Don't want to notch my frame. What LS options are there?

[dhanks]

I actually decided to use the LS9, but later found out that I had to notch my AME MAXG chassis to make it fit. That was an instant deal-breaker.

Will an LS7 with an aftermarket front assembly fit into an AME MAXG (or stock) chassis without having to notch the frame or cross member?

[andrewb70]

I actually decided to use the LS9, but later found out that I had to notch my AME MAXG chassis to make it fit. That was an instant deal-breaker.

Will an LS7 with an aftermarket front assembly fit into an AME MAXG (or stock) chassis without having to notch the frame or cross member?

Where would you have to notch the frame? At the front cross member? The LS7 and LS9 use very similar (if not the same) oil pan because they are both drive sump engines. So if the notching is required for a LS9, it will also be required for the LS7. There is also quite a difference in price between those two engines.

Have you considered the LSA? It is a wet sump engine so many of the aftermarket oil pans can be easily used to accommodate the chassis.

Have you discussed this with AME? I am surprised that their chassis doesn't work with the LS9 engine given that it would be a natural choice for a high dollar build that would use one of their chassis.

Andrew

[dhanks]

Thanks for the advice guys - going with an LS7 instead.

[andrewb70]

To my eye there seems to be plenty of room between the AC compressor and the frame. I would see if anyone has some LS9 specific AC fittings that will work better than the OEM arrangement. If that doesn't work, a LSanything will fit if you used any number of the aftermarket accessory drives.

Andrew

[67rally]

Which hose is the problem?

There should be an easy solution. Either a different water pump, or different accessory brackets. Move the alt to the passenger side and the AC compressor up to the old alt position?

[Schwartz Performance]

To answer your original question, any aftermarket LS7 accessory drive will fit, since the dimensions will be the same vs any other LS (besides the LS9/A as you know).
The aftermarket drives have a compressor up top so there's no interference with the ac hoses.

It's clearly a pretty high dollar build; a machine shop could probably make you a compressor manifold fitting to clear the frame for a few hundred bucks- unless there's already something available.

-Dale

[dhanks]

Thanks guys. I'm going to return the LS9 and go with an LS7 that supports aftermarket drives to get the AC compressor up and out of the way.