'94firebirdv6

I have a 1994 v6 firebird. it was my first car and it has been very good to me, but now i think its time to step up to a trans am. My budget is around 8.5-9k. I want a fast car. I can either get an LT1 for around 6-7k and put the remaining 2k into an LE3 package OR spend the 8-9k on a 98 or newer trans am and save up to mod it. the only thing is that i am still in school so it would take me a long time to save up more money. i have a part time job and have been saving for three years to get where I am now. right now im leaning more towards the lt1 LE3 option....what would you do??

93BlackZ

i voted to go with the LT1 LE3 setup because its cheaper to mod an LT1 car and theyre the poor mans drag car.

NHRAMAN

iTrader: (1)

The LS1 is the newer tech.....enough said.

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

If you have 8-9k to spend and just want a fast car you could honesty spend about 5k on an lt1 (you can get some real nice ones for that) and then have 3-4k to make it really fast. Because honestly it's going to cost a lot more than 2k to do an LE3 properly. You need the supporting mods too (headers, larger injectors, intake/tb, tuning, etc.) if you want to make good power. You can't just bolt on a h/c to an otherwise stock car and expect it to perform well.

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

He said he wanted a fast car though, not one with newer tech.

On a 8-9k budget you can go a lot faster with the lt1.

Dragframe

iTrader: (14)

i vote ls1... as i just got a lt1 and want everything a ls1 car has... so why start with a car you are going to put ls1 stuff on when you cold have had the lsx car in the first place (im talking about brakes and various stuff that is better on the LSx cars..)


and besides that... the stock bottom end will NOT like a LE3 package... lol...

burnzilla

iTrader: (3)

Cast Iron is stronger. In the Long run, the Torque potential of an LT block will east the lighter aluminum LS1.
With a rebuilt bottom end and forged parts on both motors, I believe the Iron will hold more boost that the aluminum.

If you put 10K into each motor, it would be DAMN close.

Im the opposite from you. The only thing I like about LS1's are the Ram Air birds, and of course, the motor.


Sadly, I bought my car as a DD, not as a dragger. A little more power was not enough to convince me.
A flat 13 second car is all I want. Everybody is different though.

Dragframe

iTrader: (14)

on top of the iron block holding more boost.. the LT1 has more studs for the heads than the ls1...

but we are talking 10k into one including car.... he could come out wiht a faster car.. but he still wont have the LS1 look (and wont have the better brakes and such)....plus once you really mod the lt1... i'll bet your milage really sucks by then... lol


go back into the street racing forum.. in that one thread im arguing FOR the LTx... but here.... 8 grand to spend... jsut start off with the ls1...

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

That's the thing though he said he had ONLY 8 grand and that would be it for a long time and that he wanted a fast car. In that case he could get more by going with an lt1 and having mod money left over.

If it was just 8 grand initially and then more for mods later then I would agree LS1 would be the way to go.

Lethal Z

My vote goes to the LT1. Your will be hard pressed to find an LS1 for 8 grand with decent miles. If your lucky enough to find an LS1 in decent shape that hasn't been dogged your looking at something that probably has about 130XXX plus miles. Much less than that and you won't get it for 8K. There are lots of LT1s out there, if you look hard enough you can find a nice one thats right in your price range.
Lots of people don't give the LT1 very much credit. Its a very nice motor for what your paying. Sure you can get a better LS1 but IMO the LT1 gives more bang for the buck.

intenseblue

iTrader: (1)

Regardless of bang-for-buck. I vote LS1. Get a 6speed and slap some 3.73s in it and run high 12s all day if you can hook. Extremely hard highway pull.

Formula69

i hate to say it but as die hard of an lt1 fan as i am i say go ls1.. the lsx platform is just a lot more user friendly in a lot of ways.. a lot of potential and you wont have to waste your money on stupid stuff to make it driveable

97M6Formula

iTrader: (6)

Brake conversion is 150 on ebay...You cant go wrong with either car but with guys out there doing heads like lloyd elliot and cmotorsports etc it takes the greatest advantage of the ls1 away which is heads. If you throw a cam in a ls1 and a cam in a lt1 of course the ls1 is going to be faster. Look at the cam only numbers but if we are talking dollar for dollar in the end they basically are just as fast as the other one.. Just because our blocks our cast iron doesnt make our bottom ends stronger. Have you guys seen the mains on a ls1. They have 6 points of connection on the main caps. Kind of like having a 4 bolt main and then another two bolts splayed. Dont think you cant boost a ls1 or spray it just as high. I voted lt1 becuase i love how cheap it is to mod but either decision you make will be the right one. Good luck man

IllusionalTA

iTrader: (9)

Go w/ a LS1.. Better long block to begin with.. more potential later on when your budget permits...

scrmnws6

iTrader: (7)

Please do not be misguided thinking that you are going to spend the 2k on the LE3 package. The LE3 package is meant for a stroker motor that can rev 6800+.

Even if you went with an LE2 package, figure in another 2k in supporting mods just to get the full benefits of the package on a stock bottom end. Dont expect to just get the LE2 head and cam and be in the 11's in the 1/4. Its going to take a lot more than just that.

I have sent out my heads/intake to Lloyd and will be getting them back mid June. Cant wait.

hammrman31

a nice clean lt1 would be my choice. mod from there.

'94firebirdv6

I understand that it takes more than just the LE package to get the most power. that's why i'm so picky when im looking for a car to buy....in a perfect world i could find a nice LT1 with all the supporting mods already done to it (LTs, full exhaust, intake, tb, etc., etc.) for around 6-7k and then just have to put on the LE package and be good to go, but i know it probably won't work out exactly like that.

aboatguy

Even if you find a car with headers and a brake upgrade, your going to need gaskets, good roller rockers, pushrods and a myriad of oh buy the ways. Double your initial estimate and you will safely be in the ball park of what it will cost for a good Head Cam package.

omaha stylee

please can we beat the dead horse just a little bit more????

My1st Truck

iTrader: (8)

Well I have both and both have their merrits. I went with an LS1 because even thought it is more exspensive to mod, I think the LS1 is a little less maintinance intensive.
That is just my experience, but you can't beat the low down grunt of an LT1