This was cancelled long before I ever heard mention of it (just now). But after reading this whole thread I have to say....WOW!!! I can't believe anyone argued that this block wasn't a good idea FROM A CAR GUY OR ENGINE BUILDER standpoint. I do realize it wasn't a good BUSINESS DECISION and I'm not surprised it didn't make it to production.
But why wouldn't you want a block with thicker cylinder walls no matter how nasty or mild the build?
Alot of you will say that I'm speaking out of turn because I am about to be talking about big block chevrolets and not LT or LS engines, but.....
I have a NASTY (nearly 8k rpm) 13.5:1 cr, solid roller 278*/282* @ .050" - .714" lift cam, C&A aluminum rods, rect port heads, 1.625" triple valvespring (over 800# open pressure), single plane, 1050 cfm, big block that is small by BBC standards at 433" (.030" + 427). It dynoed just over 700HP (at the crank). It is reliable as far as race engines go...having been together about 8 years now.
I would MUCH RATHER have a 11.5:1, 540"-582", with steel rods and 255*/262* - .651" lift solid roller that would not make much more/if any HP.
Would I be building the larger engine to it's fullest potential? Heck no! Would it make lots more HP built like the 427? Definately? But, if I go bigger and milder....I can get the same results at the track, but have a much more streetable engine...as well as much less RPM to turn it to achieve that power. (AND RPM kills engines!!!)

I can see exactly why so many in this thread would have liked to have had a 427" LT1 that ONLY made the same power they could have with a ultra high rpm 355 or a 383/396 with very good top end parts. Assembled with the same care, it would have lasted much longer, plus been more streetable.

For my personal LT1, I want a near stock idle...so I'm looking at the XFI466 cam, and keep hearing how I should go bigger. Well maybe it won't make as much power as a larger cam, but it will idle better, and that matters to me FOR THIS PARTICULAR BUILD. I can't help but wonder how a stock mannered 427/434" LT1 that appeared to be a bolt-on only car would run. I bet it would be much like a 355" one with a small N2O kit on it.
Bottom line: Not everyone has the same goal for their build.

 

wow sort of odd they did that..it wouldnt of been that hard to mod a iron eagle block to a lt1 block really..but then again i can see why they wouldnt do it also seeing theres plenty of gen 1 sb blocks already out there.

I do know a 4" stroke crank fits in sbc gen 1 350 or 327 block.you will need to use a 5.85 rod with this combo an at .030 it will give you a 408ci engine..now can this be done to a lt1 block im not sure seeing ive never seen a pic of how the water jackets are in the block.

 

Yes, it can be done, but is not recommended for any amount of boost at all - strictly NA - and of course you will need a half fill.

 

thats odd seeing a boosted motor puts less stress on parts then a n2o motor..i know people with them in boost an n2o and they have no problems with either in gen 1 blocks.

an yeah i forgot to say about doing a short fill to them just incase.

 

"Boost" wasn't really the correct word, "Power Adder" would have been a better term .

 

I followed threads like this over on a different forum. it's a shame. i was ready to drop WHATEVER IT TOOK to get this block. I even emailed for a prototype block and would buy it at whatever the cost. I was and still am ready to stop my build and change all my bottom end components and Heads if a block was made by Dart. It's a real shame, this block would have given the LT platform life for a very very long time. It would have possibly lead to giant flowing heads from AFR and others.

Dart, I will never buy from you if I move to an LSX platform just because you failed me here. Like mentioned earlier rpm kills, and I am building an 8000 rpm no expense spared motor on a used Block. I would MUCH rather build a Bigger motor that went 7k or 7500 and be much more streetable.

ugh I get angry when Im reminded of the Dart LTX.

 

Yet they still make 5.0 blocks and even went as far as to make an aluminum one..

 

For real......and a stock 5.0 F@#D block weighs almost nothing to begin with. The first time I picked one up, I squatted down and grabbed it, expecting similar weight to a chevy block, and I nearly hurt myself because it was so light. I know they have a huge following, but I don't think the 5.0 is that great myself.....the cars themselves are good platforms, but the best use I've seen of the 302 was in the 90 town cars where they move a huge luxury car, yet my old family one still would knock down 29+ MPG. (Never could hit 30!) Why in the heck they could get that milege from a land yaht with a v8 and only manage 35 from a new Focus is beyond me. Best explanation I've seen is the pic of the Blue oval emblem captioned "AT LEAST THEY CIRCLED THE PROBLEM"

 

What is funny is they canceled the LTX block but made a 409 block and a early style hemi block as well because there is such a market for those engines!

 

I hate this thread. Make me every time I open it.

 

if you dont mind paying for one keep looking on ebay, last year i was tring to buy a 400 factory LT1 block that was made for a race team but the never got them. winning bid was a little over 10k if i remember right. My highest bid was somewhere @6k

 

The winning was under 4k I got out at 3300.

 

Must have been another cause i bid much higher

 

Or im thinking of another block LOL I know i bid $55-5600 on one. it has been a while so i guess i could be wrong

 

 

im not saying i am wrong just saying there is a chance

 

Reading this whole thread has been amusing to say the least. Some people's comments about how this would be useless just kill me.

I am sad to see that it isn't going to be manufactured. I think something of this nature would help bring life back to the LT1 market.

 

i bet 1 out of the 10 complaining would have actually spent the retarded amount of cash necessary to have one of these

i love the lt1, but for that price you would be stupid to not convert to ls
the stock block is pretty capable as is anyway

not saying ti would be useless, just a very small market

 

Retarded amount of cash???

They said a similar price to their current SBC blocks. That is EXTREMELY reasonable. Not much more then doing a stroker using a factory block after cleaning, machining, and prep work.

I would have got one for sure.

 

im a little pissed that thay didnt make the lt1 block....im jumping ship.....fbodyracer64 is getting my hole top end and is going to be pritty bad in the lt1 world