark, so when you bolt on the massive Magnuson there is simply no room left for a distributor. So, TCA had to convert the engine to a crank triggered ignition with LS style coils. Additionally, there was a need to get creative with the belt drive for the LS supercharger, since the Motown LS typically uses SBC accessory drives.

The end result: 611 horsepower, and 755 pound-feet of torque way down at 3600 RPM. How’s that for torque on tap? Check out TCA’s “Project Whiplash” page for more photos…