Anyone here go from an LT1 to an LS1?
Registered User
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 1,171
From: Henry, VA USA
I bought a 99 TA last July, and LOVE it. I also have a 95 Z, but it is heavily modded, so it is hard to compare. But the torque is the only difference. The LS1 stock isn't as fun stop light to stop light.
But get it about 40+ and you will be on top
The NEW body style TA is the *BEST* looking car out there, hands
down
I say you test drive one first, wait awhile, test drive again, get more opinions, ect. before you decide.
Good luck!
But get it about 40+ and you will be on top
The NEW body style TA is the *BEST* looking car out there, hands
down
I say you test drive one first, wait awhile, test drive again, get more opinions, ect. before you decide.
Good luck!
Registered User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,418
From: New Orleans, LA
Originally posted by colorchange96
you wont regret it at all. i had a 96 formula with just about all the boltons and when i test drove the T/A i have now, it felt as fast or faster and it was stock. i dont know what is so special about an LT1's "low end". the ls1 has a much better tq curve and makes more power. you can never tell when you get to the redline in the ls1. it just keeps pulling harder. it was scary when i first drove it. which brings me to my next point, you WILL get used to the power, and you WILL modify it. if thats what you mean by get tired of it, then yeah you will. but if you drive a powerful car every day it wont feel powerful to you. just take someone for a ride and watch their head and body snap back even on light driving. its fun.
you wont regret it at all. i had a 96 formula with just about all the boltons and when i test drove the T/A i have now, it felt as fast or faster and it was stock. i dont know what is so special about an LT1's "low end". the ls1 has a much better tq curve and makes more power. you can never tell when you get to the redline in the ls1. it just keeps pulling harder. it was scary when i first drove it. which brings me to my next point, you WILL get used to the power, and you WILL modify it. if thats what you mean by get tired of it, then yeah you will. but if you drive a powerful car every day it wont feel powerful to you. just take someone for a ride and watch their head and body snap back even on light driving. its fun.
cory
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,418
From: New Orleans, LA
Originally posted by KeVMaN
Hey whats up man, you got rid of your 95? Its funny i've been looking for a 98-2000 LS1 for the last couple weeks and I was thinking the same thing "boy its gonna suck getting smoked by all those lt1's off the line" hehe. LS1 topend tho
Hey whats up man, you got rid of your 95? Its funny i've been looking for a 98-2000 LS1 for the last couple weeks and I was thinking the same thing "boy its gonna suck getting smoked by all those lt1's off the line" hehe.
LS1 topend tho
ciry
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 989
From: Rochester, NY
Originally posted by FastWhiteTA
Maybe I just had a good running LT1, but, when I had just CAI and 3" catback, I raced an '01 LS1 w/ the same mods ( lid and catback) from 60 mph to 120 and it was dead even.
Maybe I just had a good running LT1, but, when I had just CAI and 3" catback, I raced an '01 LS1 w/ the same mods ( lid and catback) from 60 mph to 120 and it was dead even.
Then he couldn't drive to save his life. No way I would believe a LS1 that had somewhere around 30 RWHP more then you couldn't pull you at all from 60-120 under equal driver conditions.
Originally posted by FastWhiteTA
Another thing I have noticed, an LT1 w/ 330 rwhp will beat an LS1 with 330 rwhp every time.
Another thing I have noticed, an LT1 w/ 330 rwhp will beat an LS1 with 330 rwhp every time.
Based on what? If your talking A4 ls1 with 2.73 gears, stock torque converter & 330 rwhp vs a LT1 M6 with 3.42 gears, excellent driver and 330 rwhp then MAYBE. Equal gears, equal drivers, equal rwhp and equal weight will always be a drivers race. Even still the longer the race goes the more it favors the LS1 if both engines are still running on stock heads and cam. Then I could actually see the opposite being true. At least for races that reach 130ish mph.
Originally posted by FastWhiteTA
I think if you can afford the LS1, go for it, otherwise, a slightly modded LT1 can be pretty quick and powerful as well.
I think if you can afford the LS1, go for it, otherwise, a slightly modded LT1 can be pretty quick and powerful as well.
