It may sound ridiculous, but the LS-series has been around long enough for people to forget where it all began – the LS1! Since our Facebook pages are quite popular, we have boys and girls from all over the world mistakenly insist that there was never such thing as a 5.7-liter LS engine. No, seriously, it’s happened so much that we’ve lost count.

Nothing to see here, folks. Just a throwback to the '90s that's in the 9's with a cam and spray.

Thankfully, we have guys like Jacob Perkins to remind them where the LS Game all started. We would like to tell you that his car has a built LSX iron block, stroked to 454 cubic inches, packing twin 72 mm turbos, and is making well over 1,000 horsepower to the tires. We would tell you that if we could. But we can’t.

Rather, what Jacob does with this Camaro is equally as impressive to us. Instead of stuffing the latest and greatest hardware under the hood of this car, he continues to represent the now old-school Gen-III like it’s still the current offering from General Motors. 

The proof is in the printing.

OK, so what’s the big deal you ask? Good question. This low-mileage (22,000) 2002 Camaro Z28 is essentially stock and runs high 9’s. That’s not a typo. It still has a stock, untouched bottom end, LS6 intake, throttle body, 241 heads, and front suspension.

What makes this F-body quicker than when it was when it left the showroom is a Texas Speed “Magic Stick” camshaft, a Nitrous Outlet 78 mm plate kit jetted at a 200 shot, a set of 1-7/8 inch American Racing Headers, and a custom-built, off-road 3 inch Y-pipe and 4-inch exhaust that utilizes a Magnaflow muffler.

The engine management system is kept in check thanks to HP Tuners. Rounding out Perkins’ mods is a Rossler Transmissions Terminator 3 4L60E gearbox, Yank SS 3600 stall torque converter, Midwest Chassis 9-inch rear end stuffed with 4:11 gears, along with a Midwest adjustable torque arm, control arms, and Panhard rod.

Throw in a Strange 10-way adjustable rear coil-over system, a 28×10.5 inch rear slick, and launching the 3,500 pound (race weight) beast is a cinch. Perkins drives the Camaro to and from the track, and at press time, has run a best of  6.27 at 111 MPH in the 1/8-mile, and 9.87 at 134 MPH in the 1320.

So whether you’re an OG to the LS Game, or if you’re brand new to the party, take Jacob Perkins’ car as either a reminder or a tutorial to the potential the original LS motor…