I am buying an F Body. I really want an LS1. On my budget I can only afford an old Police LS1 Camaro and most have 150,000+ miles. They say they are well maintained but my friend says they are probably dogged.

Should I buy a "dogged" LS1 or a better shape LT1?

How about an ever better shape L98?

These are the 3 motors I'm gonna choose.

Let me know what you think and what problems I might see in an LS1 with high mileage.

How much is a rebuild on an LS1?

Thanks,
Dan

 

From what I read the ls1 is the best small block ever made. They are much stronger than GEN I and GEN II. So they will last much longer as well. It took over fifty years to come up with it. They are lower and emissions cars and get better miles to the gallon too. The GEN II (LT1) was termenated because of that and list full of other reasons. In my opion It would boil down to how much u want to spend and the body style u want. I just got a 99 SS m6 w/ 42000 for 13k from a lady in my area. Not one ding and all the records along w/ it. She just broke it in for me . Most z28s are aroun 8k-10k for a nice ls1 under 100k. I have a 93 and it reads 160k. And still runs very well but shows it's age. It was only 3k two years go at 140k. I think the 98and ups are better cars. Get a loan if u need to. It's not that hard. I have a credit score around 500 and I got one.

 

Just continue to save your money for an LS1.

I promise you it'll be totally worth the wait and the right one will pop up if you look hard enough.

 

Yep, dont even consider an L98. Just too old. LT1 9 times out of 10 will make you wish for an LS1. The LS1 is nothing less than a scaled down version of God......jk......but why have anything less?

Dont settle for anything less than what you want. Even if it means getting a small loan you can pay off in a year of just saving a little more money. The trick is having the cash to make the offer on the car you find and really want. If you're standing right there with the money, you could get the car for maybe 3g's less than asking.

Even with high mileage Ive seen these cars go 12's and be DD cars. I think its a safe assumption that just about any used F-body at this point has seen the higher RPM's a couple times in its life so far. But if I were gonna take my chances with that again, Id still only conder the LSx motors.

 

My friend had an L98 1991 Z28.. The cost and hassels on modding that car were insane..

I had a 1995 LT1 Z28.. The cost and the hassels on modding that car were insane.

I now have a 2002 LS1 Z28.. This car is NIGHT and DAY compared to the others. I am at 83K miles and have had 0 problems. 0!! On a car that is raced often. Dogged? No. I know how to drive. You can push a motor hard but to me "*******" or "beating" a motor has to do with over revving or abusing the car in any means.. Driving it hard within its limits is not abuse IMO..

Average cop didnt top out the car. They mainly do bursts to go from stopped to pursuit and pull over. If a B4C checks out, may as well. I just wouldnt want all those holes in there..