1QwickLT1

iTrader: (1)

I am in the process (actually i haven't even started, but here is my starting point ) of building a 383 stroker. I found a good deal on a 9c1 Caprice (cop car) LT1. Is the the same as a fbody LT1, or should i just get a fbody LT1. I have heard rumors that they are different, but wasn't sure. THanks, David.

Vendetta

There are small differences. I believe Caprices have true duals. And the B-Body LT1 has iron heads instead of aluminum.

1QwickLT1

iTrader: (1)

Sweet, so which is better? Cast iron heads? or aluminum. i think i am going to find a LT1 Block, and a pair of LT1 heads, but as stated above, which are better? and go from there. My dad told me to look for alongblock, but there sooo expensive, especially to ship. so i am just gonna start from scratch. THanks, David.

94Formula/TA

which is better is hard to say, either one has its purpose. The iron heads were used in the more "workhorse" apps for durability reasons. The aluminum heads were for the f and y bodies for performance reasons, this is why f and y bodies had higher hp ratings.

Up to you, if your building a rod get the aluminum heads. If your want it to be like a cop car and last forever get the iron.

lt4malibu

iTrader: (39)

the cop car blocks have 4-bolt main caps too.

1QwickLT1

iTrader: (1)

oh ok i see, thanks for the help guys

MrYenko

The Impala and 9C1 LT1s had Iron heads with 64cc chambers instead of 58cc chambers, but had a thinner head gasket. And the cam is milder...Other than that, the basic motor is the same...And I dont think the Po-Po cars got 4 bolt mains. Im pretty sure that was a Y-body only thing.

Mrplow

You are correct, I have a 9C1 motor in my 3rd gen, and it only has 2 bolt.

lt4malibu

iTrader: (39)

i dunno, i have a 96 lt1 block at the shop from a cop car that has 4 bolt mains. i took it outta the car so i dunno...

Stiles

Hi All -

I have a shop here in Philly specializing in B-bodies, and I can tell you for certain that the only LT1 blocks with 4 bolt mains were Y-body blocks. Also, the iron Lt1 heads got 2 more years of development time and flow a tiny bit better than the aluminum F-body heads, but since the B/D body cam is so weak it's not noticeable.

I'm GM-ASEP '96 and worked on the B/F platform LT1 cars when they were new - I was a dealer tech at the tiime.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The b-body engines were 2 bolt, if you got one with a 4bolt maybe it was replaced under warranty stranger things have happened, the 2 bolt will hold a lot of power, like I know of stock bottom cars with over 500hp and 700ft. lbs. at the crank with heads/cam juice. The iron heads flow more than the aluminums up till 96 when the aluminums caught up to but did not exeed the irons flow. They got the same intakes and shortblocks the differences were simply the cam, heads, head gaskets. The b-body cam was weak 191/195, truely a truck cam, I swapped to a ZZ3 cam 208/221 and it still gets mistaken for stock at idle. The real things that limited the b-body to a rated 260hp were the very restrictive but yes true dual mufflers and a very resrictive intake tract in front of the TB.

bbodycaprice

the caprice lt1's have cast iron heads wich flow 15-20% better than the alum head but isnt cammed enough to make a diff. lt1's in camaro/ta/firebirds have 2 bolt mains as well as caprice/impalas but the corvettes have a 4 bolt main. but either way there both decent setups.

94FBIRD

iTrader: (5)

Doesn't the b-body cam have a 109 LSA to pump up the low and mid range torque?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The LSA is tight but because the lobes are so very small it does not result in the overlap we usually associate with tight LSAs. LSA should be a product of proper lobe placement, NOT a spec that was chosen from the start.
The lowend and midrange are strong, the factory rated it for a little more torque at a little lower rpm han the f-body but does so with grandpa quiet intake and exhaust and 87 octane tuning. When I bought my car it was easy to have to look for dash lights to know if it was running it was so quiet, that is no longer the case though .