Best year for an LT1 Camaro (93-97).

I remember their was a long thread created a while ago that covered this but I can't find it. :( If anyone can do a search and find it please let me know.:)

Until then, what are your opinions? In the last thread the year 95 won but I can't remember why. :confused:

Didn't 95 get the vented opti? I personally think the 97 would of won. Better dash design, better looking tail lights, 30th aniv. edition.

Originally posted by ishz28
Didn't 95 get the vented opti?

Yes.

I just noticed I posted this in the wrong form too.:mad: Could a mod maybe move this to the LT1 form please?

People are going to argue this until they are blue in the face...

Most will say 199X, because that happens to be the year they own.

I have owned both a 93 & 95 Z28.
From personal experience I can say the 93's have always seemed like strong cars to me, but not strong enough that they will smoke all other LT1s... I think it realy comes down to the driver and the car. As far as 96 + 97 Most disagree with them becuase they are OBD II, and harder to manage computer wise.

As far as what year is best I would say 95.
The reasons for this are:
Still OBD I
Has a Vented Opti
Flashable PCM (93 needs chips replaced.. this sucks for wheel/tire swaps, gear swaps fixing Speedo: you need to replace speedo gears in trans tail housing, etc...:mad:)
T-Tops aren't as rare as 93
6 speeds aren't as rare as 93
Leather is an option (Camaro)
Convertible is an option
3.42 for 6 speeds (93 6 speeds had 3.23)
95 had hardened push rods
95 had 24lb/hr injectors, 93 had 22 lb/hr
Front brake rotors on 93 LT1 are smaller than 94+ if I remeber right...
95 had the LT1 intake used from 94 ~ 97... Although it doesn't flow any different that I know of, it does make it easier for getting a spare for porting purposes, or if you plan to convert to a LT4 setup, etc...

I'm sure I have left of a few reasons, but those are why my vote goes for 95...

I'd say a 95 was probably the best as it had vented opti with obd1, Although 97's were nice due to the new dash !

Also the '95 might have been voted #1 b/c they can be had for a cheaper price than the '97's Although I do like the '97 dash better.

95 (vented opti, obd1) or 97 (better interior, SS model available).

How come nobody ever asks what the worst year is?;)

I would have to say 93 or 94.

The 93 needs a chip burned for tuning, but then again it doesn't have a maf sensor. And both have unvented optis...

I own a 95, couldnt be more happy. But I do like the 97+ models because of the interior. I'd like to convert mine

I've thought about upgrading my Z to LS1 console, tail lights and such. After thinking about it for awhile I just decided, I have a 94Z Conv. and in 20 years I want it to look like a 94Z Conv.. Not some hybrid. Same reason for keeping the stock hood and spoiler.

i had a 95 it seemed alot stronger, i think i had a factory freak! now i have 97 and yes the interior and dash are alot better!

I honestly don't care for the 97 dash. I really don't think either the the "old" or "new" dash is anything to write home about to tell you the truth. I think they could have come up with something better. That's not an issue of better or not though, it has nothing more to do than preference.

I think the best Lt1's are 95 and up...they(95-97) all have their "things" that may be slightly better than the other... so it evens it out!

I suggest getting a shovel and burying this dead horse already.

In 20 years these cars may be the muscle cars, lol.

Then you'll see people paying top dollar for original equipment, or others with custom dashes made up mostly of autometer gauges.

The most valuable LT1 of the future would most likely be a 96 SS, since they're the most rare.

No way man, everyone is going to want my sweet 94!
I would have to say 95 too, mainly because of the vented opti and its still OBDI.

I like my 97 because it's the last year for the LT1 front end and the first year for the new dash and tail lights.

'95

I will have to say 94.

Stupid question. What is a vented opti? :confused:

1995

vented opti & obd1

the vented opti was more reliable than the non vented model used previously. The opti is the distributor on the LT1 located behind the water pump. It is prone to getting wet in that location and the vented model worked more reliably.

OBD1 cars are more forgiving to modify. The PCM is not as picky about picking up the smallest little signal that is out of tollerance and throwing a code.

1995 had leather as an option... very few 1994 cars got it at just the end of the model year.

I've owned 2 1995 Z28's. One was brand new, the other used with 9K on it. I loved them both.

