Do you think it sounds better than the Shelby GT350?
It used to be that flat-plane crank engines were a thing you only found on exotic European cars like Ferraris. They make a pretty unique sound some would describe as unearthly. While there’s far more than just that to attract someone to the Shelby GT350, it does make the muscle car sound distinct. This video showing off a 1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z at Autox Goodguys 37th American Car Show held in Pleasanton, California last year is intriguing because it helps highlight the fact you don’t have to be a Ford guy to enjoy the sounds and performance benefits of a flat-plane crank V8.
That LS7 comes from a Corvette Z06, which even if it weren’t modified would make this IROC-Z quite potent. This build was done by none other than Detroit Speed and is a breath of fresh air. The LS7 has been de-stroked and has the flat-plane crank installed, which you can hear loud and clear once the muscle car starts whipping through the autocross course.
Not only do flat-plane crank V8s sound cool, they offer some performance benefits. The configuration allows for greater airflow. That in turn means more horsepower, something we all love. It also translates into higher revs. For example, Ford’s Voodoo V8 can go all the way to 8,250 rpm before the fuel cuts off. Compare that to 7,000 rpm for the Coyote, which is the basis of the Voodoo, and you can see the difference.
With this LS7 it can apparently rev all the way to 8,500 rpm. Does that make it better than the Voodoo? We don’t have horsepower or torque specs, but anticipate it would be markedly better than in the Corvette Z06 which donated the engine.
YouTuber Internal Combustion says this IROC-Z sounds better than the Shelby GT350. We think Ford fans might take exception to that declaration, but the GM crowd likely agrees. Perhaps we should ask all the Mopar fans to weigh in on this one since they don’t have a horse in this race.
