Both of those in my opinion are low mileage cars. Remember depending on what year lt1 you purchase that car can be registered as historic. I know it's going to sound crazy, but I bought my ls1 with 229k on the motor and trans, and still runs smooth and pulls hard through all gears. As I stated before parts, and finding shops too work on an ls1 car are more readily available. At the end of the day the decision will be yours, but I lean more towards an ls1. JMO

 

For 1k id say go ls

 

LS all day

 

I would drive both. Then I would look at both. Then I would decide which is better for me.

 

Get a LS1.

 

For 1k plus 20k+ mileage difference, but I'm just asking is 95k miles a lot in these motors?

 

What do you mean historic? The car's a 95 so it's got a solid 20 under its belt

 

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the special plates you can get for antique or "historic" cars. I've got one on my Healey, in NC the car has to be 35 years old to get an Antique auto plate (no inspection required at all ). It varies from state to state though.

 

I'm not much of a road racer with these cars, I primarily drag race. But from I've seen get ahold of Strano, he seems to be the go to guy for road course action. Guys running his suspension stuff are more than happy with the results.

For a 20K mile difference and $1000, go LS. To me the LT is overpriced. I paid $4000 for my 88,000 mile '93 5 or 6 years ago.

Start with the car, do the suspension work (and any other minor maintinence problems), then talk the car to a few autocross events and learn what the car does and how it moves. Then start small. Exhaust, intake etc.

As long as you have a 6 speed, you'll have a blast and learn real quick. Then move up to track days and what not.

Road racing is a blast, but you've gotta move into it slowly so you don't hurt yourself, or the car.

Good luck

 

Here in Minnesota they are collector plates and your vehicle has to be 20+ years old.
Not trying to start a war but if you ask me with the option of being able to get a ls1 in a f-body..... buying a lt1 would be foolish.
As far as 95,000 miles go, in the big picture it's not that many. This past fall I went to my track to make some passes and I ran 12.40@110mph, my car has 65,000mi on it. Mods are yank 3600, exhaust and 3.73's
Another guy was there that I was talking to all day has a 99 camaro with 225,000mi. exact same mods as me only he had a yank 4000, he was running 12.5x@110mph

 

Very helpful advice, thank you! And yup Strano springs are the way to go.

 

Wow good to know, I thought in general more miles = more wear and a slower car. Thank you! All helpful advice here, appreciate it... will go LS!

 

How well the car was cared for and maintained (or not) IMO is more important than mileage. I would look for the lowest mileage close to stock as possible LS1...if it's got a ton of mods you can assume it's been beat on and had a hard life Plus, you don't want to clean up someone else's basket case with potential issues.

 

I always go for bone stock anyways. But thanks of course I'll see if it's been beaten on.

 

I have owned a few lt1's and still do all you need to hit 350hp is headers cat delete 255 fuel pump and a good tune and 350hp is easy. Don't forget to get rid of that stock air box! I recommend a Ls lid conversion

 

I don't know about that one, 350 to the wheels with exhaust only on a lt1?

 

350 to the wheels? I meant 350 to the wheels not to the crank.

 

Yeah I think he meant 350 to the crank and not the wheels

 

I never said rear wheel horsepower, but know you opened that can of worms I have ported heads port matched intake with a custom ground crane cam with headers 255 fuel pump and I put down 410 rwhp and it costed me only $1000 and did it all the install myself.

 

Yes 350 to the crank