Looking to mod and buy an LT1 advice
03-20-2015, 02:59 AM
#1
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Looking to mod and buy an LT1 advice Used to be a member on this site about three years ago when I had my 98 z28 but lost my account long ago.. Since then I owned a 2004 GT and a 2011 GT and both I no longer have. (long story) Anyway I'm looking to get back into the game. My price range seems to be more in the LT1 range with the cash I have. I love nitrous I ran it in my GTs and its a must for when I find me a camaro. How big of a shot can the lt1 handle? I would be pretty happy with a 100 shot and hope to hit high 12s with just that and drag radials? I'd love to get me a mid 11s LT1 but not even sure where to start with those cars.. I hear stock internals are good for about 450rwhp? Anyway I'd love some advice on where to start. Also if anyone local to the PA area is selling an lt1 or even and ls1 pm me
03-20-2015, 08:30 AM
#3
OP, obviously there are many variables but a full bolt-on LT1 car will have the capabilities to dip into the high 12's without the need of nitrous. If you wanted to keep the car bone stock and toss a 100 shot into the mix along with drag radials, it would also have the capability to run 12's. Full bolt-ons plus a nice shot of spray should make the car capable of 11's.
Where in PA do you live? I'm in the Philly suburbs.
03-20-2015, 09:50 AM
#4
TECH Regular
I see you're in the PA area.
www.ltxtech.com is a good board with a lot of PA members, cars frequently pop up for sale on there too.
Anyway, giving you advice on where to start depends first upon some of your own preferences, mainly whether you want a 6-speed manual car or an automatic. The path you take to attain what you want will be somewhat different depending on what driveline you end up with.
The newest LT1 cars out there are 18 years old now. When buying one, look for anything you would on any car 2 decades old.
Where you are in PA, it's probably worthwhile to check for rust or rot, particularly in the tops of the rear wheel arches and in the bottom of the spare tire well and trunk areas. Rust isn't a particularly acute problem with these cars, but it's been heard of.
At this point, probably nearly all of these cars have leaked oil at some point, likely from either the rear of the intake manifold or the front cover on the motor. Both are not that big of a deal and cheap and easy fixes.
Sometimes the cruise control module is nonfunctioning, another easy and inexpensive fix.
The bolsters on the seats will often have considerable wear on them.
The upper dash pad is often cracked or broken, aftermarket replacements are available online but they are pricey, starting around $250.
Spiderwebbing or cracking/peeling of the paint on the front and rear bumpers is common also.
The optispark distributor is an expensive part, and if it's in place and functioning properly, leave it alone. If it's not, you'll be able to tell when you test drive the car as it will miss, sputter or otherwise show signs of ignition issues. If you do end up having to replace an opti, opt for the (expensive) genuine GM/Delphi unit, NOT an aftermarket one. There is a well-known procedure to properly install the new one and upgrade to the newer vented version from the 1996 and 1997 cars. Overall the newer vented versions have far less problems than the earlier, non-vented versions.
As mentioned, the fuel pump should likely be replaced in any car where significant performance upgrades are on the agenda, mainly due to the age of the pump. The Walbro 255 and Hotwire kit is a good option, plenty of media exists on how and why to do this.
As far as your performance goals. It depends on where you want to start. Sometimes buying a clean car with some existing mods and an extremely well-documented history is the absolute cheapest route to go. Many prefer to start with a clean, stock car. It's up to you. My advice is, if you look at modded cars, post a link to the ad here and get the opinions of the experts on here BEFORE you buy. It's somewhat likely that some on here may even know the car, especially if it's notably fast or extensively built.
In stock form these cars, depending on options, conditions, driveline configurations, etc. are generally capable of running 1/4 mile ETs in the 13.6 to 14.2 range, with corresponding trap speeds of around 98-103 mph. The low-option 6-speed cars are generally accepted as the quickest in completely stock trim, given a sufficiently skilled driver. The slowest cars would be the automatics with the 2.73 rear gears. You can tell if a car has factory 2.73s if the automatic gear selector has no "1" on for first gear on the gearshift on the center console. Also, if an A4 car came with the 3.23s, there will be option code "GU5" on the sticker in the driver's doorjamb.
As far as upgrades. With stock cars with either transmission, the best place to start is with bolt-ons, specifically the inlet and exhaust. A good cold-air intake kit and long tube headers, free-flowing Y-pipe and catback exhaust or cutout will generally yield a solid 20+rwhp on a stock car, and a corresponding gain of 2-3 mph in 1/4 mile trap speeds. Many other bolt-on parts exist for these cars, but inlet and exhaust will account for 90% of the power gains on a stock motor, don't pay much attention to the other stuff like aftermarket MAF sensors or Hypertech programmers, they're a waste of money.
Upgrading the motor and transmission mounts to polyurethane ones is a good idea and cheap.
Replacing/upgrading the shocks and springs on any performance car of this age is a good idea. Strano suspsension has a nice package with properly valved Bilstein shocks and higher-rate springs.
Upgrading to LS1 front brakes is cheap and easy and very worthwhile.
After doing basic external stuff like the above, you're into the driveline or motor. On automatics, 3.73 rear gears and a nice converter is the way to go. On 6-speed cars, a stronger clutch and (expensive) upgraded rear is in the offing if you plan on going faster than low 13s.
