I have almost sealed the deal on my friends totaled trans-am for $800. Every thing is in good shape except the the frame is bent in some places and the body panels are beat to hell. Otherwise everything under the hood except the radiator is good to go. Transmissions and rear end seems fine. Interior is great. So my plans are to swap this into my lt1 camaro and have lots of fun in the process. I am not sure what I am going to do with my lt1. I finally have a few engines laying around to work with xD. I might do a v8 swap into an s14 240 or something like that in the future. Anyway. Now that this car is practically mine should I try to resale the ls1 and all the little parts like wiring harness, air bags, non cracked dash, seats etc. and make some serious profit or should I go ahead and build the ls1(ls6 intake, 243 heads, tsp224r 114 emissions cam)? Both of the cars have 4l60e's. I have heard conflicting info about installing an ls1 4l60e into an lt1 chassis so I don't know if it is better to use some kind of adapter plate for the lt1 4l60e or just mounting the ls1 cross-member onto the lt1 chassis? My other option is that if I part out the trans am I use the money from those parts to build the lt1. 355ci sbc build. Bore 30 over, forged rods+pistons, arp rod bolts. cc503 emissions cam, mildly worked aluminum heads and mildly worked ported lt1 intake manifold with a 52mm throttle body.

I don't understand how one would go about boring the cylinder walls on an ls1? but I would hope that the ls1 bottom end would hold up since he had a full tune up/inspection before he totaled his car. So I think new spark plugs, new plug wires, fixed all minor oil leaks and installed brand new o2 sensors and catalytic converters.

 

swap in the ls1/4l60e and build that. parts are alot cheaper and they make power very easily. you have all the parts to do a super easy swap. if you have the knowhow do it you wont regret it.
jmo.
Kory

 

Another route you could look at going is selling the ls1 and buying an lq9 and boring that out. Or leave it as is, the general consensus that I've seen with the lq9 is either rute you take there is still much more room to go crazy performance wise with it and not have to worry about having to resleeve the block or junk it when you have to bore the cylinders.
The ls1 cylinder walls can be bored out but only by I believe it's .005, so it would go from a 3.90 to a 3.905, or spend the money on sleeving the block

 

harvest the brakes from the TA. They are better than the ones on your LT car.

 

I will definately take the brakes. Thought about that first, then I realized I have a complete 99 donor car and started thinking about swaping.

I would rather swap the ls1 over the lq9 because of weight difference. Reason being that I would like to autox every once in a while and I would sleep beter at night knowing that there is less weight in the front.

 

if it is still up for sale.. let me know.. I'm over in Concord, I could use anyther doner...!

 

wow that's an awesome deal. I just bought a 2000 z28 for my donor, but i paid $5000

 

Still going back and forth if I should sell or swap lol. I would almost rather sell the lt1. Ca smog laws are a real pita. I swear the state ref runs the block and head numbers. That means I wouldn't even pass with 243 heads. I also think I have to swap the gas tank so that the hvap works properly. I am currently trying to see if I need to swap the dash too, can't find any info on that. its all very frustrating lol, when I know I could just bolt up the k-member, get fuel and spark throw on and ls6 intake and 243 heads with a 228r cam and be over 400whp, but noooo, it has to pass a state refferee inspection... lol.