cody_19wv

ummm if you have the money LS1 4 sure more power, responds to mods better , newer style in and out they are just superior thats why they started making them istead of the lt1

GnarlyZ28

You really can't go wrong with either engine. LT1s are by no means slow, the LS1 just edges them out in the top end which only makes sense because they are a newer engine. The opti spark is way over-hyped and is not as failure prone and everyone makes them sound. I chose the LT1 because i liked the looks more and i got my 30th ann. for around $9500 with 29,000 miles on it which was too good of a deal to pass up. Both engines can be built to be fast. I'm not sure if my car with its mods could edge out an LS1 or not but with the headers and exhaust and stuff ive probably spent about $11,000 total on the car and i think it would be hard to find a LS1 f body with 29,000 miles for 11 grand. LT1s sound great, and i think they are cheaper to insure based on your age.
There really is no bad choice, just go with what you want, LT1 or LS1 and you wont be dissapointed
And to answer your question- LT1s and f bodys in general are very fun to drive

frankthetank078

if you put vortec heads on an LT1 you can put a whipple super charger on?

Justin Horne

WEll.. That defninetly helped sway memore Lt1..
Top end isn't my concern. I will probably hit 100 once or twice, maybe.. I'm more the off-the line fun kinda person.. Maybe because I'm scared of being ticketed?
Hey, call me whatever, top end isn't a huge deal to me..

Off the line, the Lt1 more or less keeps up? At what speed does it trail, 35 or so?
I found a nice car in Lt1 form now.. Dang good price, enough that I could probably put headers or something on the car as well. I imagine with headers and the flowmaster already on the car, I'd be nearly LS1 territory, right?
nd, considering if I bought the LS1, I couldn't afford the bigger mods, it owuld stay more stock, it might be a good idea..

I dunno.. I guess they are both corvette engines, right?

Thanks for all the input guys, certainly eases my LT1 concerns.

speed_demon24

Even if you keep them mostly stock, a bolton LS1 will outdyno a bolton+cammed LT1. Just something to think about, you could have just boltons and make more power than an lt1 with boltons+ a cam, and not lose any driveability, and not have to deal with cam surge. Then if you do boltons+cam on an LS1 you will outdyno most heads/cam LT1's.

Justin Horne

Oh, top end of the Rpm.. Hmm.. When does the Lt1 seem to hit the wall then?

And no, it's not a fast for chep thing. I love the f-body platform, and this will be my second, (first 4th gen.. )
BTW.. my 3rd gen for sale herE: http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/ca...just-make.html

I know it's a shameless plug, but I don't care....



At least I know the LT1 is a torquey engine off the line, that's always fun.. They do get slightly less gas mielasge though, right? I would look at epa ratings, but come on, the cars are almost 10 years old, I don't know how well they kept at those ratings..
Again, thanks for all the help!

1FstFormulaV8

I'm kinda interested in the fact that Vortec heads w/ a Whipple? How's that worK?? What's all involved? Price? Any info.

93turbo5oh

just get the ls1. however, beating ls1s with an lt1 is a lot of fun, especially when you both have stock motors.

oneslowz28

find you a cheap lt1 say in the 3-4k range and spend the other 5 k on a 383 or a 355.

razor02097

Any camaro with a 6 speed will be fun! Get what you can afford and spend the rest on upgrading...for instance the LS1 cars have better brakes then the LT1 however if you save money on the LT1 you can get an aftermarket $1,500 brake setup that is better then a LS1 car has stock. Then spend the other $3,000 on a supercharger and full exhaust you will have a car that out brakes and out accelerates a stock LS1

IMO It'll be at least another 5 to 10 years before it isn't worth upgrading an LT1.

Severous01

for comparison reasons,

fully forged 383 setup, forged pistons, forged rods...COMPLETE KIT: less than 2k
fully forged 383 CRANK ONLY for ls1: 3k

ported lt1 thorttle body, taken to the max: 175 bucks
ported ls1 thorttle body: 300 bucks

upgraded lt1 ignition coil: 65 bucks...once
upgraded ls1 ignition coils: 75 bucks...eight times

i think i've spoken loud enough on that one.

on the other hand though, suspension is the same, shocks, springs, control arms (front and rear), PHR, subframes, driveshafts, rear ends...all cost the same since they are the same.

knta4dnu

If you really think the performance difference isn't worth the extra money, the LT1 should be fine. It makes good low end torque and it'll ruin a set of tires before you know it.

I chose my '97 because I like the front end better than the LS1's, and '97's have the LS1 car's interior, which I like better.

But if you think you're going to be a speed freak, go LS1. The law of diminishing returns will prevail. Speed costs money, and you always get used to how fast your car is.

ChevyTuffD.A.

I would go for the LT1 car. The savings from buying the LT1 car will leave u with enough cash to fix the car up the way u want it. The Lt1 does feel more torque down low which is always fun. U could even look at getting the LT4 hotcam kit for about $400 and you'll be right up there with the LS1's and you'll still have money left over for gears, tires or anything else u feel like upgrading on the car. Dont get me wrong, LS1's are great cars and if I would have had the money for an LS1 car 3 years ago when I got my LT1 I might have gotten one. But I am glad I ended up with the LT1 car. I only have a few $k spent on mods for my car and I have never been beaten by an LS1 car after I put on the mods that I have. Good luck with whatever U decide. Oh, also with the mods I have now I still manage about 14mpg city and about 20mpg's on the highway.

speed_demon24

Um, no try again

LT1
121-CAJ11A-RM Callies RaceMaster Crankshaft, SBC 3.750" stroke/2.100" Pin Size/350 Mains/1pc Rear Main $1359.00 Buy Wish


121-CAM11A-RM Callies RaceMaster Crankshaft, SBC 3.875" stroke/2.100" Pin Size/350 Mains/1pc Rear Main $1359.00 Buy Wish

LS1

121-APO31V-RM Callies Racemaster Crankshaft, LS1/LS6 4.00" stroke/2.100" Pin Size $1599.99

If you say so
Theres no reason to upgrade the LS1 coils, the ignition setup on LS1's is 100x better than on LT1's. Its actually the oposite, you have to spend money to upgrade the ignition setup on LT1's, while you don't have to touch the LS1's ignition.


If you have anyomre BS you feel like saying, go ahead and post it. Or keep living in denial that the LS1 is a superior platform.

speed_demon24

And for everyone saying LT1's have more lowend, go look at a dyno graph of a stock LS1 and stock LT1, the LS1 will make more power and torque EVERYWHERE