If I purchase a Caprice LT1 and get a pair of aluminun LT1 heads for it and use the Caprice ac/alternator set up and etc. along with the Caprice harness and ECM do I have anything different that what would come out of Bird or Camaro? Seems this route saves some $ if planning to change cam and do a rebuild. This is to install in a thirdgen Camaro.

 

There are four basic differences between the LT1 in the Camaro and the LT1 in the SS Impala/Caprice. 1. The heads which you stated 2. The camaro is a 10.5:1 where the Impala/Caprice is 10.1:1 3. The car weights 650lbs more in the Caprice so computer programming is different to make up for that 4. The stock camaro exhaust system backpressure is 10 inches of mercury whereas the impala SS/Caprice is 13.

With that being said, if you swap the heads the only difference is going to be your programming (you'll probably reprogram it later anyways) and your compression ratio. Which could be good or bad depends on how you look at it. For most I dont see it making much of a difference.

With that being said, Yes you should have no problems using a caprice motor and swapping the heads.

 

I thought the cam was different??

 

Thanks a ton guys. Cam will be changed as will the pistons. My IROC needs a new heart, the LT1 is a better induction than my TPI and what is a contemporary hot rodder until he learns to understand the program and ECM. The reason I asked is that I was on ebay last night and noticed a large price difference in the Caprice LT1 and the F body LT1, aluminum heads are not enough to make up the difference and I plan a rebuild anyway. No way I am going to do all the swap work without a freshed engine going in.

 

Just so you know...

Comparing stock to stock, the Iron LT1 heads flow better than their aluminum counterparts.
Also, the basic rule of thumb on Iron Vs Aluminum is that you need about 1 point more compression with Aluminum heads than you do with Iron, in order to make up for the heat loss.

 

My wifes third gen has a Caprice LT1 swapped in. We swapped to carbureted and flat tappet cam also, but we also have a cusomter who has a caprice lt1 in a third gen bird. Same thing your talking about. We are both using the iron heads and have gotten alot of power out of them by a simple port cleanup and gasket matching.

-Shannon

 

The best of the aluminums flow only equal to the irons so like was said already do not be too fast to swap out the irons. The aluminum head motors go for more money because people ASSume the aluminum heads are worth power.

 

Just make sure that you get a 5.7L LT1, I believe the Caprices also came with the smaller 4.3L LT1. Just make sure the check the block #.