well I had to go to Co. for a while and take care of some personal business. Im now back home and getting my funds built back up. One of my first post I was trying to decide on wich engine to use. I have a 400 sm 4 bolt main and a 350 four bolt main. I picked up a a 89 350 2 bolt main block and then decided when I got back here I would start building the 89 350 into a carbed 383 but have it macined to use 4 bolt splayed caps.

I am going to be doing a six speed swap also. Then today I was out doing a little work on the 9in rear that Im putting in it and decided to look on ebay for some trim pieces that I need. I came across a guy that is selling complete lt1 engines with transmissions for 2500.00 They include engine all acces. wiring harness, ecm, pedal assy, slave cyl, well basically everything you need to do a swap. He is also selling ls1 engine and trans sets just like above but they are running 5 to 6 grand.

Now I had pretty much planed on spending about 4 or 5 grand on the engine I am about ready to start building and have a lot of the parts already bought and sitting in my shop.

I like the idea of running fuel injection and if this car had a tpi unit I would just build the engine and put a mini ram on it but it is just a 305 tbi. Im not stuck with the parts I have bought so far. My buddy who is building a 67 camaro offered to buy everything I bought for the carbed engine including block if I decide to go with a lt1.

So thats where Im stuck. I cant make up my mind the lt1 price seems great since I get the trans and everything also. But I know that I wont be happy with the stock power of the lt1 at least not for long. So I know that within probably a year I would be ready to pull it down and start a build on it.

I could just go with the 89 block and pick up a tpi wiring harness, computer, and run a mini ram instead of going carb on it.

Oh yeah after I finsh the car probably in about a year it will become a daily driver while I start working on my jeep.


What do you guys think? Just need a little unbiased input.

 

You would be really surprised on the stock power of an LT1, with the 6-speed and 3.70 gears I would opt to say mine is 0-60 in 5sec and the torque is out of this world. Spinning through 1st and 2nd and missing 3rd I ran 9.30 in the 1/8th at 83mph (speed from spinning as much as I did) a buddy of mine who has owned God knows how many LT1 cars thinks that it would be a mid 8 sec 1/8th mile car bone stock if I could get it to hook.

 

Don't people 383 those LT1s as well? I am sure that I have read that somewhere...

That LT1/T56 price is what many around here paid just for the T56 swap setup. I say go for that regardless of what engine you use. Plenty of people would be happy to take that LT1 stuff off of your hands and you'd have your complete T56 swap to boot.

 

yeah you can stroke a lt1 no problem. But if I spend 3200.00 that includes shipping then I figure I might as well use the lt1 . Just dont know if Ill have the xtra funds to build the lt1 right away. If I buy a lt1 engine tranny combo Im going to use the lt1.

klortho... I havent driven a lt1 car before so I dont have any personal experiance with a stock lt1.

 

LT1 is cheaper and easier to convert to (arguments whether its significantly easier aside). You can easily build a fresh LT1 with the same power as a used LS1 for less money. The six speed is the way to go no matter what.

The LT1's table top flat torque curve make a blast to drive daily. If you had the money for the used LS1 but no more, my opinion is get the LT1/T56 trans combo and put the rest in some nice heads and cam.

 

no question of can I do the swap. I have everything as far as tools that I need. The only part that will take a little time for me to figure out is the wireing.

I know if I get the lt1 combo I can go ahead and do a cam and get some head work done.

Thaks for the input so far guys.