The most valuable LT1 of the future would most likely be a 96 SS, since they're the most rare.

Sorry, but I think the LT4 cars will bring a lot more money in 20 years than any of the LT1 f-bodies.

Back to the question, any of the 95-97 LT1s are probably the best, but I'd lean towards the 97 cars. The upgraded interior is nice, you get a little extra HP from the revised y-pipe, and it's pretty cheap and easy to change back to OBDI or get the OBDII computer retuned anymore.

Thanks TABAHR,

WAs wondering what the opti was. ;)

I agree w/ LT4Firehawk. Personally I like the interior of the 97 a lot more than my 94, and it is not that hard to do an OBDII to OBDI conversion from what I have heard.

Cameron

Thanks TABAHR,

WAs wondering what the opti was. ;)

If it goes out you will become very familiar with it. ;)

For anyone who says a particular year because thats the year they own, with no reason why, well.....you're lame. Just my opinion.

I say 97 for nothing more than the newer dash/interior. Older LT1 camaro dashes are hideous and look like they belong in a third gen. I knew this while I was shopping for my Camaro, which is why it just so happens that I vote for the year that I own. :D

[QUOTE=Sandman_97Z]For anyone who says a particular year because thats the year they own, with no reason why, well.....you're lame. Just my opinion.

Very Lame. :D

"For anyone who says a particular year because thats the year they own, with no reason why, well.....you're lame. Just my opinion."

Yeah that is lame if they do that, but perhaps they bought that car because they feel it is the best, did the research and chose or maybe they didnt know it was the best when they bought it. who knows...but your right about that part being lame
"I say 97 for nothing more than the newer dash/interior." that doesnt make it better, it still does everything the same..it is a matter of preference... THATS ALL..I cant wrap my head around how the DIFFERENT style makes it any better (damn I feel silly for arguing this point) something being "better" would be a matter of function..they both function the same...things are in different places, and it has adifferent look...but that can go either way...it would again be a matter of preference...I don't care for the "newer" dash..and I'm not one of the lame ones because I own a 95, I mean what I say or I dont type it. I also dont think the 95 is any better as well. I just prefer it.


"Older LT1 camaro dashes are hideous and look like they belong in a third gen."

you offer your opinion as if it were a fact, now that to me is lame and arogant...it being hideous is your opinon (besides when you say thngslike that, you just insulted or or pissed off every Z28 owner from 93-96) maybe you wanted to..hellifino

I like all Z28's...anyway...later :D

Well, this whole thread is a bunch of opinions. Sorry if you took one of mine to heart (wat a surprise, yours is a 95). My whole post is an opinion. So is everyone's in this thread. Nobody said anything was fact. Thanks for playing tho.

My point was, if someone says, "94's are the best." And thats it. Then you look in their sig and what a surprise, theirs is a 94. Imagine that. The post is pointless if you dont say WHY 94 is the best. So again, I say lame.

And as far as whether or not the dash is better....again, this is an OPINION. In my OPINION, the 97+ dash is BETTER. In your opinion, it isnt. Who cares either way.

I'll get over it, might take some therapy, but eventually I think I'll pull through.
:cool:

Thats great. Glad to hear it. :rolleyes:

IMO, the newer dashes look awful. There are these two big and ugly a/c vents staring you in the face, whereas the old dash had stealth vents, lol!

Also, the newer tail lights look worse to me. The old ones were one color, again, stealth.

As far as performance, I dunno. For LT1's, I've only driven my 93. So much is dependent on driver ability that a little more or less hp might not matter. FWIW, I beat a 95 at the track. whoop dee doo.

If 97's have the new interior too, as in seat fabric, then they suck. The Tweed cloth was the way to go.

HOWEVER.....

With today's ability to get any O.E.M., aftermarket, or custom part from dang near anywhere in the world, it really doesn't matter what year you get. You can change speed density into MAF and back. You can go OBD I to II and back. You could install t-tops to 93's. You could even chop a hard top to make a vert. You can add leather, paint, and correct me if I'm wrong, install T/A interior pieces. You can even drop in a 427.

But since 93 was the first year of the 4th gen.... 93's are best! ;)

93's didn't have T-tops, did they?