Z28XTC

I have the choice of 2 cars 96 LT1 Z28 a4 or 98 LS1 Z28 a4.I want to to make a street/strip car, is the LS1 really much better or should I save my bucks and go with the LT1? Can someone help me cause i cant make up my mind.

SFB767

The LS1 is better.

That's why GM made it.

Z28XTC

SFB767,
Better in what way?

Honda Hunter

Get the LS1.

AlfredB18

For starters, the LS1 doesn't have an optispark. Changing the plugs is a tie, though...in a bad way.

At least with the LS1 you'd have the option of swapping to the Vette 7.0L a lot easier than going from an LT1, I reckon...

Z28XTC

Do you mean LS7?That sounds very expensive I am on a budget I want to make as a much power as posible without spending massive wads of cash.I saw lt1/lt4 kits on summit for 405hp and I saw ls1/ls6 kits on summit for 405hp so both are same hp!Am I better off to buy the cheaper car to make same power?

95GRNZ

LS1 has quite a big advantage over LS1 straight from the factory, but there's nothing wrong building a car out of LT1, either.

I've owned both, so I know a thing or too about them both.

Capn Pete

There is nothing wrong with the LT1 as a base for a street/strip car ... they're a very good motor. BUT, the LS1 is a more powerful platform to start with from the factory, and requires less mods to get you over ~400 HP. With the LT1, you're always playing "catch up" to the LS1. You could spend as much as the difference between the LS1 and the LT1 in mods on the LT1 just to match what the LS1 already does. Thing is, a couple mods to the LS1 and you're into the 12's. It'll take more than that just to get into the 13's with an LT1, and 12's will cost you a lot more. The intake/head design of the LS1 is their main advantage.

Again though, you can't really go wrong either way .

1quickTA

My car is an LT1, and I love it... but like someone else already said, you are always sort of playing catch-up to the LS1's. I have never driven an LS1 car, but as long as the prices aren't drastically different, I would go with the LS1. Again, like they already said, you cannot go wrong with either but odds are if you keep modifying it, it will probably cheaper in the long run to start off with the LS1. Regardless of your choice... WELCOME TO THE CLUB!

jsetzer

Consider your car price + mod price....
I love my lt1, but would take a ls1 if I could afford a second one right now.

Need4Camaro

I've also owned both the LT1 and LS1. The LT1 is yes a powerfull motor but things like tuneups, and the Opti can be a pain. The LT1 is also a very tourqy car and has tons of fun lowend and has the "Seat of the Pants FEEL" however, an LS1 which actually feels slower will run circles around it anyday everyday. Now the LS1 on the other hand is starting of STOCK about 30 - 50 HP faster than an LT1, more mod friendly, and a STOCK Mid 13 Sec Car. Any Mod you do to an LT1 will be EASILY made up for the LS1. There is a stronger aftermarket for the LS1 aswell meaning LT1's even though close to the same displacement a motor, will have an extremely difficult time keeping up with Modded LS1's because of limited choices. Also the LS1 is an Aluminum Block making it lighter than the LT1 and dispenses of heat alot faster. Less heat means less HP loss. So I'm sorry if I bash any LT1 owners but the LS1 is simply put a better engine.

JakeRobb

What's the price difference?

94Z28/SSw

You guys can praise the LS1 all you want, sure, you starting at about 30 more hp straight from the factory. There's positive things about both motors. NO one knows yet how the All aluminum LS1 block will do under high milage. Also, you can make either motor fast, just depends on how much money you want to spend. I can lay out a few negatives about the new fourth gens, they computer is very touche, some LS1's use more oil then they should, and you have a car that looks like a damn chrysler concord from the font. For the guy who said you need to mod an LT1 just to get into the 13's, well I don't know, but you must have been driving a beat up LT1, because when my car was stock and had 60,000 miles on it, I was pulling 13.6 consistantly, and now being slightly moded I'm runing 12.7, 12.8 with 155,000 on the ticker now. Don't get me wrong, the LS1 is a great motor and where the market is for mods right now, but the LT1 is still a kick *** motor and very dependable motor as well, plus you don't have to drive around a car with a front clip that is a replica of a concord.

HardcoreRM125

But with a price difference of probably, several thousand dollars, you could get a set of AFR heads, an off-the-shelf cam(CC306), RR's, Springs, etc. and have one sweet *** car.

I've rode in both, the LT1's do have a more low-end touchy response to them, which is odd because on a dyno, there really is not much difference between the two at the wheel on the low end RPM range ...

LS1's top end RPM power doesnt fade out like an LT1.

But keep in mind, LS1's are more expensive to modify, dont sound as good (IMO) and are no more reliable than an LT1 is. An LT1 on the other hand can accept regular SBC bottom end parts. An LS1 has far superior heads from the factory. I really do not know how a set of hogged out LT1 or LT4 heads would compare in flow to an LS1/6 head that is ported out as well, but I would assume that the LS heads would still flow better. They have an inherently awesome stock design.

Both have crappy rear ends from the factory. Both have very reliable manual transmissions. The Auto's arent "bad", just cant handle ( Stock ) what an M6 can.

I love the LS1's, but I already have an LT1 car that I would never get rid off.

LS1's have superior heads, LT1's are cheaper to modify, and can accept regular SBC bottom ends, and timing sets if you change to an electric water pump. And it doesnt take any mods to get an LT1 car into 13's for whoever said that. My car is a freakin convertible and I was running 13.8's with just a CAI and a flowmaster ( Which is known not be that free-flowing) cat back. And my car weighs about 100 lbs more than regular LT1 cars since its a drop top. If you have an LT1 in good tune, they can run under a 14.0 if driven properly. And dont let the optispark **** scare you. Its a poor design, but hardly as unreliable as people make it seem. Do a search on it sometime. And while plugs and wires are a pain in the *** on these cars, how often do you actually have to change them on these motors? There are people with 75, 80K miles on them, stock plugs, and wires. 2 or 3 hours of missery trying to chagne plugs and wires is hardly justifiable to spend another few thousand dollars for a different car.

What is the prices for the two? How many miles? Condition?

HardcoreRM125

94Z28/SSw ~ On top of more oil usage, dont forget about piston slap. Thats something I have NEVER, EVER seen in LT1 tech. And I read that every day. It's also very uncommon for an LT1 to burn oil unless it was A-Neglected, or B-Over 100K miles on it.

Both have their pro's and con's