Just wondering on the performance on the LS1's.I know there superior technology wise but if Im getting 425 Horsepower out of my 402 what reason other then getting great gas mileage does an LS1 engine have?? I know less weigt as well.Been thinking about a swap but it won't be cheap and it does not sound so simple.

 

It's not all about raw hp numbers. For an example a buddy has a 3rd gen with a traditional sbc 388cuin with all the goodies. He dynoed more hp and more torque than my 346 LS1 on the same dyno. I run 8 mph faster in the 1/4 mile than he does and his car is a stick so it should mph higher than mine.
It's all about efficiency and usuable power.

 

you cant go by the "raw" horsepower numbers of the 60's here. The engines are rated differently now. I'd take the LS1 any day for the best mix of everything, plus it takes very little to make these things move.

 

Thats what I was thinking.It might make my 69 feel like it has the best of both world's with a modified LS1.I can't see having much fun getting around 8 MPG if that because the car is only used on the street.Still the swap is going to be costly and if I do the swap would I have to go through hell if I wanted the 396 back in to sell it?? I never want to sell it but sometimes things come up.

 

Well, if selling it is in the picture, that does change things. Especially if its a numbers matching block and all. Idk. Its your call, depending on what happens. You could just keep the car the way it is and get an ls1 f-body or something, probably for the cost of the swap. I picked mine up a couple months ago for $6,700 and its a 2002 nearly full option car with 97k on it. You could have the best of both worlds, really.

 

Well its not a matching number's car thats why I might want to look at doing an LS1 swap.I don't even think it would hurt the value of the car.In fact I think alot of guy's would pay up for an LS1 even if it were a 396 SS Camaro.The LS1 has about 3 time's better fuel efficiency and down the road the price of gas is probably going higher.

 

What are you wating for then! I think they even sell adapter kits to drop the LS1 tight into one of those.

You in Michigan? A frind of mine is selling a low mile short block CHEAP! Spend a grand on some ported heads and a mild cam and you have a 400 rwhp street machine. You may be better off getting a something that comes complete (like a crate motor), though.

-Geoff

 

Im in PA. I heard the 2001-2002 block's is what is recommended.I would have to get the T-56 to go along with it as I prefer manual's especially with a nitrous system.I didn't know they had crate motor's.Im just going to take this slow and see what the cost difference's will be between different combination's.

 

Oh, didn't know all that. Definitely switch it over to an lsx motor. Without a doubt.

 

The LSX motor is the one that supports much higher horsepower then the LS1's?? i would like to get around 425-450 horsepower without going to big on the cam.Im going to need good insurance if i do a swap like this.

 

well i mean lsx in terms of any of the ls-series motors ls1, ls2, ls7 etc. you could always get a stroker motor, it would be easy to achieve your goal then.

 

Even though the 69's were nicer as far as a Classic Muscle cars I don't know if I ever would leave it unattented to go into a store.Alot of money will be into this car and the swap only increases the money put in.The 98-02 Camaro's drive and ride nicer and draw much less attention.In my 20's I loved the attention but now I just care about how fast the car feels on the street.I just got rid of an 89 Mustang GT and that car drove as rough as any car I have ever owned.I gotta weigh the pro's and con's between the 2 cars.

 

I can sell my 69 SS and go out and find a decent 2000-2002 LS1 Camaro and have money left over for Mods.I go back and forth with wanting to keep the 69 or not too many times.The 1998-2002 Camaro's are so much less an attention getter which sometimes is what I want.When I was 18 to 30 year's of age I loved the attention but not so much anymore.The LS1 Camaro's drive and ride nicer even though I have never been in one.I think the thing is that I have had the 69 camaro for almost 20 years and unless I get a serious offer I won't sell it.

 

To help with the decision go out to a dealer and test drive an LS1 f-body. You may hate them, you may love them.

On a side note, everyone that I've known that had an older muscle car that sitched it for a newer car loved the modern power but eventually regretted selling the classic and had wished that they could have found a way to have both.

 

This is what I am thinking about because once I sell the 69 Camaro I will probably not be able to afford to rebuy back in 5 year's.I think a test drive is probably the first thing to help me make up my mind.A car in rthe 13 second range is quite slow for me though before any Mods.I also am not a real big fan of the looks of the 98-02 Camaro.