Alright this thread is getting out of hand just like every thread about LT1 vs LS1. This subject has been beaten to death numerous times and there is no point of continuing.
Go with what you want and what bests suits your budget. I am not lying or in denial when i say that you will not be dissapointed with your decision.
Lets start answering this guys questions instead of going on about which engine has a cheaper 383 setup.
If you like the ls1 and have the money-go for it, if you don't there is absolutely nothing wrong with a lt1. You can't go wrong either way. Both are very strong engines and can be built to really haul some A**.

 

I personally like the LT1. Yes it does have its damndable problems such as that opti, but an all roller cam and lifters? it can take the higher RPMs right from the start. I've riden in an LS1 Camaro, and talk is right, you cant match the power of one, but the LT1 is more affordable and essenially just a lower form of the LS1. After working on and replacing the opti, shoving in a cam and new valvetrain, i kinda grew in love for my LT1, it CAN BE very powerful, and i like it just as much as i do my oldschool SBC engines. As far as working on the engine in the car, id prefer my 68 and the 327 annnny day of the weak. Then again, making HP out of an LT1 is sooooo muuuuuuch eaaasier than getting it out of an old school motor. I'll break it down in numbers based on my oppinion, good luck with the decision!

Pro's -- 8/10
Con's -- 6/10

Fun -- 9/10

 

I say get the LS1

If your interested in getting heavy into moding get the LT1. Now of course you can get more out of an LS1 but they cost much more. The bargain go fast on the cheap is still the LT1. If you were really REALLY into making a insanely fast street car you wouldn't be looking at a stock lsx block anyway.

On the other hand if you look towards the earlier years of the LT1 93-95 you can get something dirt cheap that just might make that initial hp loss worthwhile. Depends on whats importent to you in terms of reliability, cost and weather or not you plan to get deep into modding.

 

FWIW an LT1 car will save you $$$ on insurance also.

You could always get a crate motor if you need more power.

 

WEll, thanks to you guys in this thread, I'm going LT1. I found a nice 97 Ws6, and he's got a timeslip of it going 13.5 with ehaders...

Sounds like a fun car to me!
Thanks guys.

 

LT1 all the way.....ls1 drivers are cocky A$$holes! I love pulling away from an ls1

 

i bought my ENTIRELY FORGED 383 ROTATING ASSY FOR LESS THAN 2K.
i bought my throttle body for 160 bucks off ebay
i bought my "upgraded ignition system (accel) for over 200

i'm not arguing with you any more. i know how much i spent on my motor and i know how much my friend spent on his for the same or similar setup...lt1 is way cheaper. but there's more involved in the ls1 upgrades so they're more expensive. i'm done here...it's more expensive to upgrade LSx than the ltx and it's always going to be that way. the lsx engine is way better than the ltx engine and it'll always be that way.

 

Just drive both and make your desicion. if speed is a problem..just buy a slightly modded lt1. its really not THAT much of a difference stock. if your not going to the track where every .1 matters, ..who cares if it runs a 13.4 compared to a 13.9...for a fun/cheap/reliable older car..that is plenty fast and with room to grow. and most of the opti is just BS. i have 2 lt1s and never had any ignition problems..hell nothing has been changed other then clutch, brakes, tires..and that was with putting 75K on my dd in 2 years
(140K miles now).

 

Just great, this has turned into LT1 vs. Ls1. Who would'a thunk it.

Here is an honest answer to the question posted. The Lt1 engine is every bit as fun as any high performnce V8 including the LS1. You will have the wide power band and get up and go to boot. The engine pulls at all RPM's above 1.5K.

To sum it up:
1 cylinder=not fun but useful for cutting grass
4 cylinder=not fun unless on two wheels but funny as hell when equipped with "Fart-cans".
6 cylinder=not fun unless equipped with t-type badges on black painted fenders
8 cylinder=a barrel full of fun in any f-body especially the 4th gen.
10 cylinder=Holy S*** and lots of $$$$
12 cylinder=
You will be happy either way with a LT1 or a LS1, the determining factor should always bee how much you want to spend initially and in the future.

 

i LOVE my LT1. I've been tossing the idea of selling or trading for a LSx but i just don't know if i wanna jump to that side. i have a lot of time into getting my LT1 the way i like it. They are fun and either one of the engine's is good in it's own right. I'm really leaning towards keeping the Lt1 even though i can afford a LSx car if i so choose(vette, T/A or Z if i want) The LT1 is paid for and i LOVE that so i plan to keep it. Hope you have fun with what you choose

 

The LT1 engine is as fun as you and your wallet want it to be.

 

I really enjoy building and running the LT engines. They have their own very unique design concepts, with some things good and some not so good. However the LT engines are what I'm all about and I'm very pround of my 97 Z28 LT car.

WD

 

Theres alot of BS in this thread. Look around and dont settle for the first car you find. Stock for stock both being 6-speed cars, the lt1's are alot more fun to drive. They arnt faster, but they have alot more grunt down low.


Also if you find a strong LT-1. Add a CAI, and a set of headers and you be kicking ls1 ***. If nothing else get a tune to top it off. Some will say otherwise, but a strong stock lt1 hangs alot better then most think. Its the crap running LT-1s that give the whole group a bad name.

Turst me when i say you might start out only wanting 40more hp over stock, but in time that will change. LT-1 short blocks are ALOT more stout. They go well over 150,000 miles easily when taken care of. I beat the **** out of mine and have 170k on the stock short block. Thats with a cam and bolt-ons.



I say save the money and go with the LT-1, they last longer and are cheaper to buy parts for. Not to mention they look alot better, and SOUND alot better.

 

Your an idiot, go buy a LS1 if you love them so much. Also show me one dyno that shows the power made right OFF IDLE to 2,500rpms. You guys always bring up gay dyno charts that dont show 800-2,500rpms, wonder why?

 

I would buy an ls1 if at all possible at this point. If its to drive and needs to be reliable, newer is better no matter the engine. If its for fun, I would buy a $4k lt1 and do heads and cam etc before I would buy a $8k ls1 and be broke.