Build up or Trade up
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 141
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From: Colorado
Build up or Trade up Ive been considering either building up mt LT1 or trading up to an LS1 for a while. The main reason I want to trade is because my car has 116xxx miles on it and I dont know how much longer it will last, especially if I build it up. Any thoughts?
Thoughts...after owning both...
A) Its never been a better time to buy an LS1..prices are skydiving...
B) This also means everyone will have one that wants one...
C) Its more rare to see a well done LT1 anymore than an LS1...
D) You have alot more life left in that LT1, but even if you didnt, a "Full Build" would fix that.
I'd pick more for what body you like, and just build whatever motor that would be....OR swap in an LS1 if thats really all you want a newer one for...LS Motors and Drivetrains can be had cheap if you know how to look.
A) Its never been a better time to buy an LS1..prices are skydiving...
B) This also means everyone will have one that wants one...
C) Its more rare to see a well done LT1 anymore than an LS1...
D) You have alot more life left in that LT1, but even if you didnt, a "Full Build" would fix that.
I'd pick more for what body you like, and just build whatever motor that would be....OR swap in an LS1 if thats really all you want a newer one for...LS Motors and Drivetrains can be had cheap if you know how to look.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Fond this on Craigslist.
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/car/744053642.html
Its got 475 Horsepower, 150000 miles on the body and on the transmission. He had it rebuilt at 100000, its got a Probe Industries pro street engine, bored out, steel crankshaft, forged pistons, race rings, 4340 rods. Ford Racing heads, Accufab intake manifold, 75mm throttle body, Procharger supercharger pushing 10lbs of boost, BBK short shifter, 410 gears, its lowered inch and a half, brand new brakes alternator and battery and he put a 9qt oil pan with a high flow oil pump, Ford Racing headers and SLP exhaust and its got a boost, fuel, and oil pressure gauges and I think that's about it. Right now its between that, an LS1, and rebuilding the LT1 and slapping on some Heads, Cam and a Supercharger.
http://cosprings.craigslist.org/car/744053642.html
Its got 475 Horsepower, 150000 miles on the body and on the transmission. He had it rebuilt at 100000, its got a Probe Industries pro street engine, bored out, steel crankshaft, forged pistons, race rings, 4340 rods. Ford Racing heads, Accufab intake manifold, 75mm throttle body, Procharger supercharger pushing 10lbs of boost, BBK short shifter, 410 gears, its lowered inch and a half, brand new brakes alternator and battery and he put a 9qt oil pan with a high flow oil pump, Ford Racing headers and SLP exhaust and its got a boost, fuel, and oil pressure gauges and I think that's about it. Right now its between that, an LS1, and rebuilding the LT1 and slapping on some Heads, Cam and a Supercharger.
I like LT1s better. I had a 97 formula ,00 formula and now im back to a 96 formula ws6. I like the looks, sound and low end of the LT1 much better. And if you build the Lt1 it can be just as fast as any LS1 unless your going all out. Plus you wont get much for your car so I say rebuild yours.
i just bought a 396 LT! and dont regret it, but i found a guy on a b body forum who found aLS motor..out of a truck...brand new with 10k miles, a magnuson charger, trans and wiring for 2600......
im saving again and lookin LS....while keeping the LT1
tha way i see it, they made the LS motors longer,...and still do. so aftermarket parts will only get cheaper and more common as they keep making them. i think
im saving again and lookin LS....while keeping the LT1
tha way i see it, they made the LS motors longer,...and still do. so aftermarket parts will only get cheaper and more common as they keep making them. i think
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If this thing isn't going to be a daily driver, I say build it. Built LT cars can be plenty quick enough if done right. Besides that, building a motor to toy with is always fun if you have got the money to do it. Very rewarding when its all said and done.
If its going to be a DD and you are worried about reliability and gas mileage, I'd say go LS. Faster out of the box. better mod for mod, and a better overall platform.
Just depends on what your goals/requirements are for the car. Its your car, do whatever is going to make you happy. I'm just saying those could be some things to consider.
If its going to be a DD and you are worried about reliability and gas mileage, I'd say go LS. Faster out of the box. better mod for mod, and a better overall platform.
