Thinking about buying another car
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From: Kennedale TX
Thinking about buying another car I want to know the good and bad things about an LT1 car.(besides the optispark) I keep finding LT1 cars for cheap and was just curious if I should get one or not. I want everybodies opinion. 
Great site to ask this question on, ask in the LT1 forum and you may get a different answer. I dont think very many people are going to give you a postive opinion on them, most dont even own LT1s. LT1s are old, they have some typical old GM problems, that one day the LS1s will have too. Nothing major, might have to change an ignition switch at some point and other general wear and tear basic parts like any older car. Optis arent that bad as people make them out to be, you dont have to change them every oil change or any thing. 95+ has vented, aim for a 95+LT1, the Optis are cheaper, and you better choices in timing chains if you choose to put in a cam. Oil leaks, the intake seak likes to leak, some bad *** at GM put the egr back there so it cooks the awesome rtv seal over time, thus oil leaks. Other wise nothing really major, they like nitrous, bit of a pain to work on, esp compared to a 5.0 but people still seem to be able to mod them just fine. They respond well to mods, its an older motor but for what they are they respond well. Its not hard to put an LT1 in to the deep 12s with full bolt ons, esp at HRP. I like em, they sound cool, not really much to know about them though, typical old car problems here and there that you will get with an car that age. Other wise, good cars to get, not as bad as people like to make them out to be. I still really like driving mine. I see a lot of the older SS and WS6 cars on e-bay for not much. If I went back in time, I still would have got one. Like I said, the people that make LT1s out to eb the worst most unreliable cars on the planet prolly never owned one. The opti sucks, but like I said, not as bad as a lot of people make them out to be. LT1 motors also last a long time, plenty with 200K miles out there, esp cop cars and taxis.
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It'd prob. be better to save up for a 98 LS1. Less problems, most likely less miles, easier to work on/modify. Depends mostly on you body style prefrence though. Make sure to look at a lot of cars also.
To tell the truth the only down side of the LT1s are the optisparks. That seems to be the only real weak link from a few that I know that have them. From what I have seen on the F-body mailing list that seems to be the only real complaint too. Some say that they don't make the power that the LS1 makes but with a few mods you can get more power.
Changing the plugs out are a BITCH in the lt1's too, my optispark lasted till 90k miles in my 96, I had every bolt on with an Auto WS6 and got out ran by a 99 SS with K&N and HPP3 when I shifted into 2nd from a dig race, it was ugly
He just flew past me
thats why I bought a LS1 car to tell the truth, LS1's make more power per bolt-on and then make really good power with Cam and stock heads 
) But Lt1's can be powerful motors, it just may take a bit more. I out ran a S/C Z28 Lt1 from a highway punch when I was just LS1 w/bolt-ons!!! Maybe he had a powerdyne or a bad tune but I still out ran him
He just flew past me thats why I bought a LS1 car to tell the truth, LS1's make more power per bolt-on and then make really good power with Cam and stock heads ) But Lt1's can be powerful motors, it just may take a bit more. I out ran a S/C Z28 Lt1 from a highway punch when I was just LS1 w/bolt-ons!!! Maybe he had a powerdyne or a bad tune but I still out ran him Trending Topics
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Verdad Gallardo about the same from what i've seen.. the z28 i had.. pulled a cammed/spraying LT1. lol
i guess the good thing w/ LT1's is the iron block.. it can handle spray.. but you kinda have to spray to run w the bolt on+cammed LS1's :/
i guess the good thing w/ LT1's is the iron block.. it can handle spray.. but you kinda have to spray to run w the bolt on+cammed LS1's :/
Lt1's can be fast just like any onther car, it just takes time and money, Most people jump on the ls1 because they offer more power stock. I actually have owned my 94 for 5 years and to tell you the truth I hope to to keep it for a long while. You should go over to camaroz28.com alot more info about lt1's there.
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From: Kennedale TX
Originally Posted by JD Z28
Lt1's can be fast just like any onther car, it just takes time and money, Most people jump on the ls1 because they offer more power stock. I actually have owned my 94 for 5 years and to tell you the truth I hope to to keep it for a long while. You should go over to camaroz28.com alot more info about lt1's there.