ripfirebird94

I love my f-body. I have a 94 formula, needs a little body work after some d bag backed into me, but over all I love my car which is stock with a cai and is well maintained with 128,000 miles on it. I love the cars and their torque and sound, but recently my parents have been very discouraging about the car and basically its "the lt1 is junk it has 128k on it and you should just run it until it dies, save money and buy an ls1" I like the ls1, but I favor the LT1 because I'm used to it, I'm not drag racing, and I like a lot of low-end power. My father (who happens to be a general sales manager of a car dealership) and my grandfather (who happens to own a garage and does maintenance on my car) think that if I mod the car, it will both A. Loose value or B. Break. For example my grandfather said that if I put headers on my stock top end I'd bust a head. Stuff like this. I've been looking at a 91-93 Mitsubishi 3000gt vr4 and I like them a lot, but I can't give up on the firebird. So. What do you think? Any words of advice? I just need some encouragement.

97REaper

iTrader: (11)

For example my grandfather said that if I put headers on my stock top end I'd bust a head.

never heard of that before.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Lmfao...you can port and polish the factory heads/intake, get a custom ground cam, run the stock bottom end (128k is just broken in if it's been well maintained -no joke) and cut 11's in the 1/4 mile aaaalllll day long with the stock rear end and tranny if they've been maintained properly...

sound slike a TON of mislead info they've given you here. Is the LS1 better? Yes. Is the LT1 Junk? absolutely not.

97camaross

iTrader: (6)

don't ever listen to your parents!(when it concerns cars) make your own decisions you may make mistakes along the way but that's how you learn....most importantly do what YOU want....Just don't get a ricer lol

_1slowSS_

iTrader: (1)

If they are pushing you to get something more reliable than an LT1, these cars are def. not it IMHO + they suck to work on.

I bought my LT1 6 years ago with 66K on it and now its pushing over 160k. I've been spraying it for the last 3 years with no problems, and in that time I've only replaced one opti and basically done regular maintenance. On the other hand I've had one friend with his LS1 toast two transmissions on a car with less than 50k. Proper maintenance goes a long way towards longevity in any automobile, but every car will break eventually.

JB_97ws6TA

iTrader: (6)

your grandpa sounds like he is either A) Blowing smoke up your *** to get you to listen to him or B) getting senile. Regardless, if this is your daily driver, which it sounds like it is, than I would listen to your father. the LT1 is by no means a junk motor but once you start modding they get to be a little labor intensive and if you don't listen now by the time you realize it on your own it will be too late and you will have way too much money into it that you will NEVER recoup on resale. FWIW mine is a garage queen and I spend roughly twice as much time under the hood than I do in the driver's seat

93sspcoupe

my buddy had a stock hci lt1 running low 12s on motor and low 11s on spray.


and btw it had 200k PLUS MILES. just do regular maintnance and you will be fine. and when if it finally does let go build a bigger stronger motor

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

Mitsubishi LOL...stick with what you've got bro. Put some headers on and then take your gramps out and scare the **** out of him. Also,about the whole "save for a LS1thing, other then it being built a bit better on the reliability side, it's no faster then a bolt on LT. As long as you do the basic maintenance your car should last you a long time....stock or not.

Johnny-LT1-runner

iTrader: (15)

Screw resale, these things go for 2-3K a pop nowadays.

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

+1...F-Bodies in general don't hold their resale value and can be found almost anywhere for dirt cheap now days. The guy I just bough my WS6 from sold it to me for $10,200 because nobody would pay bluebook for it because of down times.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

Good to see you back in the lt1 side of the forum Elliot. But to the OP keep what you have. I'm guessing you don't know much about the 3000gt vr4's. They are Damn good cars and can make some serious power but when the trans goes your screwed. They had a recall on the early years for the transfer case shattering and if it was never done your sol. Ask me how I know. The only company that makes the trans for the car is out of Germany since Damn near all the factory replacement parts are discontinued and used up. The price tag on the trans is like 5000+ and you have to send them your core. They machine every part new is the reason for the high price tag. And this doesn't matter what is wrong with your trans. I know all this because I have a 95 dodge stealth rt with upgraded turbos and exhaust.

Keep the f-body and mod the **** out of it. Mine has 190k+ on it and still lifts the front tires on the stock bottom end.

ripfirebird94

Great advice and I'll show this to my father. I want to fix the little visual things wrong with my car first and then FINALLY do exhaust and I'm not gonna be cheap I'm going GMMG.

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

A nice set of LT's with that GMMG would make for a great sounding car and pick you up some good power. Hang in there with it bro. Best of luck!

ripfirebird94

thanks man. And I want pace setter lts that are ceramic coated. Anything better than those?

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

Yes, there are better quality headers available...but for the $$$ the pacesetter coated are a good header to go with.

ripfirebird94

Can you give me a name. GMMG is the best catback I don't want to get cheap with the headers

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

LPP'S if they are still available, Kooks are a couple. Kooks are top of the food chain.

ripfirebird94

Does kooks make LT1s

*02WS6TURK*

iTrader: (13)

Yes. They are on the expensive side. The LPP's are a copy of them. I ran them on my z28. Other then a couple small fitment issues they were nice headers.

litch2004

iTrader: (1)

I used jet gory coated hooked super comps and I love them.