As far as motor upgrades, most folks opt for a cam and valvetrain swap after doing the initial bolt-ons, along with a dyno tune. Properly thought-out and executed, this can put one of these cars into the low 12s at 110+mph. A cammed/bolt on car like this can go low 11s or maybe tickle the 10s at over 120mph on a 150 shot if it's well set up.
Stock-motored cars with full bolt-ons have regularly gone high 12s at around 104-107 mph. Adding nitrous to the mix here will often put one solidly into the 11s.
Past any of these points, you're into complete driveline rebuilds or ported heads/cam setups.
Good luck.
www.ltxtech.com is a good board with a lot of PA members, cars frequently pop up for sale on there too.
Anyway, giving you advice on where to start depends first upon some of your own preferences, mainly whether you want a 6-speed manual car or an automatic. The path you take to attain what you want will be somewhat different depending on what driveline you end up with.
The newest LT1 cars out there are 18 years old now. When buying one, look for anything you would on any car 2 decades old.
Where you are in PA, it's probably worthwhile to check for rust or rot, particularly in the tops of the rear wheel arches and in the bottom of the spare tire well and trunk areas. Rust isn't a particularly acute problem with these cars, but it's been heard of.
At this point, probably nearly all of these cars have leaked oil at some point, likely from either the rear of the intake manifold or the front cover on the motor. Both are not that big of a deal and cheap and easy fixes.
Sometimes the cruise control module is nonfunctioning, another easy and inexpensive fix.
The bolsters on the seats will often have considerable wear on them.
The upper dash pad is often cracked or broken, aftermarket replacements are available online but they are pricey, starting around $250.
Spiderwebbing or cracking/peeling of the paint on the front and rear bumpers is common also.
The optispark distributor is an expensive part, and if it's in place and functioning properly, leave it alone. If it's not, you'll be able to tell when you test drive the car as it will miss, sputter or otherwise show signs of ignition issues. If you do end up having to replace an opti, opt for the (expensive) genuine GM/Delphi unit, NOT an aftermarket one. There is a well-known procedure to properly install the new one and upgrade to the newer vented version from the 1996 and 1997 cars. Overall the newer vented versions have far less problems than the earlier, non-vented versions.
As mentioned, the fuel pump should likely be replaced in any car where significant performance upgrades are on the agenda, mainly due to the age of the pump. The Walbro 255 and Hotwire kit is a good option, plenty of media exists on how and why to do this.
As far as your performance goals. It depends on where you want to start. Sometimes buying a clean car with some existing mods and an extremely well-documented history is the absolute cheapest route to go. Many prefer to start with a clean, stock car. It's up to you. My advice is, if you look at modded cars, post a link to the ad here and get the opinions of the experts on here BEFORE you buy. It's somewhat likely that some on here may even know the car, especially if it's notably fast or extensively built.
In stock form these cars, depending on options, conditions, driveline configurations, etc. are generally capable of running 1/4 mile ETs in the 13.6 to 14.2 range, with corresponding trap speeds of around 98-103 mph. The low-option 6-speed cars are generally accepted as the quickest in completely stock trim, given a sufficiently skilled driver. The slowest cars would be the automatics with the 2.73 rear gears. You can tell if a car has factory 2.73s if the automatic gear selector has no "1" on for first gear on the gearshift on the center console. Also, if an A4 car came with the 3.23s, there will be option code "GU5" on the sticker in the driver's doorjamb.
As far as upgrades. With stock cars with either transmission, the best place to start is with bolt-ons, specifically the inlet and exhaust. A good cold-air intake kit and long tube headers, free-flowing Y-pipe and catback exhaust or cutout will generally yield a solid 20+rwhp on a stock car, and a corresponding gain of 2-3 mph in 1/4 mile trap speeds. Many other bolt-on parts exist for these cars, but inlet and exhaust will account for 90% of the power gains on a stock motor, don't pay much attention to the other stuff like aftermarket MAF sensors or Hypertech programmers, they're a waste of money.
Upgrading the motor and transmission mounts to polyurethane ones is a good idea and cheap.
Replacing/upgrading the shocks and springs on any performance car of this age is a good idea. Strano suspsension has a nice package with properly valved Bilstein shocks and higher-rate springs.
Upgrading to LS1 front brakes is cheap and easy and very worthwhile.
After doing basic external stuff like the above, you're into the driveline or motor. On automatics, 3.73 rear gears and a nice converter is the way to go. On 6-speed cars, a stronger clutch and (expensive) upgraded rear is in the offing if you plan on going faster than low 13s.
As far as motor upgrades, most folks opt for a cam and valvetrain swap after doing the initial bolt-ons, along with a dyno tune. Properly thought-out and executed, this can put one of these cars into the low 12s at 110+mph. A cammed/bolt on car like this can go low 11s or maybe tickle the 10s at over 120mph on a 150 shot if it's well set up.
Stock-motored cars with full bolt-ons have regularly gone high 12s at around 104-107 mph. Adding nitrous to the mix here will often put one solidly into the 11s.
Past any of these points, you're into complete driveline rebuilds or ported heads/cam setups.
Good luck.
