What year LT1 is the best?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
What year LT1 is the best? I have a good line on getting 1997 trans am for cheap. I plan on taking the LT1 and six speed and planting that into my 67 camaro. As far as modding goes are there any LT1 model years that are better to get or all they all the same? Also, I plan on turning it into a 383 with all forged internals to either run a supercharger or nitrous. What basic things do I need to look at before starting my build up that are specific to LT1's? Thanks.
I would say get a 1997 b/c it is the last year they made it and b/c they should have "most of the flaws" fixed by then fromt he pervious years. It also has the most flywheel horsepower of any year of the LT1 and the most flywheel torque of any year. The six speeds will be higher on those two things, also the ss air setup and the ram air setup are a little more as well. Then you get the LT4 ss's and those are evern more hope this helps ya.
Later,
Devin
Later,
Devin
94!
we have both MAF and SD, and hardened pushrods, pink rods which are a hair stronger than Powdered metal, we have the heads which are sort of the best for porting(more material), easier to align opti, OBDI is both ways good and bad.
me and blk97z28 are biased on years lol.
we have both MAF and SD, and hardened pushrods, pink rods which are a hair stronger than Powdered metal, we have the heads which are sort of the best for porting(more material), easier to align opti, OBDI is both ways good and bad.
me and blk97z28 are biased on years lol.
Trending Topics
I would say get a 1997 b/c it is the last year they made it and b/c they should have "most of the flaws" fixed by then fromt he pervious years. It also has the most flywheel horsepower of any year of the LT1 and the most flywheel torque of any year. The six speeds will be higher on those two things, also the ss air setup and the ram air setup are a little more as well. Then you get the LT4 ss's and those are evern more hope this helps ya.
Later,
Devin
Later,
Devin
also all the answers here will be biased like Revelation Z28
said. Some people like the 97's because of the newer interior which isn't a big deal to me, but to some people it is
Some people dont like the 94's because it doesn't have a vented opti (i solved that problem by getting a dynaspark)
lets face it everyone that posts in this thread is going to be biased towards their car
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0
Brett Foote
1995 for 3 simple reasons, tune ability, OBD-1 and it has the vented opti factor. No other years offer all three. 1993s are cool, I own one, but man the amount of crap thats different, some times can make it a major pain in the ***.
First, I am not biased. It is not my fault that the 97s are the best. 
But seriously, for what you are doing I would go with a 95, for the reasons stated above. Get a copy of TunerCat (relatively cheap) and go to town tuning it. OBDI is a PITA AFA finding fault codes (most scanners are OBDII) but the price and availability of TunerCat, and the ease of tuning OBDI cars, more than make up for it.
But seriously, for what you are doing I would go with a 95, for the reasons stated above. Get a copy of TunerCat (relatively cheap) and go to town tuning it. OBDI is a PITA AFA finding fault codes (most scanners are OBDII) but the price and availability of TunerCat, and the ease of tuning OBDI cars, more than make up for it.
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,564
Likes: 4
From: Decatur, TN (N-W of Athens)
While I love my 93, and it is quick (I chipped mine though), I wish I had some of the newer things. I don't like MAF personally, why dunno, just another sensor to go out. I wish I had tuneable transmission and such, but oh well. So 94 or 95 gets my vote. I think 94 has better (more material) heads than 95 though, but the trade off is the vented opti.
TECH Regular
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
From: Lake Jackson TX, south of Houston
above, looking at it from the swap point of view, but if the 97 ta is cheap get it. the motors are all about the same just 93 was speed density only and had a prom type ecm, 94/95 obd1 w maf, 95 vented opti, 96/97 obd2 crank position sensor and a few other sensors
Of the motors by themselves, it really makes little difference (other then 93's) You can always use any 95, 96, or 97 motor with the vented opti and just use a 95 computer. Or convert the others to the vented opti's and OBD1 computer. 94's had hardened pushrods, but whats another $100 or so with the project you're talking about. You're good to go with the 97...hell my car made great power
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
TECH Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
From: Cypress, TX
I have a good line on getting 1997 trans am for cheap. I plan on taking the LT1 and six speed and planting that into my 67 camaro. As far as modding goes are there any LT1 model years that are better to get or all they all the same? Also, I plan on turning it into a 383 with all forged internals to either run a supercharger or nitrous. What basic things do I need to look at before starting my build up that are specific to LT1's? Thanks.