rmkleman

Well hi everyone, i have an 03lbz duramax and i usualy hang around on the dieselplace forum. Well i recently "got into cars" because of my buddy that had an awsome cutless. Long story short, i'm no mechanic, i know a lot about diesel power but not much on gassers. I have been working ridiculous hours at work (70 plus a week 7 days a week) and will be for the next 13 weeks straight. Talk about no social life.

I love the 4th gen camaros and T/A's and i have been crusing around this forum for awile. My buddy recomended it to me and looks about like my dieselplace.com that i'm on a few times a day. Lots of info, that's great.

Well realisticaly what can i get for about $4,000? I know the must haves for my car are T-tops, leather, and a v8. LS1 or LT1 doesn't matter to me at this point as long as i can get a decent looking ride that's faster then my tuned up 7800lb diesel truck that runs mid 15's. I'm sure i will have to find a higher mileage car? and i'm sure once i own it the car will sit in the garage unless it's getting drove with the t-tops off

Just posting this as a start and i am going to try and research everything in the next 13 weeks. Anyone chime in and help me out, again i'm not really sure what i'm getting myself into here! Thanks!!

96formulabird

I will be the first to welcome you. for that price you can probably find a decent lt-1 like i got. mine was a little more than 4 grand, but you can find lt-1's easy for that price. When you go buy one of these cars check everything and be sure whoever is selling it has kept up with maintinece. the lt1 you have to be sure everything was maintained especially if your getting an lt-1. and fair warning the lt-1 has a thing called opti and alot of people have problems with them, but im not one of them i have never had a problem with mine. the opti is the distributer(dont think i spelled that right). people have problems with it if they do alot of rain driving, which my car doesnt see bad weather,so i dont got to worry about that.

stefan256

iTrader: (1)

For around 4500-6k you can find an ls1 most have t tops and leather. But you'll have to settle for around 90-140k miles which isn't really a problem if, they've been maintained.
I picked up a 98 ta with 96k miles for $4200 after looking for 2-3 months but that was a year ago and prices on these cars have supposedly been falling.
Good luck in the search.

rmkleman

So for 5 grand it looks like i can get a pretty nice lt1 car or a half decent ls1 car? I know the forum name is ls1tech and i'll probably catch hell for this but remember i am new. Is the ls1 that much better in these cars?

96formulabird

Ok yes i do have an lt-1,but i know alot bout these cars and all cars in general cause i like to work on them. the ls1 is a supperior motor. its still a small block chevy, but got changed a good amount from the lt-1. the most obvious is no more opti. the ls1 and as far as i know every lsX motor has individual coils per cylinder. along with aluminum heads and block if im not mistaken. and just a better performing motor. but with that said i love my lt-1. sure lt-1's are not as fast as the ls1 cars, but if u throw a little money at the lt-1 to wake it up, it can keep up with ls1 cars. Its really all in prefference of what you want. lt-1 cars you really dont see to many of them (at least where i am), but you see a crap load of ls1 cars. so lt-1's are getting kinda rare, espaecially if you track down a good formula bird or lt-1 ss camaro. mine i got with 95,000 miles and it was the best purchase i made. sure i wish mine was a 6 speed, but either way whatever you get make sure you love it and thats all that matters.

rmkleman

Thanks for the replies, read all newbie mistakes for lt1s and a lot last night after work. Read that 9 page thread on the m6 vs. a4 tranny. Wow some people get fired up over this stuff haha I have decided i want a 6 speed car, just because i'm not planning on taking it down the strip all the time, just want to have fun and enjoy the cruise with the t-tops out, sounds amazing right now with the weather in ohio. I tried searching but couldn't find the differance between the birds and camaros, as well as the differance between the bodys on the lt1 cars vs ls1 cars? something about the nose i believe?

96formulabird

yeh small changes to the exterior. ls1 birds get more rounded fronts and ls1 cars get different taillights than 93-96. i think 97 lt-1 cars have the ls1 style tails from the factory. the camaro and firebird are the same exact car just different body's obviously. ss camaro=ws6 trans am. z28=formula bird (formula birds are more rare) somewhat. those are the basics.

4THGENCAMAROFAN

Just some tidbits about Camaros
93-94 The only motor available was a 3.4 or a 5.7
93-95 and 96-97 LT-1 are slightly different. (Not sure what the difference it)
96-02 The only motor available was a 3.8 o a 5.7
In 95 the made a 3.4 3.8 and a 5.7 and only 6% of the v6 cars had a 3.8
All of the RS's had 3.8s
RS's years were from 96-98 or 99 I think
In 2002 the 35th anniversery cars were made.
Even though they changed the Z-28 motor from an LT-1 to an LS1 the never changed the 3.8 motor.
Changed the interior and tailights in 97
Changed front end and motor in 98
Started making SS's in 96( I think) and ended in 02.

Just a little bit of stuff about em.

House

I am too a diesel nut, and have a 500hp dmax and 700hp powerstroke
I love fbodys all my life have had (2) 1rst gens, (3) 3rd gens, and now 1 4th gen and I love the LS1 the most !

Lickeyman

iTrader: (1)

Just do it right the first time and get a 98+ LS1

You'll end up getting one anyway. I did. My friends did. Would have saved some time and money in the long run.

Nothing wrong with an LT though.........It's just fairly likely you'll either get a lsx or want one.

93batmobile

iTrader: (1)

personally the biggest difference for me in switchin from an lt1 to ls1 is the sound. I think its pretty hard to beat the sound of the ol lt1. but in terms of the motor's superiority, the ls1's have pretty much limitless potential in the modification department. It seems like lt1's are sort of a dead end now, and the distributor can be a problem. So if you are plannin on doin just basic bolts ons and keepin her close to stock then the lt1 would work quite nicely. they sound great and with a few basic mods you should handle stocker ls1's