2012 Lexus LS 460

E-ROD 1955 Bel Air: GM Performance Parts' Efficient Hot Rod

 
861 views Jun 22, 2011
Follow Nelson

GMPP E-ROD 1955 Chevy Bel Air

GMPP E-ROD 1955 Chevy Bel Air

As GM notes in its release, hot rodding and efficiency aren't fish-and-chips friends. So a project to create an greener hot rod that can still drop the hammer is an interesting, even admirable idea. Whether GM has actually achieved that with its GM Performance Parts E-ROD 1955 Chevy Bel Air is open for interpretation, however.

Rating 23 mpg on its drive from Florida to Michigan this summer, the E-ROD packs a familiar LS3 6.2-liter V-8 under the hood, good for 430 horsepower. That's certainly hot enough to be considered a hot rod, especially given its 1955 Bel Air housing.

But is it really green? Not precisely. Sure, it meets CARB smog standards (for pre-OBD II/1996 and earlier cars), and sure, it's probably a significant jump over 400-plus-horsepower cars of its day (56 years ago), but it's about 3 mpg less than a base Corvette coupe would get on the open road according to the EPA, and more like 5-6 mpg less than our own observed figures.

Of course, the aerodynamics of the 1955 Bel Air have a lot to do with its highway economy. Its weight certainly doesn't help around town. Which explains why fuel economy and hot rodding don't typically go hand in hand: it's all about the physics.

But leaving the particulars aside, it's at least more efficient than some alternatives, and GMPP is selling the E-ROD LS3 engine with CARB certification for hot rodders everywhere. Likewise, it has a 5.3-liter E-ROD V-8, fitted for demonstration purposes in a 1955 Chevy pickup built by Lingenfelter. Both engines are available through GMPP's order system if you're looking to green up that project car you've been sitting on.

[GM Performance Parts]

GMPP E-ROD LS3 crate engine

GMPP E-ROD LS3 crate engine

 





Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Connect with Facebook

Motor Authority. Now with your friends.

Discover stories your friends read.
Share stories more easily.
You control what you share.
Learn more

Research New Cars

Go!


More from High Gear Media

 
 
MotorAuthority
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2011 MotorAuthority. All Rights Reserved. MotorAuthority is published by High Gear Media. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC. Send us feedback.