1994_383_Z28

iTrader: (1)

I have an LT1 Z28, and I love it. But LT1s just don't look as good as LS engines, and we don't have air lids, or intakes to custom paint. So what can I do to add a little curb-appeal? Post pics of your engine.

grunt1152

I havent done anything appealing to mine however theyre quite a few things.

Wire Tuck- theres a write up here somewhere
A good cleaning
Different valve covers if you dont mind cutting them or relocating the alt
Painting/Polishing intake
Theres numerous billet pieces, check ws6store

Those are just a few off the top of my head, Im sure more will chime in.

1994_383_Z28

iTrader: (1)

My engine bay is definitely dirty, I'm planning to have it detailed this weekend.

I've never thought of a wire tuck.
I can't even imagine what different valve covers would look like, but this appeals to me a lot.

Polishing intake sounds like a must, but I'm not sure how to go about this.

I appreciate your help.

IronOutlaw

iTrader: (4)

If you are paying someone to detail your engine bay, be sure they dont use a pressure washer...your opti may not like it too much.

1994_383_Z28

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the tip. I am unsure if I should take it to a detailer, or just buy some engine degreaser. What do you think?

gregrob

iTrader: (8)

Install LS1

1994_383_Z28

iTrader: (1)

I used to think about an ls1 swap, but at this point it seems like a waste of time. If I was going to go through the trouble of an engine swap, I would just spend a little more money and buy an ls3. But for now I will continue to enjoy my lt1.

jalper

iTrader: (9)

I have a the bracket to mount a tc pump with crank trigger, this is my lt1

jalper

iTrader: (9)

I have all the Power steering brackets if someone is interested.

grunt1152

Problem solved

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

EGR/AIR delete if you can get away with it in your state. Also check out speed inc's fuel line relocation kit found at the top of the page here:

http://www.speedinc.com/catagory.cfm...%20/%20Cooling

That replaces the ugly 3 line factory setup. Makes it run directly from the firewall to the back of the intake manifold.

joelster

I think LS1's look ugly as hell with the coil packs on the valve covers. Once you replace the ugly black valve covers on our cars with something shiny, and then remove a few bulky things the underhood area cleans up really nicely. ACHotrod has a sweet looking engine bay.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

There's a HUGE thread on here somewhere full of pics of LT1 engine bays - all the eye candy you can imagine.

lttransam

iTrader: (12)

yeah as mentioned above there is a thread that shows some awesome engine bays i think the lt1s look 100 percent better then the ls1s.. i hate the plastic intake.. as for the intake you can get it powdercoated as well as anything else.. this is my engine bay last year.. its 100 percent different now(everything is powdercoated a super matalic silver) but it looked decent with just the wire mod ect last year. and stock valve covers painted gloss black.

Catmaigne

iTrader: (6)

I've never seen strut towers/wells shine like that. Nice

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

Haha! Thanks Joelster wish I could have made it to the car show!
OP Ill get a pic up for you later.

LT1FirebirdSLP

iTrader: (2)

You can definitely paint the intake, and it comes out pretty swell if you do a good job masking and take your time. Here is mine.... (Mask off the EGR ports, TB mating surface, intake runner mating surfaces and runners at the top.)


As you can also see, someone before me had the idea to paint the engine bay gloss black, which I think is awesome. Here is an idea of how the process should look to do that. Again, mask everything off very well.


You can also paint all of your suspension parts. It is an incredible amount of work to do so I suggest this only if you are doing a full rebuild or motor swap, as is my case.


Mallory Billet Aluminum made some awesome dress-up material for the LT1's when they were still in business. Some of their stuff can still be found to this day but generally goes at a premium. You can find people selling it in the classifieds but also Thunder Racing seems to still have a few odds-and-ends in stock. Check that out here.

Aside from that, spending a decent amount of time in the engine bay putting new wire covers on your harness and some good old fashioned cleaning can take you a long way.

Here is a few pics of everything assembled just prior to being put back in the vehicle.



Credit to CamdLS1'00SS from this forum for the excellent painting here and on most of the suspension parts. And to his brother on the engine bay.

Best of luck on getting that engine bay looking sharp.

mpcv2000

iTrader: (1)

LT4 valve cover are sharp.


























Never mind the Corvette fuel rail cover but a clean engine bay with nothing fancy and flashy looks most of the time pretty good.

Camaroking1996

That is one clean engine bay

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

Very clean engine...is that an impala? just never seen an Lt1 that far out from the firewall ) you can literally see the FPR! And the way the hood opens id assume its not a vette. *then again the headlights look like 93-97 trans am/firebird pop ups. wtf!?!*

Suprised noone has posted a pic of an engine bay with a lid conversion and fuel rail covers!