LS1 to LT1 front end conversion?
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
I believe its possible for the V6 guys.
As for the Ls1ers, If you get a cowl hood that might work. The Ls1 sits higher than the Lt1. Good Luck, if you get this to work, I'm sure alot of people would be doing this. Not many people like the look of the newer bodystyle.
As for the Ls1ers, If you get a cowl hood that might work. The Ls1 sits higher than the Lt1. Good Luck, if you get this to work, I'm sure alot of people would be doing this. Not many people like the look of the newer bodystyle.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 511
From: Soon to be Pensacola
A little off topic, but I have always wanted to graft an LT1 and LS1 nose together.
All it would take is to aquire one of each nose and a plastic welder.
I would cut the headlight recesses out of the LS1 nose, cutting them far enough over to get the lead in to the sculpted hood.
Then weld the light surrounds to the LT1 nose.
This would keep the best part of both cars...
The sculpted hood and areo headlights of the LS1, with the aggresive nose and smaller grille of the LT1.
This would also keep the LS1 owner from having to change hood and fenders as would be needed if converting to the LT1 nose and headlights in their stock form.
Just a thought. It's been on my mind for a few years now, but I've never done anything with it. It would be extremely easy though.
Dave
All it would take is to aquire one of each nose and a plastic welder.
I would cut the headlight recesses out of the LS1 nose, cutting them far enough over to get the lead in to the sculpted hood.
Then weld the light surrounds to the LT1 nose.
This would keep the best part of both cars...
The sculpted hood and areo headlights of the LS1, with the aggresive nose and smaller grille of the LT1.
This would also keep the LS1 owner from having to change hood and fenders as would be needed if converting to the LT1 nose and headlights in their stock form.
Just a thought. It's been on my mind for a few years now, but I've never done anything with it. It would be extremely easy though.
Dave
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
Well a.f.a.i.k., the Ls1 only sits an inch higher than the Lt1. So if you got a cowl hood that was raised in the center underneath, it "should" work. Only thing that I can think of that may prevent converting to the lt1 style would be the intake tract. I'm not sure exactly how the ls1 works, but rerouting that wouldn't seem like that much of an issue with Na applications, not sure on forced induction set-ups though.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 268
From: Kennesaw, GA
You don't need the LS1 setup to run one. From what I've been told, the front of the hood is a few inches higher, but it tapers back to the same height as the LT1 hood at the windshield. You would have to route your intake down like an LT1 does, or find a hood/intake setup you like (like the LT1 SS)
You could most likely trade a LT1 owner the fenders, bumper, bumper cover and hood, and get the LT1 setup plus like $500 (in case you want to get another hood) and be set.
You could most likely trade a LT1 owner the fenders, bumper, bumper cover and hood, and get the LT1 setup plus like $500 (in case you want to get another hood) and be set.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
Originally posted by It's Cochese!
You don't need the LS1 setup to run one. From what I've been told, the front of the hood is a few inches higher, but it tapers back to the same height as the LT1 hood at the windshield. You would have to route your intake down like an LT1 does, or find a hood/intake setup you like (like the LT1 SS)
You could most likely trade a LT1 owner the fenders, bumper, bumper cover and hood, and get the LT1 setup plus like $500 (in case you want to get another hood) and be set.
You don't need the LS1 setup to run one. From what I've been told, the front of the hood is a few inches higher, but it tapers back to the same height as the LT1 hood at the windshield. You would have to route your intake down like an LT1 does, or find a hood/intake setup you like (like the LT1 SS)
You could most likely trade a LT1 owner the fenders, bumper, bumper cover and hood, and get the LT1 setup plus like $500 (in case you want to get another hood) and be set.
Anyways the rest of that paragraph somewhat makes sense. The Lt1 and Ls1 hood is the same height at the windshield becuase both engines are tucked back into the engine bay so far that it doesn't need to be raised. But as you come forward, the Ls1 is taller requiring that the hood not have the same degree of decline. As for routing the intake down, the Lt1 has a 90* curve and goes to the passenger side, it's the Ls1 that goes down. Finding a ram-air intake that would work for Ls1 with a Lt1 front end would only make a bigger challenge. Adding that intake box onto of the top of the intake would only decrease the amount of clearence you have between the hood and engine. A cai would be better suited for this application.
Btw, if you plan on just trading a Lt1 owner front ends, you better have that $500 saved and then some. I can almost guarantee that your hood won't close after the conversion is done.
Why would Gm spend money on a redesign of a car that had already been heavy rumored to be cancelled unless they had to? Esp. when most of it's marketbase didn't like the change anyways.
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 268
From: Kennesaw, GA
Originally posted by 95m6
95m6 <--doesn't understand your first sentence.
