What was RPO W2? - NCRS Discussion Boards

What was RPO W2?

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  • Mike E.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • February 28, 1975
    • 5134

    What was RPO W2?

    In my quest to find out all I can about 1971 LS6's, I stumbled onto the annotation in the lower right corner of this page (the Revision Record) from the 1971 AIM. Anyone know anything about this? (The upper left as the computer decided to rotate it.) This indicates that "RPO LS6 was RPO W2" and has a revision date of 7/9/1970 for that note.
    Thanks
    Scan_20240422.jpg
  • David H.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • June 30, 2001
    • 1485

    #2
    Re: What was RPO W2?

    Turned 90 degrees

    scan crop.jpg
    Attached Files
    Judging Chairman Mid-Way USA (Kansas) Chapter

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    • Mark E.
      Extremely Frequent Poster
      • April 1, 1993
      • 4498

      #3
      Re: What was RPO W2?

      The note says LJ2, a canceled engine that was basicalky the 454 version of L71.
      Mark Edmondson
      Dallas, Texas
      Texas Chapter

      1970 Coupe, Donnybrooke Green, Light Saddle LS5 M20 A31 C60 G81 N37 N40 UA6 U79
      1993 Coupe, 40th Anniversary, 6-speed, PEG 1, FX3, CD, Bronze Top

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      • Ray K.
        Very Frequent User
        • April 30, 2005
        • 401

        #4

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        • Edward C.
          Very Frequent User
          • August 13, 2014
          • 144

          #5
          Re: What was RPO W2?

          It’s LJ2. The LJ2 was an engine that did not make production, I believe it was a tripower LS6 or some crazy variant of the 454, maybe even an aluminum version. I believe it was supposed to be in 1970.

          Ah, I see Mark beat me to it…..

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          • Patrick B.
            Extremely Frequent Poster
            • August 31, 1985
            • 1986

            #6
            Re: What was RPO W2?

            There are a number of references to cancelled LJ.. engines in the 1970 AIM.

            Comment

            • Bill B.
              Very Frequent User
              • August 1, 2016
              • 303

              #7
              Re: What was RPO W2?

              To add to what Patrick said, I had noted some references (forgot the source) of the following big block (454) engines planned for 1970 model year:

              LJ1 - 400 HP? Tri-carb, oval port heads - deleted June 1969
              LJ2 - 460 HP Tri carb?? rectangular port heads, deleted Sept 1969
              LS6 - 450 HP Chev planned advertising 460 HP in the Corvette
              LS7 - >500 HP L88 replacement Chev planned to advertise as 465 HP
              LT2 - >500 HP Aluminum block

              As we know, only the LS5 (390 HP) survived for the 1970 MY inclusion.

              I can't vouch for the accuracy, but had the above data jotted down in my research notes.
              Bill Bertelli
              Northeast and Carolinas Chapters Member
              '70 Resto Mod LT-1 w/ partial '70 ZR-1 drivetrain

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              • Mark E.
                Extremely Frequent Poster
                • April 1, 1993
                • 4498

                #8
                Re: What was RPO W2?

                Originally posted by Bill Bertelli (62632)
                To add to what Patrick said, I had noted some references (forgot the source) of the following big block (454) engines planned for 1970 model year:

                LJ1 - 400 HP? Tri-carb, oval port heads - deleted June 1969
                LJ2 - 460 HP Tri carb?? rectangular port heads, deleted Sept 1969
                LS6 - 450 HP Chev planned advertising 460 HP in the Corvette
                LS7 - >500 HP L88 replacement Chev planned to advertise as 465 HP
                LT2 - >500 HP Aluminum block

                As we know, only the LS5 (390 HP) survived for the 1970 MY inclusion.

                I can't vouch for the accuracy, but had the above data jotted down in my research notes.
                Wasn't LS7 available as a crate engine for awhile? I recall seeing a couple of these beasts transplanted into Corvettes in the '70s.
                Mark Edmondson
                Dallas, Texas
                Texas Chapter

                1970 Coupe, Donnybrooke Green, Light Saddle LS5 M20 A31 C60 G81 N37 N40 UA6 U79
                1993 Coupe, 40th Anniversary, 6-speed, PEG 1, FX3, CD, Bronze Top

                Comment

                • Bill B.
                  Very Frequent User
                  • August 1, 2016
                  • 303

                  #9
                  Re: What was RPO W2?

