First off, I would like to say this is a great site full of extremely knowledgeable people, and thank you in advance for any advice you guys give me.

I will try and keep this as short as possible, so please bare with me. I have the opportunity to buy a LS1 off a good friend of mine for $2000. It was described to me as follows: "All aluminum corvette engine, have the coil and knock sensor sub harnesses, injectors, billet fuel rails, ported throttle body, comp valve springs and chromoly push rods, Corvette oil pan, water pump and exhaust manifolds. It has 1200 miles on it."

This was the text I received from him today, but before we get to whether or not that is a good deal, lets get to a larger underlying issue.....I don't have much experience when it comes to working on engines or cars for that matter. I am an electrician by trade and take pride in the fact that I am good with my hands, and do my homework when it comes to things I am not familiar with. I know about cars and can tell you about the internals of engines and so on, but when it comes to actual hands on experience, I don't have much at all.

Being the way I am, the first thing I would want to do to the car would be new heads, cam, and pistons/rods (not sure yet if I'd go lower comp for FI, or higher comp for all motor). I'm sure the motor would be fine the way it is, but I am just the type of person that wants to make things my own.

I am not nieve enough to think this is going to be easy, and I would like to hear all the negatives before I jump in this expensive and time consuming hobby. Am I starting with to big of a project? Should I just get an old 5.0 fox body and learn the ropes on it?

My goals for this car would be 450rwhp in a 1999-2002 Camaro Z28/SS with 6-speed tranny. I would also like to upgrade the suspension for drivability. This would just be a weekend car, with the occasional trip to the track.

 

Welcome Travis. I'd have to say that a 1200 mile ls1 is well worth $2k. If your looking for an engine, I'd ****** it up, especially since it's coming from a "good friend". Most people on here buy engines from a yard, or over the net.
Now if your simply looking for core to build, or to "make it your own" and you know your going to ditch the top end, and half of the rotating assembly, then I'd pass on this one. You can get pretty much anything your looking for, here in the classifieds, with a great price tag, most of the time.
I'm an electrician by trade also, but only because I have bills to pay. I'm much happier building cars, but these days, it doesn't pay too well, unless your in a big, well known shop. Don't be afraid to jump in. We all did once upon a time.
Keep asking all the questions you like. You came to the right place.