I agree completely. A bolt-on LT1 can be very quick and powerful. It's a great car and a great motor. I like the sound better too. But I still would go LS1 if money allows. Especially a WS-6 because they are my personal favorite as far as looks go.
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Joined: Dec 1997
Posts: 11,157
From: Nashville, TN area
Re: Anyone here go from an LT1 to an LS1?
I had an LT1 and loved it.
But to be honest, I like my LS1 even more.
I think that it has more power (the truth is in the numbers) and I like the powerband more. It seems that everything is a bit more refined.
I do, however, miss the low-end grunt of the LT1. The high end power of the LS1 makes up for it.
Some like one better than another. I am just happy with mine.
But to be honest, I like my LS1 even more.
I think that it has more power (the truth is in the numbers) and I like the powerband more. It seems that everything is a bit more refined.
I do, however, miss the low-end grunt of the LT1. The high end power of the LS1 makes up for it.
Some like one better than another. I am just happy with mine.
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 123
From: Houston, TX
As far as the visuals, it's all personal opinion.
As far as spending $$$ on a GM go-fast car, I don't think it's that complicated.
If you have "X" dollars and want to go as fast as possible, there's no way you can beat grabbing a 94-97 LT1 fbody and building a serious engine. Forged 383 or 396 with the proper components will get you every bit of 450HP at the back tires N/A and plenty of bottom end strength to go turbo, blower or nitrous without problems. Total cost of car and engine (N/A) would still be less than a '99 or newer LS1 car, and you can forget about the running out of breath on the highway.
I stlll have stock exhaust (yeah,I know that's stupid, headers are sitting in the box and staring at me....been busy), a PCM that's way rich and a plenty of other little tweaks to do on the new 383, but a bolt-on LS1 is already in deep doodoo, even on the freeway. They seem pretty surprised when the LT1 vert with the top down spanks 'em, even starting from 70mph. For less than $10,000 into the whole shebang, you can buy and build an LT1 that's wicked fast. And you have essentially a new engine that's exactly how you want it. There's something cool about that.
But if you want less hassle for what's still a very fast car in stock/bolt-on form, or will still have the leftover cash to spend on serious engine work after buying an LS1, then it's a no-brainer to go for the newer car. Assuming you like the way the 98-02s look, which I personally do not.
As far as spending $$$ on a GM go-fast car, I don't think it's that complicated.
If you have "X" dollars and want to go as fast as possible, there's no way you can beat grabbing a 94-97 LT1 fbody and building a serious engine. Forged 383 or 396 with the proper components will get you every bit of 450HP at the back tires N/A and plenty of bottom end strength to go turbo, blower or nitrous without problems. Total cost of car and engine (N/A) would still be less than a '99 or newer LS1 car, and you can forget about the running out of breath on the highway.
I stlll have stock exhaust (yeah,I know that's stupid, headers are sitting in the box and staring at me....been busy), a PCM that's way rich and a plenty of other little tweaks to do on the new 383, but a bolt-on LS1 is already in deep doodoo, even on the freeway. They seem pretty surprised when the LT1 vert with the top down spanks 'em, even starting from 70mph. For less than $10,000 into the whole shebang, you can buy and build an LT1 that's wicked fast. And you have essentially a new engine that's exactly how you want it. There's something cool about that.
But if you want less hassle for what's still a very fast car in stock/bolt-on form, or will still have the leftover cash to spend on serious engine work after buying an LS1, then it's a no-brainer to go for the newer car. Assuming you like the way the 98-02s look, which I personally do not.
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 989
From: Rochester, NY
Originally posted by MyZb383
I stlll have stock exhaust (yeah,I know that's stupid, headers are sitting in the box and staring at me....been busy), a PCM that's way rich and a plenty of other little tweaks to do on the new 383, but a bolt-on LS1 is already in deep doodoo, even on the freeway. They seem pretty surprised when the LT1 vert with the top down spanks 'em, even starting from 70mph. For less than $10,000 into the whole shebang, you can buy and build an LT1 that's wicked fast. And you have essentially a new engine that's exactly how you want it. There's something cool about that.
