LS Engine Builds
SP Built LS engines and strokers from 383 to 427ci, forged bottom ends and ported heads, assembled and dyno proven in-house.
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Greenacre, Sydney · Building engines since 1990
Sydney’s LS engine builders. Dyno proven.
SP Built strokers, Harrop supercharger packages, our own cam and head packages, and two dynos under one roof. More than three decades of serious horsepower, and every figure we publish comes off our own dynos.
- 383 to 427ci LS strokers
- Hub dyno & engine dyno in-house
- 98% recommend us on Facebook
Do it right, do it onceSP BuiltNo bull adviceUnder promise, over deliverSince 1990
- 1990Building engines since
- 1080hpSP427 on our engine dyno
- 7,000+Engine dyno runs logged
- 98%Recommend us on Facebook
Do it right, do it once
An engine shop that lets the numbers do the talking
Sam Baghdadi opened Sam’s Performance in Padstow in 1990. Today the workshop is in Greenacre, and every engine, blower and tune is done in-house: built here, run in on our engine dyno and tuned on our hub dyno.
We are known for LS engines. Over the years we have grown into one of the leading LS engine building and tuning shops in Australia, with engines and tuning programs sent as far as the USA and the UAE. Our rules are simple: be the best at what we do, give “no bull” advice, and under promise and over deliver.
About the workshop“There's nothing I haven't tested and I don't use customers as guinea pigs. I do my homework on my own stuff and I develop it 100 per cent, so there's no guesswork when a customer comes to me.”
Sam Baghdadi, Street Machine, 2015
What we do
Engines, boost, cams and tuning
Everything it takes to make reliable power, done in-house by the same workshop, from the first conversation to the last dyno pull.
Supercharger Packages
Harrop 2300 and 2650 superchargers, Harrop boosted pulleys and airboxes for LSA, and Tickford Roush kits, fitted and tuned.
Learn moreHSV LSA Upgrades
Harrop boosted pulleys and airbox, cam and LS7 lifter packages and ported heads for LSA-powered HSVs, from 600+ to 750 rwhp.
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VE & VF Commodore Superchargers
Harrop 2300 and 2650 packages for VE and VF Commodores and HSVs, from 620+ rwhp up to 800+ rwhp with a stroker.
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Cam & Head Packages
Our own cam, lifter and valve spring packages, LS7 lifter upgrades and ported heads, developed and proven on our dynos.
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Dyno Tuning
Hub dyno and engine dyno tuning on 98 or E85, by a workshop that has tuned LS engines for decades.
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Exhaust & Driveline
Full Hurricane exhaust systems, ceramic-coated headers, Tickford exhausts and upgraded stall converters to put the power down.
Learn moreThe dyno board
Numbers, not promises
Our biggest published results. Rear-wheel horsepower unless marked as an engine dyno figure.
Fresh off the dyno
Latest customer builds
HSV VF GTS
VF GTS: heads, cam and boosted pulleys
750 rwhp on E85. LSA 6.2 supercharged.
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Holden VF SS
VF SS: cam, lifters and stall converter
440+ rwhp. LS3 6.2.
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Ford S650 Mustang GT
S650 Mustang GT: Tickford Roush supercharger
just under 600 rwhp. Coyote 5.0 supercharged.
See the build
HSV GTSR Maloo
GTSR Maloo: cam, springs and Harrop pulleys
650+ rwhp. LSA 6.2 supercharged.
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Holden VF SS
VF SS: 416ci stroker and Harrop 2650
800+ rwhp on 98. 416ci LS stroker, supercharged.
See the build
HSV VE GTS
VE GTS: 402ci stroker and Harrop 2300
over 700 rwhp on 98. 402ci LS stroker, supercharged.
See the buildMore from the workshop: VF Clubsport: Higgins heads, cam and pulleys (670+ rwhp), VF Clubsport: Harrop 2650 and cam package (680+ rwhp), HSV GTSR "VENOM": cam, LS7 lifters and pulleys (over 640 rwhp), VE GTS LS2: Harrop blower and cam package (620+ rwhp), VF SS: Harrop 2650 and cam package (over 700 rwhp), 416ci stroker with Mast Motorsport heads, VF Clubsport: pulley, cam and coated headers (600+ rwhp), VE SS: Harrop 2300 supercharger (620+ rwhp), Paul's VF GTSR on the hub dyno (610+ rwhp), Merrick's GTS Monaro: SP Built 383 (500+ rwhp).
In-house
Two dynos under one roof
Engines are run in and tested on our engine dyno before they go anywhere near your car. Then the finished car is tuned on our hub dyno, which bolts straight to the hubs for accurate, repeatable power at the wheels with no tyre slip.
- Engine dyno: 1080hp SP427
- Hub dyno tuning on E85 or 98
- Every figure we publish comes off our own dynos
Track record
Three decades of results
From carburettors in Padstow to 1000hp LS builds in Greenacre: championship-winning engines, Harrop’s own test engine and a 9-second street HSV.
- 1990Sam's Performance opens in Padstow
- 2003Sydney's LS1 specialists
- 2011V8 Ute Series champions
- 20151000hp is routine
- 2018The BLO 427
- 2019Harrop's 813hp test engine
As featured in
Street Machine
- Street Machine · 2015Sam Baghdadi interview
- Street Machine · 20181000hp blown HSV GTS sedan: BLO 427
- Harrop
- Callies
- Diamond Pistons
- Mast Motorsport
- Higgins
- Hurricane
- Tickford
- Royal Purple
FAQ
Straight answers
Who is Sam's Performance?
Sam's Performance is a high performance workshop in Greenacre, in Sydney's south-west, founded by Sam Baghdadi in Padstow in 1990. It specialises in LS engine builds and strokers, Harrop supercharger packages, in-house cam and head packages and hub dyno and engine dyno tuning. Published results include a 1080hp SP427 on the engine dyno and 1000+ rwhp Harrop-blown street cars.
Where is Sam's Performance located?
Sam's Performance is at 80 Rosedale Avenue, Greenacre NSW 2190, near Bankstown in Sydney's south-west. The workshop is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, and closed on weekends. Call (02) 9708 3333 before dropping in.
What cars does Sam's Performance work on?
Mostly LS-powered Holden Commodores and HSVs, from the VX and VY through the VE and VF, including the GTS, GTSR, Clubsport, Maloo and Monaro. The workshop also works on Fords such as the S650 Mustang GT and the Ranger Raptor. Call to discuss other platforms.
How much horsepower have Sam's Performance builds made?
Published results include Jamie's SP427 at 1080hp on the engine dyno, a built 427 with a Harrop 2650 at 1000+ rwhp, a VF SS 416ci stroker at 800+ rwhp on pump 98, and a VF GTS at 750 rwhp on E85. The full list is on the Sam's Performance dyno board.
Is Sam's Performance a Harrop dealer in Sydney?
Yes. Sam's Performance in Greenacre, near Bankstown, is listed in Harrop's dealer network and fits and tunes Harrop 2300 and 2650 superchargers and LSA pulley and airbox upgrades. Its builds carry a plate reading "Harrop enhanced by Sam's Performance". It is also a Walkinshaw Performance parts dealer.
