Im thinking of doing a LT1 swap (i got to do some kind of swa soon anyhow) and i want advice on what to look for in a donar car.

I see a caprice classic with a lt1 for sale for 350bucks..sopposetly runs. Are the caprice lt1 any different from a fbody Lt1??

Is there different variations of the LT1?? whats the best to look for??

Is there anything else i should watch out for or buy.....Im looking at leaving my iroc stand. tranny and i have to covert my car to fuel injection as im running a carbed car now. Is there ganna be alot of extra work there or could i cheaply carb a LT1 and get the same results?does it work like that??
Anyhow thanks if you can help

 

I do know that the caprices had iron heads. i see alot of taxis in the junkyard with high miles. but those ones in caprices are iron lt1 heads. Other than that

 

The F-body and B-body (iron headed Caprices, Buicks and Caddies) LT1's are the same dimensionally enginewise. The IRON headed engines are usually waaay cheaper and have ports that will outflow aluminum heads in stock configuration.

They do have pretty different accessories. I fit an LT1 into my car with no real problem using accessories from a Buick. I did install an f-body water pump to get the heater hoses to fit right, and had to fab a simple plate bracket to get a tensioner from a vette(welded to not move) to act as an idler puller for the serp. belt. The PS pump hooks right up to your steering box with the Buick high pressure hose, I custom bent some 3/8" stainless tube for the low pressure return line to a vette PS fluid reservoir. My stock AC will fit back on the drivers side in the future.

I'd go for the IRON head. If you upgrade the cam in the future, you will have to put screw in studs in. Note also that the stock spring pockets are smaller in diameter than those on alum heads, but you can get aftermarket spring that will work nicely.

I'd stay away from the carb, what's the point of changing to an LT1?? Just upgrade the heads on a 350 and drop it in for the same power. Gm does sell a carbed intake that will fit. It was dynoed in an old Hotrod issue.

 

Be sure what you're looking at is actually an LT1...check the numbers, most LT1s I have seen have "327" cast into the side. Some Caprices had a 265 cubic inch version of the LT1 that is virtually worthless, but looks like the regular 5.7 version.