I stlll have stock exhaust (yeah,I know that's stupid, headers are sitting in the box and staring at me....been busy), a PCM that's way rich and a plenty of other little tweaks to do on the new 383, but a bolt-on LS1 is already in deep doodoo, even on the freeway. They seem pretty surprised when the LT1 vert with the top down spanks 'em, even starting from 70mph. For less than $10,000 into the whole shebang, you can buy and build an LT1 that's wicked fast. And you have essentially a new engine that's exactly how you want it. There's something cool about that.
The LT1 came out in 1993 in our F-bodies. They have these things called Mods they do to them from time to time. I hear they make the car faster or something.
All joking aside, I think you'd have to be a friggin moron with your head in the sand to actually be surprised if you lose a race to another F-body (that you know nothing about mod wise) whether or not the car is older or newer then yours. Of course there are some SRT-4's now hitting 11's and lots in the 12's with stage-2. So I could understand someones shock to losing to a Neon
J/K I actually like the SRT-4. Not my cup of tea looks wise but the fact that they are mid 13's with just a friggin spring is impressive.
No offense to you personally myzb383. It's the guys who expect to win every race that I don't get. I don't care if you run 11.50 because somewhere out there is someone running 11.49 or faster. Last I checked both LT1 and LS1 found there way to the 11's. I say 11's instead of 9's or 8's because I'm talking about streetable setups you might see on the highway. single digit cars for the most part you'll only see at the track. But it is sure fun watching a 9 second pass in a F-body of any year
Last edited by darrens99formul; May 12, 2004 at 06:39 AM.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,418
From: New Orleans, LA
Originally posted by darrens99formul
I just wanted to make a quick comment on this. This is gotta be at least the 50th time I've read a comment like this. As far as how "shocked a LS1 guy is" when he loses to a LT1. I have never understood that mentality. How can it be a shock that a Trans Am beats a Z28? How is it a huge surprise that a SS beats a Formula?
The LT1 came out in 1993 in our F-bodies. They have these things called Mods they do to them from time to time. I hear they make the car faster or something.
All joking aside, I think you'd have to be a friggin moron with your head in the sand to actually be surprised if you lose a race to another F-body (that you know nothing about mod wise) whether or not the car is older or newer then yours. Of course there are some SRT-4's now hitting 11's and lots in the 12's with stage-2. So I could understand someones shock to losing to a Neon
J/K I actually like the SRT-4. Not my cup of tea looks wise but the fact that they are mid 13's with just a friggin spring is impressive.
No offense to you personally myzb383. It's the guys who expect to win every race that I don't get. I don't care if you run 11.50 because somewhere out there is someone running 11.49 or faster. Last I checked both LT1 and LS1 found there way to the 11's. I say 11's instead of 9's or 8's because I'm talking about streetable setups you might see on the highway. single digit cars for the most part you'll only see at the track. But it is sure fun watching a 9 second pass in a F-body of any year
I just wanted to make a quick comment on this. This is gotta be at least the 50th time I've read a comment like this. As far as how "shocked a LS1 guy is" when he loses to a LT1. I have never understood that mentality. How can it be a shock that a Trans Am beats a Z28? How is it a huge surprise that a SS beats a Formula?
The LT1 came out in 1993 in our F-bodies. They have these things called Mods they do to them from time to time. I hear they make the car faster or something.
All joking aside, I think you'd have to be a friggin moron with your head in the sand to actually be surprised if you lose a race to another F-body (that you know nothing about mod wise) whether or not the car is older or newer then yours. Of course there are some SRT-4's now hitting 11's and lots in the 12's with stage-2. So I could understand someones shock to losing to a Neon
J/K I actually like the SRT-4. Not my cup of tea looks wise but the fact that they are mid 13's with just a friggin spring is impressive.
No offense to you personally myzb383. It's the guys who expect to win every race that I don't get. I don't care if you run 11.50 because somewhere out there is someone running 11.49 or faster. Last I checked both LT1 and LS1 found there way to the 11's. I say 11's instead of 9's or 8's because I'm talking about streetable setups you might see on the highway. single digit cars for the most part you'll only see at the track. But it is sure fun watching a 9 second pass in a F-body of any year
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