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Engine SwapEverything about swapping an engine into your Third Gen.....be it V6, V8, LTX/LSX, crate engine, etc. Pictures, questions, answers, and work logs.
So I found this used LT1 near my dad's. As you guys know I've been asking my dad to help me and he said if I bring the car to him then I can have some help. He said maybe I could go LS but.... his real knowledge of 40 years as a master tech is with gen1 Chevy's. He's built a lot of nice and fast cars only with Gen1 power..
So I found this down the block from pops. It's 700 bucks. And the plan would be to drive the 88 to Pittsburgh from Florida and do the swap.
If you guys approve this LT1 then I plan to do this...
700 for this engine500 for head porting/valve work 2.02 valves in stock LT1 head
300 for cam Most likely XE268 cam or similar dad chooses specs
500 intake and carb
100 hei distributor
250 msd 6al box
50 motor mounts
300 tci stall converter
I'm at only 2,700. Dollars I have that. Would this get me the 400 or so at the crank I so much desire? Money well spent?
Last edited by 88fastcamaro; Jan 13, 2020 at 01:14 PM.
I kinda like that one,but in 2020 an LT1 is a bit of a historical artifact and I think some of the interest and support in those has dropped off.Decent potential and cool sound if you want to deal with all the wiring and plumbing to get this in-285 stock HP IIRC. Why do you want 400HP so bad a real 400 HP in a 32year old car will take some special parts and effort-300HP will be easy ,reliable and cheap
I kinda like that one,but in 2020 an LT1 is a bit of a historical artifact and I think some of the interest and support in those has dropped off.Decent potential and cool sound if you want to deal with all the wiring and plumbing to get this in-285 stock HP IIRC. Why do you want 400HP so bad a real 400 HP in a 32year old car will take some special parts and effort-300HP will be easy ,reliable and cheap
alright 300 rear wheel horsepower then. What would be the best way? I also found alternatively a zz4 short block close to him too for 1500. I could add vortec heads for 900 and cam and still be around the same with a better block.
PS. I have zero intention of running any of that tpi setup if I get the LT1. So it'd get a carb. And probably an performer intake.
B-body LT1 is an iron head engine. You're at $1200 just in the used engine and porting the heads. LT1 is almost as bad as the LS1 swap for difficulty, you'd be throwing away almost as many good parts you already have, for less potential. That engine is basically a Vortec 350 with an Optipuke, odd intake bolt pattern, and odd waterpump.
B-body LT1 is an iron head engine. You're at $1200 just in the used engine and porting the heads. LT1 is almost as bad as the LS1 swap for difficulty, you'd be throwing away almost as many good parts you already have, for less potential. That engine is basically a Vortec 350 with an Optipuke, odd intake bolt pattern, and odd waterpump.
Holysmokes didn't know that!! Thanks for helping me out
Is $871 enough savings to take the seller at their word? Maybe the seller is being honest. Maybe the seller doesn't know any better. Maybe the seller heard a rattle and pulled the engine.
Is $871 enough savings to take the seller at their word? Maybe the seller is being honest. Maybe the seller doesn't know any better. Maybe the seller heard a rattle and pulled the engine.
Since you want to convert to carb,you could think about the 350 "vortec"that that came stock in many 1996-01 GM trucks and vans-watched a couple dorks blow one of those up on the dyno on youtube a while back(they drained the oil while it was running under load) Mounting a carb and no accessories,made ~298 HP,rising to about 302 as the oil pump started pumping air then blew A special intake manifold is needed to mount a carb,but that is readily avalible.
Looks like I'm passing on the lt1 route. It's going to cost too much to get near the power I want. Ls it is. I'd rather start at 300hp and go from there.
a real 400 HP in a 32year old car will take some special parts and effort-300HP will be easy ,reliable and cheap 
