Looking a buying an LT1, advice please...
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Looking a buying an LT1, advice please... Hey all Ive been really hooked on the idea of getting an LT1 car latelym but what sort of mileage is normal? I want anything from 95-97, preferably a trans am or if I can find it a 96-97 SS. What sort of mileage is normal/average for these years? I see some that have nearly 200,000 miles and that seems a little high to me! Thanks fellas
While more than 80k miles is probably the average, actually it shouldn't be too hard to find a lower mileage LT1, especially in the north because a lot these cars aren't driven year round, you just have to be patient. Last year I limited my search to cars under 80k and found quite a few and bought one with 65k miles. Just expect to pay a little more for a low miles/unmolested car.
The problem is that it's not necessarily a good thing if a car has low miles, especially if it's because the car sat up for a while, which causes seals and gaskets to leak. Hopefully you'll find one with low miles and was taken care of.
The problem is that it's not necessarily a good thing if a car has low miles, especially if it's because the car sat up for a while, which causes seals and gaskets to leak. Hopefully you'll find one with low miles and was taken care of.
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I agree that the LT1 cars have a better look, so if you're content with the stock performance, it's all good. One thing you may want to consider is finding the cheapest car you can find with a good body and use the savings to have the engine rebuilt. I bet you can find a good LT1 for around $3k and you can have the engine rebuilt with a few performance parts for about $3500, bam, you've got a LT1 body with LS1 performance on the cheap. I wish I had done that.
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To each his own I guess. I think you are going backwards building up a LT1 imho. It's a good engine don't get me wrong, but it's a problematic pita to work on. Just do some research on this site and Z28.COM, and you will see all the miss/hesitation/stumble/rough idle threads there are. But if you really really like the way they look then go for it. I have owned my LT1 for a very long time, but I don't think that I will put anymore money into this car once I blow it up.
To each his own I guess. I think you are going backwards building up a LT1 imho. It's a good engine don't get me wrong, but it's a problematic pita to work on. Just do some research on this site and Z28.COM, and you will see all the miss/hesitation/stumble/rough idle threads there are. But if you really really like the way they look then go for it. I have owned my LT1 for a very long time, but I don't think that I will put anymore money into this car once I blow it up.
Trust me, I've had BIG problems with my LT1, but I expected problems and I still like the car a lot, I just wish I had paid less for it. Face it, compared to some cars, all Camaros are a PITA to work on no matter which engine you have; there are a lot better body styles to work with if you want an easy car to work on, but there is something about these cars that people love enough to overlook the problems.
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That's not true. All Camaro's are not hard to work on. My '68 is a cakewalk
Really only the 4th gens are a real pita to work on. Like I said, to eack his own. My personal opinion is that the LT1 engine is an engine with a lot of downsides to it. I would never recommend a LT1 unless you are in love with the way the car looks.
Really only the 4th gens are a real pita to work on. Like I said, to eack his own. My personal opinion is that the LT1 engine is an engine with a lot of downsides to it. I would never recommend a LT1 unless you are in love with the way the car looks. 
You're a cruel person. My three dream cars are 68-69 Camaros, 96 Impala SS, and my current LT1. I tried to get a 68-69 but even non running ones cost more than my LT1. And I agree that the LT1 has some issues, especially in regards to the dreaded opti, but even that isn't something that can't be dealt with.You obviously know 68 Camaros are just glorified Novas/Chevy II's?
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I bought mine, which may have seen some track time in it's life, from a doof in Iowa (previously an Illinois car) for $3800 and he was coming up the weekend I bought it, so he delivered it anyways. It had 93K on it when I bought it, 96K on it atm.
LT1s go and go and go till 200K, so when I found that out, I was happy that I got a sub 100K mile car.
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See I KNOW that the LT1 is an "inferior" motor. I already have an LS1, Love the thing to death! Plan on having this car for a while! My current little obsession with the LT1 is based on the fact that it IS an older motor, there is something that draws me the archaic. Its more of a classical small block than the LS motors, and yes the cars look sharp!
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My 95 Z28 has over 180,xxx miles on it and was daily driven until i took it off the road for a cam swap. Once I get it tuned it will go back to daily driving duties. The car always ran great and had very few problems. As long as you don't listen to people that blame every little thing on a bad opti then you'll be fine.
nothing lasts forever, especially opti's. mine's in the shop right now for an opti. replace it and move on. a good looking lt1 on the road being driven is becoming more and more rare. they're about like seeing a new z06 now. its getting hard to find them around here because we have a lots of idiots buying them up and putting 10" x 10" wheels, hot wheels stickers and cherry bombs on them and then finishing them up with an airbrush painting of the virgin mary on the hood if you know what i mean.