I agree with you, wish I could start over again....but the LT1 cars are pretty cheap and they aren't that bad compared to other stuff on the road/rustangs

 

most people with lt1's have had them for a while, now you can get a clean lt1 for 4k, ls1's are still going for 8-10k in good shape, the lt's are half the price and are still a hell of a car for 4k like the guy above said. Given the choice i think most lt1 guys would upgrade to an ls1 but have so much into their lt1's its not worth it.

 

i see..............i see...............another lt1/ls1 fight.......

 

I went from a cam'd and bolt on LS1 to a LT1 with a CAI. There is nothing wrong with the LT1's besides being slow in stock trim.

 

Actually, when I bought my 97SS in april of 97, I really would have never entertained the idea of buying a camaro---what with the reputation for integrity, etc. But once I saw the car I couldn't stop myself. So $32000 later
I had my car. Interesting that I never even researched what was coming out the very next year( and they were actually already out) the LS engine.

Anyway, I was pissed to find out that I was stuck with 50 less ponies and a dated engine. So the first thing I did was started to mod it. Without beating this to death, after spinning a rod with only 7 grand on the engine (because of a bad cam install) and pouring another 15 grand into the car, including new shortblock, ect. I am now the proud owner of a $45000 97SS with 9000 miles on the car and 1000 on the engine.

Would I do it again? Hell no. But would I have bought a 98 with the LS1? No again---because the front end change did not appeal to me anyway.
So yes, the Ls1 is superior in design---because it make sense the way the heads flow,etc.(something, I'm certain the engineers knew a loooooong time before it came out) but the Lt1 with plenty of money and care can put out all the power you will need, but don't even entertain the idea that you will ever get out of it what you put into it.JMHO

 

I believe the exterior design change in '98 was intended to increase sales among women.

 

The ONLY thing stopping me from "upgrading" to an LS1 is the front end wtf were they thinking?

 

same here....I may just do a motor swap in the future....

the frog eyed front is not my style

 

agreed, i dont like the fish look although with the ss scoop it looks sweet

 

Its a lot easier for a younger person to scrape together enough cash to buy an LT1 car than it is an LS1 car. Thats the main reason I have mine. I was looking at both but couldn't swing the extra cost at the time for an LS1 car.

 

I agree that the Lt1 would be less expensive in the short run----and usually one only has the money to buy the car sans any mods. But when one decides to buy an Lt1 F-body, they must have the intent to mod it. And modding it can cost from 0 to 10s of thousands, depending on the ultimate gaol. So in the short run, cheaper. In the long run makes no difference what you get if you intend to mod it.

Having said that, one needs to consider that after you put out the initial cash, no matter how good a price, you are most likely gong to be throwing money at a used car right up front just to keep it running.

Then comes the modding. If you consider that certain things should be done in a certain order, or least with consideration of combination results, then you can see that unless you have the money to do these things that it may take all your spare cash and maybe a long time. If you have little patience, as do most gear heads, then you are not going to be a happy person.

It's one thing if you can afford the down time and do the work yourself, and quite another to have to rely on others to do the work and you need wheels.

I.e. don't shoot yourself in the a$$. Know what you are getting into right up front. There is no better resource than this site----anywhere in the world---to help you with your goals, but when it comes to making the final decisions and coming up with the cash, it's all you.JMHO

 

Just be aware that if you buy an LSx, you're buying a car designed for chicks. The extra horsepower & torque generated by the LSx engine was the only way GM could avoid killing all interest among heterosexual males.

 

They upped testosterone through hp in order to counterbalance the added estrogen

 

Well, I would think because they are about half the price?

Thats why I got mine. '97, 6 speed, mystic teal, good shape, leather, OO7's, warbird hood, flowbastard catback, 130k on the clock for 4750, I did a lot of research before deciding just what I wanted to buy and within my 4-5k range there wasnt a whole lot that gave me as much car as the LT's did.

Why didnt I just add a couple thousand a get an LS? well, i dont know about you but I dont have a couple thousand just hanging out, being a student and working full time with rent and all that life on ones own entails. Why not just finance? Cause my car may not be as nice, or as new as an LS but I own it. No payments, its mine and all I have to do is pony up for insurance.

Next year at tax time though.. It just may be time for an upgrade

 

I intentionally purchased an LT1 over an LS1 as well. Aside from just liking the 93-97 body style more than the 98+, it also left me with about $4000 to play with that I wouldn't have had if I got an LS1. That $4000 will go a pretty long way into building up an engine that will slaughter a stock LS1.

Once you get past bolt-ons, I really don't see where the LS1 really has any big advantage over the LT1.