The Discovery of a Forgotten GM Experiment
In early 2016, KC Maxx Performance and VC Fabrication reached out to AMP Engine Management to discuss one of the most intriguing projects we’ve ever seen — an unreleased GM prototype LS V10 engine.
Yes, you read that right — a factory-developed GM LS-based V10.
Originally rumored to have been conceived as a potential big-block replacement for GM’s truck division, the V10 was designed to rival the Ford Triton V10 and Dodge SRT-10 platforms. Internal sources suggested the concept aimed for similar displacement and packaging to the 454, with more power, improved emissions compliance, and adaptability to future GM technologies.
The project never made it to production — it stalled somewhere between CAD modeling and prototype development. At least, that’s what the story said.
Fast Forward: The Engine Resurfaces
Nearly two decades later, proof surfaced that GM had, in fact, built at least one LS-based V10 prototype. The engine appeared in a lot of scrap and surplus parts sold to a private buyer — complete from intake manifold to oil pan, missing only one exhaust manifold and a damaged valve cover.
“We had heard of this engine from the source we acquired it from,” said Lee Masters of VC Fabrication in Kansas City.
“When I saw it, I knew we had to get our hands on it. Eventually, it became available and we acquired it from the supplier who purchased it directly from GM.”
The Specs — and the Plan
According to GM sources, this LS V10 produced an estimated 616 horsepower and 789 lb-ft of torque — numbers that would have made it a monster in any application.
Today, that same prototype lives on inside a ’64 Chevrolet Impala Two-Door, where it’s being fully integrated with MS3Pro Engine Management for complete sequential control and data logging.
The goal: a factory-style calibration demonstration for the Kansas City World of Wheels Show — with plans to later add a twin-turbo system, potentially pushing power deep into the four-digit range.
(Excerpt reference: LSX Magazine coverage of the VC Fabrication build.)
MS3Pro — Bringing a Lost Engine to Life
Out of the box, MS3Pro supports up to 12-cylinder sequential control, making it one of the only ECUs capable of managing this unique V10 architecture without compromise.
Our engineering team began with a 24X LS Plug-and-Play harness, extending and reconfiguring it to handle the additional injectors, coils, and sensors required by the ten-cylinder configuration.
This setup enables full sequential fuel and ignition, adaptive correction, and OEM-level diagnostics — effectively giving the once-shelved GM prototype a second life with modern electronics and tuning flexibility.
The Legacy Continues
Installation and configuration began on-site at VC Fabrication in Kansas City, marking the first time the only known GM LS V10 has been powered by a modern aftermarket ECU.
MS3Pro is not just controlling an engine — it’s preserving a piece of GM engineering history.
Stay tuned as we follow this build through dyno testing, the Kansas City World of Wheels debut, and future turbocharged development.
This isn’t just a restoration — it’s a resurrection of an urban legend.