Question about LT1 crate motors
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Question about LT1 crate motors I'm thinking about putting a new LT1 or maybe a LS1 in my firebird, I don't know what to get. I want to run mid to low 12's on the motor at the track. I don't want an all out drag car, I want a street and track car. The car is not driven everyday, just weekends. I'd like in the neighborhood of 400 hp at the wheels and maybe a little more later on. I have been thinking about a 383 LT1, I'd like to get a crate motor with everything in it, I'm not sure what is cheaper? Pull my LT1 out and have it machined, and all the work done, or just get a crate engine?
Gonna need a built tranny as well, any suggestions would be great.
Thanks
Greenfire
Gonna need a built tranny as well, any suggestions would be great.
Thanks
Greenfire
I had the same dilema at one point , decided to have my buddys shop redo my motor and went 396, I've heard there are some decent crate motors out there but none that met my every need (ie ring gap) so I had a custom set up done!
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I got an offer on a 98 LS1, could buy it off a friend, and do some serious damage with some mods on it. It has 130,000 on it as it sits, oviously would do a complete rebuild. Dunno we'll see what the price is.
Greenfire
Greenfire
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From: Halfway back on the Highway to Hell...again!
You could just spray your LT1 with all the boltons and you'll run 12's and it'll be a daily driver or look into STS turbo setup. I wish I had $4k. I think they make one for the LT1, not sure though.
Originally Posted by SAPPER
You could just spray your LT1 with all the boltons and you'll run 12's and it'll be a daily driver or look into STS turbo setup. I wish I had $4k. I think they make one for the LT1, not sure though.
They do. They had a feature in Chevy High Performance this month on their rear mounted STS turbo kit on an LT1 and an LS1 F-body.
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If you're only looking for 400HP, that can be achieved with a good H/C package. Quite a few folks with moderately worked heads and GM847 / GTP-6 range cams that are putting just over 400 to the ground.
Or do it the easy way and spray her.
Or do it the easy way and spray her.
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Originally Posted by Greenfire
Yeah spraying a LT1 with 145,000 plus miles on it, I can hear BOOOOM in the back ground. I'd rather re-do the whole engine, and re-fresh it.
Greenfire
Greenfire
Originally Posted by Greenfire
Yeah spraying a LT1 with 145,000 plus miles on it, I can hear BOOOOM in the back ground. I'd rather re-do the whole engine, and re-fresh it.
Greenfire
Greenfire
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I do give credit to the LT1 they are a hard motor to kill, and I have taken good care of mine. She just leaks a little oil but nothing big. Could spray her, but 100 shot would be as high as I would go. I'm thinkin about gettin a converter from Yank, a 3000. Till I get enough money for the motor, thanks for your suggestions.
Greenfire
Greenfire
A GOOD converter is a great mod, I have a 2800 Edge in my Caprice and love it. Yank and Vigilante are the other two companies that would make my short list of who I would buy a TC from.
On the motor side of things Golen is getting a lot of praise on the Impala board as of late including from one guy who with heads and cam was spraying 175-200 on his stock shortblock 350 till some detonation loosened the bearings but did not fly apart or anything. I do not know howmuch he has thrown at the Golen stroker but I do know it is fully ported LT4s and a big cam then spray.
On the motor side of things Golen is getting a lot of praise on the Impala board as of late including from one guy who with heads and cam was spraying 175-200 on his stock shortblock 350 till some detonation loosened the bearings but did not fly apart or anything. I do not know howmuch he has thrown at the Golen stroker but I do know it is fully ported LT4s and a big cam then spray.
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A kid I talked to a while back had an LT1 with 200k miles on it, and had sprayed a 150-shot at the track numerous times. He was actually trying to kill the motor because he had a 410ci LT1 ready to go in. Last I heard the original LT1 was still kickin, but I haven;'t talked to the guy in a while.
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If you're on a budget just have your stock crank turned and buy some forged rods and pistons. Unless you're looking for over 600 or so HP your stock crank will be fine, it's just the hyper pistons and stock rods you have to watch out for.
