It Fits! Hennessey successfully shoves ZR1 LS9 into Camaro
Hennessey Performance HPE700 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Hennessey Performance has successfully completed the most crucial step in developing its ZR1-powered HPE700: Getting the Corvette ZR1's LS9 motor to fit in the engine bay of the new Camaro. John Hennessey just sent over these images that show the before and after, and from the look of things, the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 fits nicely.
The engine cover that's visible through a polycarbonate window on the Corvette ZR1 lines up nicely against the Camaro's firewall and it appears there's still some room left in front of the engine. While the LS9 normally produces 638 hp in the ZR1, as its name suggests, the Hennessey HPE700 will be shooting for over 700 horsepower. Only 24 examples will be produced and Hennessey has already sold 11. If you're interested, check out the official specs and features on the Hennessey Performance website.
Gallery: Hennessey Camaro HPE700
[Source: Hennessey Performance]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
elprogramer 3:00PM (6/15/2009)
Why would you want to?
Maybe racing I suppose.
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Pengwin 3:01PM (6/15/2009)
why not.
andre lavoie 3:03PM (6/15/2009)
I don't know, why would anybody want an extremely powerful motor that normally powers the ZR-1 in a Camaro? Beats me... (sarcasm).
Pengwin 3:04PM (6/15/2009)
yeah, its just like a CTS-V. Why would anyone want a really fast 4 door sedan?
Evan 3:13PM (6/15/2009)
The Camaro chassis is heavier and won't will handle as well as the Corvette's chassis, so isn't it better to just buy the Corvette?
some1 3:26PM (6/15/2009)
this may be true in imagination land!
but if you really send your camaro to him thinking you will get it back anytime in the next 3 years, with this engine, your smoking something...
he will probably part out half your car, and then put the LS9 cover plate ontop of your current engine, and call it a day.
i love autoblog, but this is where it really have to say FAIL! seriously guys, every time you post on this nut, everyone says he sucks, does he slip you some cash or something?
willyolio 3:34PM (6/15/2009)
wait... so what you're doing is taking apart an expensive, lightweight, aerodynamic sports car and putting its engine in a bigger, heavier, blocky car.
yeah, i'm wondering why too.
EndlessMike 3:46PM (6/15/2009)
@Evan: You can fit four people in the Camaro.
@Everyone else: The LS9 is available as a crate engine from GM Performance Parts, so I doubt they're pulling them out of ZR1s.
Serge 3:44PM (6/15/2009)
@willyolio
No... what Hennessey promises to do is - take a $21,000 LS9 crate engine and stick it into the engine bay of an SS Camaro. Sure this will add weight, but if light weight and handling was the purpose an LS7 would have been used. The purpose of this is to have a powerful car that will be very fast on the freeway... that is what some people will use this car for, so it's not necessarily a bad thing.
DayShifter 4:21PM (6/15/2009)
OMG!! This is like the last straw. I can't believe people are questioning putting an LS9 in a Camaro. I guess the love affair with cars is truly over, and the true car enthusiasts are all dead!!
GRIMEYtheFATMAN 5:07PM (6/15/2009)
Sad,but true, dayshifter; sad, but true...
elprogramer 7:28PM (6/15/2009)
Well, if it's a crate engine, that's one thing.
I was under the impression they were keeping to unique to the ZR1. I guess I was wrong. *shrug*
dukeisduke 3:02PM (6/15/2009)
I guess we knew that was coming. Too bad John Lingenfelter's still not with us.
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Daniel 3:08PM (6/15/2009)
I never do this, but I can't help it this time...You guys are usually excellent at listening to and responding to your readers, but every time this guy is mentioned the article gets flooded with comments about how much we can't stand this guy. Why do you keep posting updates about him?I love this site but I had to get that off my chest.
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david 4:03PM (6/15/2009)
Agree 100%
The worst part is how we see a story relating to Hennessey, and we all click on it to post or read the comments about how much of a d-bag Hennessey is. Well, it backfires a bit, if we really want to send AB a message, we just delete the link to their website and stop visiting it. But, perhaps the worse part is how AB seems to be 'ignoring' their readers and blogging about Hennessey to "stir the pot"?
Hopefully AB will wise up and realize that Hennessey = d-bag, and that by posting articles about him without linking or commenting on the controversy about his business, they are promoting him.
chconline 3:07PM (6/15/2009)
In a related topic:
It Fits! Hennessey successfully shoves a customer's ZR1 brought in for "tuning" with the LS9 removed into another poor customer's Camaro with a 10+ year ETA; money and car for both customers not returned.
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fisker2 3:11PM (6/15/2009)
autoblog, the people who view this website have said this time and time again, we do not want to see any of hennessey's so called ' tuning ' , he is a liar, a crook and a thief, the only way he got that LS9 crate is cos he probably nicked it out of someone's Corvette ZR1, who also got suckered in by his huge performance claims, you know that he's a crook and there are plenty of examples of his dirty work scattered across the intenet, so please, once again, stop advertising his work, we don't want to see it.
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tommy 3:18PM (6/15/2009)
What he said.....
Redeemed 3:28PM (6/15/2009)
If the man is such a crook, why is he still in business year after year?
People are 10x more likely to complain about bad service than good service.
It sounds like he has had some poor customer service, for sure, but to accuse him of being a criminal is out of line unless you have first hand knowledge beyond internet "stories".
Will 3:49PM (6/15/2009)
@ Redeemed: Has he been in business as long as Madoff was?