'96 LT1 here, put down 265hp 305tq at the wheels stock besides a cold air intake and a pcm tune. I usually had no problems with completely stock ls1's before i had the tune.

 

400+/400+ problem being, no knock on dyno, lotsa knock on street. but anyways, old numbers, old news.


the LT1 isnt a bad design, its the shit they tag along with it, like the opti.

like i try to tell people, the reason the ls1 is a better performer outta the box is head design, weight advantage, and cam design....its just a technologically advanced LT1.

ill stick behind an LT1, my goal (even though people will laugh at me when i say it) is 700rwhp on STOCK heads, possibly some porting, decent cam, properly selected turbo, and my bad boy bottom end.

the key to good times is getting out of the hole. get your 60' down, and utilize the power you already have. that is the key to going fast. harness ~400rwhp, and you could possibly be knocking on 10's door with a 3000lb car.

 

Formual69: While I admire your passion and your imgination, I must admit, your faith I lack. Sure it sounds good what your are planning, but untill it actually works, it's only theory, however well thought out. I understand you are a young man, and for that I am envious, I wish you the best of luck and will follow your progress.

Folks, dont be scared of building a powerful LT1, they are out there, and can be built with the kind of energy that young formula brings to the table. For me, the LS1 is my choice based on bang for the buck mods. 500rwhp with a simple 2 stage N20 setup, headers and lid/exhaust. Bingo - thats fast and easy. And think about Shalanes car, beuatiful in it's simplicity - ran 11.5 with stock heads and cam. A conveter, duals, lid and headers. Damn that was easy huh?

Yes an LT1 based car can be had for much less than an LS1, and can be made fast. Possibly just as fast as an LS1 with the money saved at purchase put towards modding, maybe faster. Both have their limitations, pluses and minus' but GM did get these engines right, and thank God for that. Look at these motor's predecassors and the argument goes moot!

 

i've always wanted an ls1 but every time i think about selling, i just tell myself i'd rather try beating an ls1 with an lt1 than beating an lt1 with an ls1. it may be a little harder goal, especially with the 4L60e, but i like the challenge so far. plus i got my car paid off and i already know my car inside and out, what parts are new, and whats next on the list. i am anxious to see how much i knock off next time i go to the track though since my last tranny did slip. but anyway, as much as i'd love a 6spd LS1, i still love my car

 

poncho I ran 12.9 with mild heads and a small cam with bald drag radials & bad tranny. My new setup will slaughter that!!!

 

Formula, Rollin, 97Chameleon's car was a strictly N/A bolt-on car, no heads/cam, no N20, and full weight. The car is listed as one of the fastest bolt-on only LT1 cars on cz28.com, running 12.5's last I saw before he moved. He could have probably gone as quick on the stock 10-bolt, but he told me the reason for the 12-bolt and 3.73's was in preparation for the poweradder he had planned for. You guys are way quicker than me, but no 97Chameleon you ain't. Sorry to sound like his sack rider, but his shit was badass for what it had...or what it didn't have. And like I said, he drove it like he stole it.

 

dan it was nice to meet you at rolling thunder. as for the ls1 vs lt1 arguement, if i had had the extra cash to burn on an ls1 when i bought this car i would have, its just not there for me. I gotta work with what i have. so just like anyone else, im gonna try to make what i have as fast as i can... Shalane's car rocks, your car rocks.. i could only hope to get that fast, and the truth is its gonna take a bult lt1 with a supercharger on my half to even think about getting to the point you guys have reached with bolt ons and nitrous.. it sucks but us lt1 guys gotta stick up for our motors as best as we can.. ls1 = new technology= faster... lt1=oldskool=rappers delight of engines

and as for lt1s n/a being fast, i believe the record is a 12.03 bolt-ons stock weight stock heads, cam, no n20, stock bottom end on drag radials.. its posted somewhere on ls1tech.com

 

and for an LS1 being fast, i believe the record for fastest CAM ONLY! (minus bolt-ons, duh) is mid 10's.

 

its funny how some things will always be the same, one engine is better then the other. Now I remember guys were running 327's and thought 350's were junk and heaven forbid if you used a 400 with its steam hole heads and short rod design. They laughed at me also when I built my 400 but 10's and street tires (M&H's) became reality, no juice either. yes it was lots of work and money. But LS1 or LT1 can both run depending on mods. heck my friends class car has a 267 Wayne County motor (for you older guys) that runs mid 10's at 12000 RPM

 

there are all kinds of motors out there, the lt1 is one of them, and i will be the first to admit that it is no where near the best. i chose the car because i couldnt afford an ls1 and i refuse to make payments on a car. i will cut my losses and work with what i have. my car is slow as hell compared to a lot of the ls1s on this board, but that doesnt mean i cant hang with some of the BPU ls1s.. and my ONLY point is, it has cost me less money to make my lt1 hang with lets say an ss with lid, exhaust and maybe one or two other bolt ons than it did for that ls1 owner to buy his car and put those mods on it..

:repares himself to be called out by every ls1 owner with BPU::

like i said earlier, if you have the cash go buy an ls1.. 6 bolt mains, light as hell engine, stout as fuck stock, and all you need is lid, exhaust, and some NAWWWWZZZ and your near 500 hp.. nuf said