I found a 60K miles shortblock local for $500. Sounds like a good deal, but its from a caprice. Now I know the heads are different, and a slightly different cam on the caprice, but how about the rest of the shortblock? This would be replacing my spun bearing shortblock in my formula.

Thanks

 

You might have to swap timing covers, but everything else should be the same.

 

Thanks for the fast response. I'd like to use my cam as well, but I dont know if I want to risk swapping them. More and more it seems like this thing will just be gettting a full on rebuild.

 

Well, what year is the new shortblock that you are looking at? Are you able to determine what kind of condition it's in? Does the walls look clean? Still see the cross-hatching in the cylinders? If it was me, I'd look at how much I can reasonably spend to get my car fixed. Depending on your engine, it will probally cost 1500+ to rebuild it right vs. 800 for used shortblock that may run for another 80k or go down in 5k, that's the chance you take. Unfortunatly for me, I've been there, decided on full-rebuild and then it lasted 160 miles. It sucks, but happens.

 

I have not seen it yet, but he sas its in good shape. I was thinking of around 150-200 more for gaskets and fluids and head bolts.

I really need to get mine apart to see if its wasted first I guess. If I can get away with reusing hard parts, and just having the crank turned if need be, that would be great.

 

Its definitely "cheap". Just hope you dont get what you pay for in a bad way going with a 60k mile motor.

ALSO! be very careful what you are after is actually a 350. Some caprices.. if not all caprices not ex police cars actually got a 285 which physicaly looked just like the LT1. Should find a casting number 327 somewhere on teh blcok to varify or if you have the heads off youll notice the piston size difference pretty quick.

 

I'll keep all that in mind, Thanks.

 

are the coolant passages the same? remember the lt1 has reverse flow or maybe thats just the heads im not sure im kinda new to all of this

 

Some caprice's and the Impala came with a version of the LT1....

 

I spent over 200 on gaskets and bolts alone.. I still need fluids..
I broke **** too, so be prepared to spend a little more in case there is a problem.

 

I'd change the cam because they are very different. You'll lose power. Do some searches I'm sure there is a ton of info out there. I had a good link but I can't seem to find it at the moment. I'll post it if I find it.

 

As per usual as soon as the b-body is mentioned the ignorant have to chime in.
The LT1 was optional in the Caprice sedan, standard in the wagon the Impala the Roadmaster and the Fleetwood not even your f-bodies can claim it as standard. The standard engine on the Caprice be it civilian or 9C1 cop car was the 265ci 4.3L L99 which shares a lot with the LT1 and looks identical where an LT1 has 327 cast in the drivers side of the block this has 588. The shortblock is the same as the f-body, the timing cover thing is the 94-95 b-body matches the 95 f-body and the 96-7 are the same as the 96-7 f-body, the b-body never got the non-vented opti or it's cover, the balancer hubs are different as well just something easy to overlook.
As for lossing power with the b-body cam it came with more restrivtive intake tract 3" MAF and yet made more torque and only 15 less hp than the f-body motor yet does so on 87 octane so the statements about losing power are at very best exagerated and more ignorant. It will pull harder at lower rpms and run out of breath a little sooner but not greatly so there are b-bodies over 300rwhp on that stock cam with roller rockers and springs, the springs are what limits the stock b-body motors rpm potential much more than the cam.

Personally I wouldn't pay $500 for a shortblock, look around and I bet you can find a lonfblock for just a little more and have spare parts to sell o0r use yourself. I paid $550 complete from TB to exhaust manifolds, even had a fuel rail but lines were damaged, still sold it to someone wanting to go beyond the factory fuel lines anyway.

 

Thanks for your knowledgeable response.

 

$500 for a shortblock does seem high.

 

I know that the lt1's from cop cars are the same, but I don't know about some other caprices? I've heard about mini lt1s that are like 4.6 litres or something?