snkeh8tr

What is required to put the front end of a 97 TA on the front os a 98 and up body? I have had both LT1 and LS1, and now I want the best of both worlds. the power of a turbo 408 LS1, with the look of the 97 TA. I am hoping that its a direct swap...

It should just be the hood, fenders and bumper cover, I hope...

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

You might try the Appearance and Detailing forum - this is the Tools forum.

But anyhow, you need far more than just the body panels. Lots of brackets, the styrofoam bumper insert, etc. to make it work. If you get all the brackets, yes, it can be done. You might be able to find someone with a 93-97 style front end who wants to swap and you guys might swap even...

Silverback

the LS1 hoods are taller for more clearance... but I dont know for sure an LT1 hood won't clear an LS1.

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Here's a thread on swapping from an LT1 to an LS1....just read it in reverse

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...end+conversion

00firebird

iTrader: (3)

haha ^ yeah i wouldnt go backwards though if i were you...an no offense to anyone but i think the lt1 style looks a little old/cheaper

DirtyBird222

iTrader: (7)

LT1 styling is badass do it. and yes and LT1 hood will clear an LS1. Especially if you get a LT1 Ram Air hood.

rocketman442

iTrader: (8)

I dont belive the LT1 front end wont clear a lid set up unless it's a ram air hood.

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

if done right, i think the LT1 TAs look much better than the later models, hands down

the front end swap (I would guess) would be just as difficult but cheaper than swapping an LS1 into an older car... best of both worlds

RollTideTA

Sorry... the LT1 TA's dont look near as good as the LS1's....

I have 2 of each... 94GT TA, 94 Ram Air TA, 99 WS6 clone and 00 WS6....

Personally I think the 98+ looks MUCH better... but thats just opinion.

What is not opinion is that almost all LT1 TA's have fitment problems where the front fenders meet the bumper cover and it looks like *** if they do. One of mine does... the other does not. No good fix for it either. Why do all LT1 owners use pics of the REAR of their cars most of the time? Thats why.

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

...you know what they say about opinions

I agree - you hardly see an LT1 TA without some type of gap or misaligned panel. Prolly something to do with the fact that the entire front clip of the car is so flat, its impossible to make so many panels line up correctly. I think the LS1 cars have similar fitment issues - you just dont notice them as much due to the extra scoops, openings, etc. I dont know how many LS1 TA's Ive seen with headlight covers that line up with the hood but have a 1/2 - 1' gap at the bottom...

Coy

iTrader: (4)

Like mine...

DirtyBird222

iTrader: (7)

I've got plenty of good pictures with the front of my car
1 for example!

RUNINHOT

iTrader: (10)

I have swaped a 97 camaro front end on a 99 camaro ls1 car. It takes alot of modifications for the air box setup to work with it. The car had a cowl hood on for clearence also. I do not belive a stock or ss hood would have worked on it.

98redM6

iTrader: (39)

I think the lt1 front end is a lot sleeker looking than the LS1 front end as evidenced by DirtyBird222's car.

It just flows mad clean.

However, I would still rather have a black ls1 WS6.

Silver02TA

iTrader: (6)

I agree... the LT1 Trans Am looks like a crappy version of a concept car that made production. Too wanna-be futuristic in the front. LS1 T/A more resembles a C5 Vette in the front, and that's a plus.

DirtyBird222

iTrader: (7)

My main reason for getting an LT1 bird other than getting screwed when attempting to purchase a black on black LS1 WS6. I'm very happy with my LT1 in appearance and performance (I went from a 3.8 to an LT1 so shut up).

Silverback

you can hide a second engine under a WS6 hood... I still dont think that you could do it under the stock, flat hood witout a lot of work, at least that was GM's original claim for the reason for the redesign in '98

hotrod_bljak

iTrader: (3)

You should be able to do the conversion. Mine is a 97 with the 98-02 front clip on it. So, yes I hvae the LT1, but it is running strong. I just don't like the front nose of the 93-97. Sorry. But, hey you do, and that all that matters. If you do decide to do it, make sure you post some pics.

RollTideTA

The LS1 or LT1 headlight covers can be adjusted about 1000 different ways for those with that problem.

The front bumper cover 'dimple' as I like to call it on LT1s can't be fixed without replacing the bumper cover with a new one and then sometimes it still comes back. As mine did. It's a plastic flexing and bumper cover design issue. I would say that more than 50% of all LT1 TA's have this problem, some worse than others. The LT1 formula/firebird bumper almost never has it. So if i was going to do that swap to the LT1 front end, I would go for the formula/firehawk look.

It is much worse on metallic colored cars. Gloss colors like black or red don't seem to show the dimpled area nearly as bad and you have to look for it in certain lighting to see it. Our black car looks great on the front, but my silver one bugged the **** out of me everytime someone would ask... "oh did u ding something here?"

Listen, I'm not bashing LT1 TA's...I love them too...I just want anyone with an LS1 to know that this is a possible problem for them if they do a swap to the LT1 front end.

EDIT - Go here and look closely at each car where the fender meets the front bumper cover.