I'm somewhat at a delima....

Here's what I know I want...

Turbo setup w/ intercooler
T56 tranny

Further than that, I'm not sure.

My original idea was to build a 400 sbc, with an HSR and some fabb'd up turbo setup. Backed with a T56, I can just imagine what kind of setup that'd be.

On the other hand, I have seen quite a few more people doing the LS1 swap, which is making me think twice about an LS1.

What I'd probably do is find a wrecked 2000+ Camaro and take everything off of it. After using the motor and tranny and rear and anything else powertrain wise thats swappable, I'd swap the dash and anythnig else, so the car wouldn't go to waste.

Only problem is, I don't want a N/A car. I want boost. I know there are some kits out there for LS1 turbos and so forth, but has anyone actually used these kits? Will they work on a 3rdgen?

Any advise, opinions?

 

RamAirZ is currently installed an LS1 engine in his car and he is also fabbing up a T76 turbo kit to make it work. Nobody that i know has sucessfully installed a Turbo on a LS1, all while in a thirdgen.

 

RamairZ is using the ls1motorsports 4th gen kit, he says he's test fit the manifold in the car with the turbo on and it cleared, i really dont see how, but i guess its possible, Im sure it would clear after going to a r&p steering setup which has been done more than one way on our car, just probably not the best for something you want to go through twisties with, if its a street/strip car i'd say go that route.

 

Kinda like apples versus oranges...

Sure, a properly built 400, will either match or outperform an LS1.......

BUT - can it get 23 mpg, maybe pass smog and be a reliable daily driver at the same time like an LSI can? I think not

And the LS1 responds to mods better than most. And it's light.

That's coming from someone that just dropped a 400 in his car a few months ago.

Two totally different things IMO...

 

Good perspective - I hadn't really given the mpg or weight factors that much thought. I have a daily driver but it'd be nice to take the Camaro across the country if needed.

 

Why no LT1? A little in between. Not quite as powerful as LS1, but not too far off. Better mileage than 400. They make turbo kits for LT1 4th gens....I've been looking around to see if they fit on thirdgens...I'm not thinkin' so tho...

 

With vette accessories you'll have no problem using the BBS single turbo kit for our cars, and with a little creative work you can fit the twin kit he offers also.

 

Its really just the flash of the LS1, to be honest. Aside from the much better mpg, and lighter aluminum factors, its just a newer motor.

I was watching a car show on TV and they interviewed someone with an old hotrod that he'd just completed and the announcer said to the guy, "Why the LT1, why not the LS1?" The guy responded that since the project was 6 years in the making, he started with the LT1 and just used it. He said he wished the LS1 was out and readily available at the time but "oh well."

The LT1 had its share of problems. I mean, when's the last time you really heard anyone gripe about having an LS1?

 

There is a guy here in our local club that has 2 turbo LS1 cars. His first project was a twin set-up on the stock "as is" motor running 10psi. The only thing he added was a powerglide, Moser rear, and a cage. He has run a best of 9.4 at 136 in basically stock trim. He has since pulled the motor to put the proper bottom end in it. Stock LT1's don't seem to like any amount of boost over 5 psi. Forced induction LS1's are down right scary. Lets just say that same guy now has a basic 382 LS1 with 6.0 truck manifolds (not even headers!) with a single turbo......he now needs a shute if that tells you anything.

 

I went thru the same thoughts.
stroked LS1 to 427 or build a motown 427 either with a Procharger F1. It turns out that I will get the same hp or maybe more with the Motown,and the LS1 would be alot more money. Just the bore and sleeving is 2600 bucks. And then the crank and rods needed for the boost I wanted to run adds up even more. To build a Motown 427 shortblock is 2900. Now the LS1 can use 6.0 liter truck heads for a little cost savings. I have decided to just stroke my 350 to 383 with Procharger. While the LS1 would be less weight and has awesome Wow factor. It also looks cool with Katec valve covers. So I am gonna try a 383 for awhile and wait to see how the LS2 engines turn out. Hopefully my pockets get bigger and I can build a max effort LS2.
Has anyone read anything on the "Bluedevil Corvette" Its supposed to a 650hp twin turbo LS2.Thats seems like the average turbo Ls1 gets? In my talks in trying to decide on what to do,Procharger has a customer car listed in there catalog. Its a 65 vette with a 400,afr210, F1,miniram,running 11psi and builds 644rwhp. Wow thats my idea of a street car.That pretty muched convinced me to stay with the Gen1motors. If anyone has different thoughts please let me know.
<BR>before anyone says "why not a LT1"
There is to many problems with trying to get 650hp out of it. Also dont want to mess with the optispark. My buddy has one its been thru 4 optisparks.No thanks.

 

I decided on a LS1 for my swap. My other considerations were a 400 and something ci Pontiac motor (stroked BIG) with EFI, OD tranny, and a 12bolt, or a big stroker SBC with heads/cam/intake, a 6speed, 12bolt/9" and all the other goodies. I also thought about forced induction but not too seriously. What made my decision was the fact that a local kid wrecked his LS1 TA and I bought it, parted it out, kept what I needed for my swap, and basically had a LS1/tranny for free b/c I broke even on parting it out. Now, since I got it for nothing, I'm sticking all the money I made back on parting it out to mod it. I'll have a fuly modded LS1 with heads, cam, intake, exhaust, and just about every bolt-on on it for $4k or so. Maybe not that much. I'm adding a 9" rearend to it as well with a SPEC clutch in front of the 6speed. It should be very interesting.

*Basically, if you pockets are deep enough, go for the LS1. You can't beat the power they make and how easy it is to extract, plus the weight savings and the awesome MPG. With all the mods I'm doing, I'm still planning on knocking down 25mpg on the highway and push about 425hp to the wheels. How can you argue with that? And if you can get an entire wrecked LS1 car and part it out, you'll be waaaaaaaaaay ahead.

*As for the LT1, I don't see what is so great about them? Why waste your time on a LT1 swap, when you could just buy awesome aluminum heads for your original 350 TPI, bolt on a miniram and all other bolt-ons and perform just as well.

Just my $.02.... do what pleases you

 

For me, I found great deal on my LT1 and T56. It's loads better than my L03, and isn't too hard to do by myself (19 yr old with basic handtools).
Reverse cooling of LT1 lets you run more compression with pump gas too. I don't wanna start an LT1 vs everything, because you're right. LS1 is an amazing motor. If I had found a deal on an LS1, like I did my LT1, I'd do LS1 in a heartbeat.