                  Yes, that is what I understand. My info referenced what was options offered to be installed.

                  After R&D efforts, I'm sure Zora wanted something to be available for the "back door" racing programs, and offering an "over the parts counter" alternative was the best way to do that plus gain some revenue back for the company's engineering project effort.

                  Developing and testing all of those cancelled items certainly couldn't have been cheap. Perhaps they couldn't meet the increasingly stringent EPA requirements, or John D's de-proliferation goals, but as an over the counter offering for off-road use .. that LS-7 crate engine would be plain yahoo!!

                  As the US Army's Technology Application Program Office motto goes, "No bucks ... No Buck Rogers".
                  Bill Bertelli
                  Northeast and Carolinas Chapters Member
                  '70 Resto Mod LT-1 w/ partial '70 ZR-1 drivetrain

                  Comment

                  • Duke W.
                    Beyond Control Poster
                    • January 1, 1993
                    • 15610

                    #10
                    Re: What was RPO W2?

                    Every drivetrain configuration required EPA emission certification, which means every engine-transmission-axle ratio combination. You can imagine what this would cost to develop and emission certify dozens of combinations, each of which might only end up with a few hundred to as little as a few dozen built.

                    So it's no wonder that all these engine options were cancelled. The days of al la carte engine and drivetrain options was over.

                    From the looks of the revision data it appears that W2 was LS6 with AIR. I don't know why they would have given this configuration a RPO code stating with "W". I recall that Oldsmobile used a W prefix for some of their highest performance engine options. Wasn't W-30 a 455 CID 442 with a cold air induction system?

                    Duke

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                    • Mark E.
                      Extremely Frequent Poster
                      • April 1, 1993
                      • 4498

                      #11
                      Re: What was RPO W2?

                      Originally posted by Duke Williams (22045)
                      From the looks of the revision data it appears that W2 was LS6 with AIR. I don't know why they would have given this configuration a RPO code stating with "W". I recall that Oldsmobile used a W prefix for some of their highest performance engine options. Wasn't W-30 a 455 CID 442 with a cold air induction system?

                      Duke
                      The handwritten LJ2 in the revision record just looks like W2.
                      Mark Edmondson
                      Dallas, Texas
                      Texas Chapter

                      1970 Coupe, Donnybrooke Green, Light Saddle LS5 M20 A31 C60 G81 N37 N40 UA6 U79
                      1993 Coupe, 40th Anniversary, 6-speed, PEG 1, FX3, CD, Bronze Top

                      Comment

                      • Duke W.
                        Beyond Control Poster
                        • January 1, 1993
                        • 15610

                        #12
                        Re: What was RPO W2?

                        Good call. I missed that. It must be LJ2.

                        Duke

                        Comment

                        • Mark H.
                          Expired
                          • September 18, 2013
                          • 241

                          #13
                          Re: What was RPO W2?

                          Originally posted by Duke Williams (22045)
                          I recall that Oldsmobile used a W prefix for some of their highest performance engine options. Wasn't W-30 a 455 CID 442 with a cold air induction system?
                          Yup. Olds used the W for their high performance engines in the Cutlass/4-4-2 line. They even came up with an advertising line featuring a character called "Dr. Oldsmobile" a sort of mad scientist.

                          dr. oldsmobile.JPG

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                          • Richard K.
                            Infrequent User
                            • September 16, 2010
                            • 17

                            #14
                            Re: What was RPO W2?

                            Remember Chevrolet had a sort of mad scientist :-)


                            Chevy_Secret _Engines.jpg

                            Comment

                            • Duke W.
                              Beyond Control Poster
                              • January 1, 1993
                              • 15610

                              #15
                              Re: What was RPO W2?

                              So did Pontiac. His name was McKeller, and he also made the cover of Hot Rod surrounded by all of Pontiac's experimental engines. Not long after I joined Pontiac as a production engineer in 1968, I asked one of my experienced co-workers what happened to all those engines.

                              He took my down to the basement of the engineering building, and in a far corner, there they all were, laying in a heap.

                              It was really sad to see.

                              The "problem" was that at that point in time there was no budget for all the fancy trick stuff as every available engineering resource was required to meet ever more onerous safety and emission requirements.

                              Duke

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