Just depends on what your goals/requirements are for the car. Its your car, do whatever is going to make you happy. I'm just saying those could be some things to consider.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 141
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From: Colorado
Would I need to rebuild my engine to run a Heads and Cam Set up (LE2, LE3 ext.) and a Supercharger (Procharger P600B, Vortech V-1 ext.). If I needed to rebuild, how would the Summit kit with forged pistons work? http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku
That motor is just getting broken in. 
but i really wouldnt run a supercharger or heads and cam on a motor with that many miles. Some people do without any problems but i would personally rebuild it when the motor is pulled apart anyways.
but i really wouldnt run a supercharger or heads and cam on a motor with that many miles. Some people do without any problems but i would personally rebuild it when the motor is pulled apart anyways.
That's why I got a 2-car Garage as my domain for creation..
To the OP.. I had built a bad-*** little LT1 before I did my swap. You can do both, but some people here are right..the LSX market is getting pretty cheap, and these Engines make some wicked power.
What got me into it was I had got the hardest part done..I built a plug-n-play Harness for that LSX Engine to go into my Car. I got ahold of a 1999 LS1 Harness for cheap locally, and pretty much was toying with it when I had the time and actually got it to work. When I finished that I sold the LT1 shortly after, and had the car down for 4 months before I got my Stroker in it. It does help when you have a second vehicle..this is something not to attempt unless you manage to gather parts, get it all together, and drop it in on a weekend.
These Engines respond very well to bolt-ons..my original plan was to drop in a LS1..but I liked the Iron Block better..and I got my parts real cheap..so together it went.
The whole harness/PCM thing made me go for building my LT1. I found a lightly used fully forged shortblock in the Parts For Sale section. I have all the parts I need to do as merv suggested (build it up first), and hope to take only a weekend to slip the old engine out and the new one in. Since my car is already turbo'd, it should put out some decent power. Especially after the intercooler finds its way onto the car and the boost goes up. 
Just the path I chose.
Just the path I chose.
Would I need to rebuild my engine to run a Heads and Cam Set up (LE2, LE3 ext.) and a Supercharger (Procharger P600B, Vortech V-1 ext.). If I needed to rebuild, how would the Summit kit with forged pistons work? http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku
It wasn't the size of the Kitchen.. my single *** at the time had nothing else in there..now my girl would kick my ***..
That's why I got a 2-car Garage as my domain for creation..
To the OP.. I had built a bad-*** little LT1 before I did my swap. You can do both, but some people here are right..the LSX market is getting pretty cheap, and these Engines make some wicked power.
What got me into it was I had got the hardest part done..I built a plug-n-play Harness for that LSX Engine to go into my Car. I got ahold of a 1999 LS1 Harness for cheap locally, and pretty much was toying with it when I had the time and actually got it to work. When I finished that I sold the LT1 shortly after, and had the car down for 4 months before I got my Stroker in it. It does help when you have a second vehicle..this is something not to attempt unless you manage to gather parts, get it all together, and drop it in on a weekend.
These Engines respond very well to bolt-ons..my original plan was to drop in a LS1..but I liked the Iron Block better..and I got my parts real cheap..so together it went.
That's why I got a 2-car Garage as my domain for creation..
To the OP.. I had built a bad-*** little LT1 before I did my swap. You can do both, but some people here are right..the LSX market is getting pretty cheap, and these Engines make some wicked power.
What got me into it was I had got the hardest part done..I built a plug-n-play Harness for that LSX Engine to go into my Car. I got ahold of a 1999 LS1 Harness for cheap locally, and pretty much was toying with it when I had the time and actually got it to work. When I finished that I sold the LT1 shortly after, and had the car down for 4 months before I got my Stroker in it. It does help when you have a second vehicle..this is something not to attempt unless you manage to gather parts, get it all together, and drop it in on a weekend.
These Engines respond very well to bolt-ons..my original plan was to drop in a LS1..but I liked the Iron Block better..and I got my parts real cheap..so together it went.
i thought you said the LS harness would be a drop in thing for the engine and trans.
All the wiring is there, you just have to go through it and find it. Then you take out the junk as well, and make it just the bare necesseties..