Yeah. The 18 or 15 degree heads that I was refering to was actually a conversion package, not actuall new heads. I just meant it would be nice and probably sell if someone did this conversion in a combined "package" deal with everything taken care of and ready to bolt on as far as the top end goes.

 

Question #1: Does anyone know of an aftermarket aluminum block that has a 1-piece rear main seal?

Question #2: What's required to convert an SBC to reverse coolant flow? Does anyone have a schematic which shows coolant flow through the LT1 block?

 

Hate to damper you guys spirits..But let me be the first to say going through rules and rule making for f-body type racing.. The lt1 is already called by many a sbc ...the recent rules in the ls1tech race series shows that anything less than 23* valve angle carries weight in thier eyes,Well let me be more specific "lt1 only" go figure lol
...and in any big sanction that a racer would benefit from the type of engine mentioned here would most likely be weight to cubic inch so cubic inches isnt exactly a plus either in some regard... So i guess the question is what is there to gain buying a block or spending the time to make one... It will boil down to doing it just to do say you did... Or doing it for an advantage,but the big question is..Is it still a Lt1 ??? Just as on the flip side is a c5r a ls1?? Reason I say this is my personal setup has been scrutinized just because of the intake manifold I use..So I think you see where I'm going here...

 

Both of those things are easy to do.....

1. just requires a 1 piece rear main seal adaptor

2. It's going to be an externally plumbed motor and a LT1 head is not going to fit on it. SBC heads are still going to be needed unless you want to convert a LT1 head over to a SBC which is a waste of time

 

I understand what you are saying , but I think the majority of people on this board don't plan to or wan't these parts for class racing or sanctioned events. I think the majority wan't these parts (15 ,18, degree heads, bigger blocks) so they can have a monster NA street car that could be daily driven or street driven .

I think most that "say" they are interested in these parts want a Mindgame type street car vs a class racecar. Personally, I don't race in events, so I don't care if people consider my street car a Lt1 or sbc, or C5 or LS1, "IF" these parts were made to fit just like the factory stuff did.

If people would actually buy a 18 degree head package or a bigger block is one thing, because I remember how so many lt1 guys "seemed" to want a turbo and begged for a kit, even thought we see how few people actually bought one. So I don't know if these head or block ideas are likely (I doubt it). But if they did I think most just wan't a bad NA street car without having to run a huge cam, so they "want" the better heads and or cubes, without having to do to much other than buy the parts and have everything bolt on . (Of course piston work or new pistons with certain valve angle heads).

Your car and the turbo firebired have allready proven that the current lt1 stuff can fill the needs of a race car . But for a 600 hp street car that does not have to rev to the moon or idle like Jeff Gordons car, these parts would come in handy . Although again, I doubt we will see these things. 18, 15 degree heads or block. Espcecially a new Lt1 block. Except maybe the occasional head conversion here and there .)

 

Why even bother with an aluminum "Lt1 block" when you can buy Dart, Motown, etc.?

Just buy the k-member from BMR and build what you want. Make sure you know what you're getting into. Doing it up with fuel injection aint exactly cheap but that's the only way to fly IMO.

These motors need alot of cylinder head too. Can get $pendy in a hurry.

-Mindgame

 

exactly....

 

How about looking at it this way......

Guys like Joe, Mindgame and Jimlab are the guys who would buy the block from you. Not the average guy here..... 2 out of 3 of them don't need it or want it, so where is the marketplace?

If a customer of mine wanted one, I'd probably talk them into a Bowtie or aftermarket block instead and spend the other $1000-$2000 on better heads and valvetrain.

Bret

 

Well, that's news to me. I know you can go from a 1-piece to a 2-piece rear main seal with an adapter, but if you look at the tail end of a 1-piece crank, you can see that it isn't going to fit a 2-piece rear main seal block without machining, no-how, no-way.

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/C...t/PB130061.jpg

I've alread got SBC 215cc RR heads converted for LT1. Going back wouldn't be that big a deal, but there must be some way to convert the block to reverse coolant flow, even if it means a remote pump. What did the guy with the Donovan block do?

 

Too some extent I agree. But everydody is different . Alot of people are "scared" of a sbc because it means changing over everything. (optispark, computer). I would probably get a bowtie block. But alot of these guys are thinking street car and keeping the optispark , computer, accesories, etc. (plug and play).

I can understand both views. Personally , I would proably get a sbc. But I can also understand people wanting to keep their opti, computer so they can keep their stock AC setup, stock intake, and not having to change the radiotor for conventional flow , etc. For a race car or street car that doesn't mind keeping things, an sbc would be the ticket. But I can understand wanting a bigger cube block that would just drop in because of the hassle of an Sbc for a guy that wants to keep everything including emissions , AC , etc, but still wants a daily driver with NA 409 LS1 type power. I don't know if I would pay thousands for one, AND I DOUBT it will happen, but I can understnad. Personally, I like turbos, so the factory Lt1 block has more than enough cubes for me to make more than I could ever use most likely. But I can still understand a guy wanting a bigger NA lt1 that would drop in without changing over evrything.

( I'm primarily refering to the larger cubic inch block though , not necessarily an aluminum block).

 

that's the predicament I'm in now. In my work room I've got 2 blocks sitting on the floor. One is an LT1 block and the other is a standard bore 2-bolt 509 casting "010 020" 400 block (most people say that's the strongest production 400 block.) I've got a set of Gen1 SBC heads that will go on whichever motor I end up building for my car. I bought some relatively small intake valves for the heads since I was thinking that I'd put them on the smaller bore motor.

Whichever one I do build for my car will have a 4" stroke and 340~350cfm heads. The LT1 would probably be easier since I'd just need to swap the electronics over and it could stay a hydraulic roller. With the 400, I might as well go with a solid roller setup since I won't be limited to 7200RPM. Needless to say, the 400 based motor would end up making a lot more power without giving up too much of the low end everybody says that my big car needs (96 impala SS) I've just heard too much about people splitting production 400 blocks when they start to make good power. (over 700hp)

 

I think whats being forgotten here,is most people would opt for a stand alone engine management setup and in that respect .I know first hand I can swap from opti ignition to hei, crank trigger or whatever I choose with a simple adapter harness and going in and choosing the correct ignition I'm running...The new gen7 dfi does this not sure on others.. But as it stands now I could swap to a standard sbc swap over my intake and run a distributor and run it with no changes to main engine harness or ecm that i currently use...

 

If I was to spend the money on an aluminum block it would be one of these.
www.cnblocks.com They could probably make a LT1 without much effort or money.

Its alot cheaper than spending $100k to get the tooling.

My friend bought a 5.0" bore big block a couple years ago from them its a true work of art.

Rob

 

These are dry blocks, right? No water passages at all.
These guys are at PRI, I think. Their stuff looks nice.

My take is that this thread was about more than 1/4 mile blasts. Dry blocks could be a problem on the street or a road course.

$6700 isn't cheap even for a dry block.

 

I think I just saw what really needs to happen

We can all pretty much agree that there isn't much of a market for an aftermarket aluminum LT1 block, given the gain per dollar right? It's just as cheap to basically start over than shell out huge bucks on something like that..

ok then..

What we REALLY could use is someone to offer a ready to bolt up 18 degree package for the LT1. I mean take a set of 18 deg heads, mill and mod them to fit, stuff em full of valves and springs, and sell them as a complete package ready to bolt up. THAT would be doable for a LOT of folks on here, and would make the best use of dollars spent, not to mention raising the bar just that much higher on the LT1 average performance mark.

I know I would get in line... I might even sell a kidney.

Dave C.