Anyways the rest of that paragraph somewhat makes sense. The Lt1 and Ls1 hood is the same height at the windshield becuase both engines are tucked back into the engine bay so far that it doesn't need to be raised. But as you come forward, the Ls1 is taller requiring that the hood not have the same degree of decline. As for routing the intake down, the Lt1 has a 90* curve and goes to the passenger side, it's the Ls1 that goes down. Finding a ram-air intake that would work for Ls1 with a Lt1 front end would only make a bigger challenge. Adding that intake box onto of the top of the intake would only decrease the amount of clearence you have between the hood and engine. A cai would be better suited for this application.
Btw, if you plan on just trading a Lt1 owner front ends, you better have that $500 saved and then some. I can almost guarantee that your hood won't close after the conversion is done.
Why would Gm spend money on a redesign of a car that had already been heavy rumored to be cancelled unless they had to? Esp. when most of it's marketbase didn't like the change anyways.
95m6 <--doesn't understand your first sentence.
Anyways the rest of that paragraph somewhat makes sense. The Lt1 and Ls1 hood is the same height at the windshield becuase both engines are tucked back into the engine bay so far that it doesn't need to be raised. But as you come forward, the Ls1 is taller requiring that the hood not have the same degree of decline. As for routing the intake down, the Lt1 has a 90* curve and goes to the passenger side, it's the Ls1 that goes down. Finding a ram-air intake that would work for Ls1 with a Lt1 front end would only make a bigger challenge. Adding that intake box onto of the top of the intake would only decrease the amount of clearence you have between the hood and engine. A cai would be better suited for this application.
Btw, if you plan on just trading a Lt1 owner front ends, you better have that $500 saved and then some. I can almost guarantee that your hood won't close after the conversion is done.
Why would Gm spend money on a redesign of a car that had already been heavy rumored to be cancelled unless they had to? Esp. when most of it's marketbase didn't like the change anyways.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
If they didn't have to change anything with a stock hood, then their crossmember isn't postioned properly.
Some people have spectulated that you could get by with a SS hood and a bit of modification to it.
On an LS1 car, the radiator support sits 1/4" farther forward. To put the LS1 front on an LT1 car, you just have to add some shims to get the bumper cover to hood gap right. When it comes to putting the LT1 clip on an LS1 car, you have to make the bumper cover sit back another 1/4 to 3/8". This may not sound like much but it may pose a small problem. You could always just slot the brackets that bolt to the radiator support so it can slide back that amount. The only place this will effect anything is where the push rivets go in to hold the bumper cover on. You will need: Fenders, hood, bumper support, driving lights, headlight bar with headlights, bumper cover. The headlight plugs will plug right in. The driving lights will plug in but will not lock into place as the lock is located on the flat instead of on the sides. No big deal. You will DEFINITELY want to change your dimmer switch so you can get all 4 lights on bright so you can see. (paragraph from Ryan94ZA4)
Some people have spectulated that you could get by with a SS hood and a bit of modification to it.
On an LS1 car, the radiator support sits 1/4" farther forward. To put the LS1 front on an LT1 car, you just have to add some shims to get the bumper cover to hood gap right. When it comes to putting the LT1 clip on an LS1 car, you have to make the bumper cover sit back another 1/4 to 3/8". This may not sound like much but it may pose a small problem. You could always just slot the brackets that bolt to the radiator support so it can slide back that amount. The only place this will effect anything is where the push rivets go in to hold the bumper cover on. You will need: Fenders, hood, bumper support, driving lights, headlight bar with headlights, bumper cover. The headlight plugs will plug right in. The driving lights will plug in but will not lock into place as the lock is located on the flat instead of on the sides. No big deal. You will DEFINITELY want to change your dimmer switch so you can get all 4 lights on bright so you can see. (paragraph from Ryan94ZA4)
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 890
From: Katy, Texas
This is some very interesting replies you guys have. I am already a proud owner of an LT1 but say someday I get a beater LS1 and want to change the front end. It seems everyone is doing the LT1 => LS1 swap but never the opposite.
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 183
Well until I see it work on a factory ls1, I'm still gonna say it will be to high. 
for them....
Yea people have put ls1's in..but did they compensate for the extra height when they were changing crossmembers? Who knows. Did they get it exactly right like it was from the factory? Maybe..The posts I've read didn't really go into detail what exactly they did....
But if you want to do this just be prepared to buy a cowl hood or maybe even a SS. Just incase it wont close. Doesn't seem like many people would keep the stock hood anyways..I for one prefer the ss hood, as do many others.
for them....Yea people have put ls1's in..but did they compensate for the extra height when they were changing crossmembers? Who knows. Did they get it exactly right like it was from the factory? Maybe..The posts I've read didn't really go into detail what exactly they did....
But if you want to do this just be prepared to buy a cowl hood or maybe even a SS. Just incase it wont close. Doesn't seem like many people would keep the stock hood anyways..I for one prefer the ss hood, as do many others.
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