Hello all

I have been on the hunt locally for a LT1 block. After not finding much of anything, I ran into a guy that said he had a 350 LT1 that came out of a 96 Caprice. The price was ok and he said he would drop by my place deliver the engine.

When he showed up, he has a very clean looking LT1 long block with the intake still on. So like anyone ducked down a bit to see the cast number. IT WAS "588" I asked him again if this was really an Lt1 or has someone put a LT1 intake on a different block? He said no way it was a LT1. I asked if he could hold on a bit, so I could check the numbers on line.

Well he was not joking it was an LT1 but it’s a 265 C.I.D. 4.3 L LT1 out of a 95 or 96 Buick. I'm doing a 396 stroker so this block was a not going to work for me. After that the very bummed guy said he was sorry and wanted to punch the guy he bought it from.

After a bit, I started thinking a bit more about this engine. I have heard that the smaller the engine the better a turbo works? Does anyone know if someone has built a forged 265 LT1 turbo engine? If so I bet they spool fast!!!!!!!

anyone know more on this engine???

Would this be a good turbo engine after some good parts?


Thanks
Ross

 

i think the 4.3L is a V6, its the same exact bore and stroke as a 350 but with 2 less cylinders. someone correct me if i'm wrong.

 

Its all about efficiency when sizing a turbo to a motor. I would go with the bigger cubes and size a turbo to it so lag is not an issue.

 

Its not a V-6. The caprice LT1 was a 265 ci V8 with cast iron heads. The SS caprice had the 350 LT1 however.

 

plumer is right, the 265ci lt1 is known as the "baby lt1" still reverse cooled, but missing a few cubes. same bore and stroke as the OLD corvette 4.3 motors from the 50s

 

4.3L V8 -> L99
5.7L V8 -> LT1

Aside from casting numbers, etc., identical on the outside.

Cheers -- Gary

 

yea like gary said, its the L99 motor, wasnt it in alot of the big rear drive Caddys, Olds, and Buick

 

Cool! Thanks guys! I had never seen anyone even talk about this engine or knew about it! I know it a 3inch stroke. Just wonder if I should have picked it up!

Thanks
Ross

 

This was the base engine in the Caprice sedan ONLY and the LT1 was optional. The Buicks and Caddys as well as the wagons all got the LT1 standard.

Shares a lot of actual parts with the LT1, my beast was wearing the oilpan for awhile, still wears the valvecovers, starter, intake. The oil pump drive resides in a friend's 383 LT1, the rotating assembly was mated with LT1 pistons and dropped in a LT1 block to make a 302, the rods are longer which offsets the shorter stroke and it went together without machining. Was not much of a success though so I am not recommending anyone do it just making a point of how similar these motors are.

 

The L99 still has an opti, correct? If so, Iwas thinking of picking one up and messing around with it just to get the hang of replacing it before I have to.
There was/is a 4.3 V6 and yea, just a 350 with two cylinders chopped off.

 

The 4.3 V-6 came in S-10's, 1500 silverados, and a few others

 

Lots of others actually, they started making it in the '70s... our '80 Malibu had one. The baddest one of course in the Sy/Tys God I'd like to have one of those!

 

there was a 4.3 l V8 back in 1979 or 1980 something dont think it was called a lt1 tho

 

I had an '82 Delta 88 with a 4.3L Olds V8,2 barrel carb and all. At the time I thought it was fast. That is OK though if I had had this car at 18 I would not be here today.

 

smaller cam,iron heads etc less power

 

I say build it, bore it out a little more, put a forged bottom end and make a rev beast, spin that thing to 7K easy with the short stroke and have a fun car.

 

How different is the block casting?

 

and again as already discussed in a similiar thread, COMPLETELY worthless idea, unless you go to aftermarket fuel management, or I guess use a 93 ECU. OUR PCMs wont go past 7200rpm, and where's the fun in that, if you're going to build a "302"

 

Hmm thats interesting, I always that that they ran the L99 in all of those

 

Nope only the standard caprice got the l99. LT1 was optioned on caprices. It's rumored you could get a 4.3L l99 in a caprice wagon, but I dont think i've ever seen one.

I find a lot of people at the track ask me how long it took me to swap that motor (LT1) in my car