ULTM8Z

How do you know it was a 350? Maybe it was a 305?

Ray86IROC

350 TPIs, especially later years can and do run very close to stock LT1s in the 1/4, especially LT1 autos (pretty fair comparison since the L98s are stuck with autos...). Now, an LS1 will handely stomp either, but they are frankly a phenomenon. A factory stock car rated at 305 hp that actually puts down 300ish RWHP (read 340-350ish hp at the crank in reality) bone dead stock with plenty of room for improvement? One that with minor bolt ones can reach 330-340 rwhp routinely without touching the heads or cam??? That is in a league of it's own... The LT1 is an improvement on the L98, but it is not a night/day difference, and is not outside of the realm of bolt on L98s by any stretch, especially just stop light to stop light encounters...

RSs and 305 TPI autos don't hold a candle to either a L98 or a LT1... SOME of the 305 TPI 5spds , the 230hp "G92" cars, might be able to keep up a bit, being far better setups than the 305 TPI autos. But other than that you can forget about it. The base v6 4thgens can take the RS' (probably what the poster before raced)... A 305 TBI RS has trouble keeping up with family cars, much less anything remotely performance oriented and a 305 TPI auto isn't much better... Of course you can modify 305s to be competitive, but then what if the LT1 has mods?? Thirdgens get a bum reputation due to all the boat anchor base/lower end model 305s out there...

Black6SpdTA

Hey! I've got one of those "boat anchor" 305's I know it's slow though. So an L98 really is THAT much better than what I've got now? And will run competitively with a stock LT1? Sweet! Great post btw and thanks everyone for keeping this discussion alive! Let's get some handling people here, how do the two cars handle in comparison?

-Rippin

Zepher

Thirdgens out handle 4th gens when running the same wheels and tires. I know this for a fact. Since I've owned 2 4th gens and 2 3rd gens and had the same wheels/tires on both 4th gens and one of my 3rd gens.




My best time with my TPI 305 5 speed was a 14.1 @ 99mph,




Best time when it was carbed was 14.9 @ 92mph

Strahley

I kinda sorta know the guy. Talked to him a couple times about his Camaro before. It's pretty nice. I remember it's a 350 TPI, just can't remember if it was a 91 or 92. One of those two

There isn't a huge difference between a 350 TPI and an LT1, IMO. A lot of the times it comes down to the driver when cars are that close. But, put a good driver behind the wheel in an LS1, and it's not fair. But, let us never forget at least it's all American

MY91Y84

like zepher's time..my G92 LB9 ran a 14.1@almost 97....

now the power aint there for an LT1 but that ET will make damn near every stock LT1 sweat...

and i "hang" with LS1's to about 70

id like an LT1 owner to give my LB9 a bum rap

shanebang76

My RS started out with the sickly TBI/ 5 spd.... ..then I got to ride in my nieghbor's then new 95 TA LT1/ 6 spd.....Within 3 months I had me a 91' vette aluminum head L98 and m6. He would absolutely KILL me with the 305, but the L98 would hand him his ***. I had a chip from Street and performance, edelbrock headers, exhaust, afpr, and all stock internals. He would be right there running from 45 mph on, but from a standstill....not a chance... You put an L98 behind a T56 and they will walk a stocker LT1 with the same running gear until way up into the gears, IMO
Then, I killed that motor off and ditched my TPI for a converted LT1 intake and HOT4 cam kit w/ 1.6 rr and Dart heads and this motor seems to have more torque than TPI and WAY more power in the higher rpms.....This thing will rev to 7000 all day!!!! But even with all of my mods, I have still had a 2002 slp SS with a 385 hp badge on bumper take me up top!!! I took him hard off the line up till about third, then he slowly started inching by.....Had me by maybe a fender until 100 mph. I put a good car on him through 1/8, but that thing was SICK up top!!! He later told me that he paid close to $35,000 for that car.....Even had a # on his dash.....But I havnt had any problems with any stocker LT1's or LS1's....(unless that SS is considered a stocker???) Just put ya a HOT4 cam kit with a converted intake.....WONDERFUL upgrade to a TPI, IMO!! OR....put ya a 150 horse shot of N20 on top of that and you can wave bye to them!!!

IZ28

I'd rather have the L98. They are more fun on the street and handle better.

90rocz

I must have a "Fluke of Nature" L98 IROC or something.....I've ran 2 LS1's at the track. A Silver 98TA and a Black '01 Camaro both with A4 tranny's And 1 '99 SS with a stickshift. The Silver TA was bone stock and ran 14.00 FLAT! and the Black Z had a cat back and ran a 13.97 but the SS went 12.99 with M/T ET Streets, a cat back, and Air box lid.
With all of the buzz about the Ls1 cars I expected to handed my a$$ by all of them. But I actually ran right with the 2 A4's!!!
Now my car was modded, but NO cam, headwork, or gears at the time. Ihave ran my buddy's '91 Z and beat him fairly easily(we're working on that tho..)but he's all stock..TPI cars respond Extremely well to modifications..
And my HP numbers BEFORE Cam or Headwork was close to 310HP at the crank!!!and 285 at the tires!!!

Zepher

Did you have your car dyno'd?
Your mph in your sig doesn't quite match up to 285rwhp, you should be trapping at 100-102mph.

Patriot

I raced a LT-1 ( ? year ) with my stock '92 Z-28 auto L-98 from a 35mph roll to 110 mph and won by 1 car lengh .

Strahley

Crackers like that who drive good cars but can't "drive" them should be hung

IZ28

Some L98's are definetly capable of beating Auto LT1s. Especially from a stop.

doug791

Roflmao okay thats true but a week or two ago i raced a Z06 with my mildly modded L98(full exhaust, gearing, hyperjunk, shift kit) and on top of that my torque converter is dieing on me. Ummm lets not even go there. Ah well dont take any shame loosing to chevy power although i somehow dont think the word "loosing" quite describes what happened

1986MCSS

OK, let me just say this

I currently own a 1988 formula 350, with all the goodies, 9 bolt 3.27 posi rear, 350 tuned port, 4 wheel discs, aluminum driveshaft, etc. Top of the line l98 car. All stock except for cat back exhaust flowmaster, and high flow converter, and i also own a 98 trans am a-4. Before the T/a i had a 95 z28 with an lt1, all stock. I raced countless iroc's, GTA's formula 350's, and none of them even came close to beating me, out of the hole, they were with me for about 3 or 4 seconds, but in was nothing but a massacre after that. I have driven this formula of mine for 3 months now, and i cannot touch an LT1 f-body, A-4 or 6 speed. My formula is in perfect running condition, and runs very strong, but i think anoyone who says they have beat a stock LT1 with a stock L98 is very dishonest. The only way possible for that to happen is if the lt1 either is not running right, or the driver is drunk, otherwise stock for stock, the lt1 is far more superior. The l98's low end torque advantage is only from 0-2500 or so rpm's, you are past 2500 rpm's in a stick or auto in less then 3 seconds, and thats when the lt1 starts pulling. just my .02.
oh yeah, if you can afford it, get the ls1, it is truly a very fun experience smashing the throttle down, and just feeling it pull through the entire rpm range, and not wanting to quit climbing up top