Sup fellas, I've been visiting the boards for a while. I used to have an 89 firebird but due to living in NY had to trade the sucka in for a truck. Now that I"m making some serious cash I"m looking to invest in the perfect camaro....

I'm looking for a third gen camaro with an LT1....

You guys know a lot, thus I want your opinion on what year should I stick with? Was there 'the best' year for the LT1 powered Camaro? (BTW I am indiferent on the transmission, a manual or auto is fine either way)

Any suggestions? I'm looking to spend around $4000 on purchasing one.

Thanks for the input!


Dan

 

lt1s werent built in 3rd gens, only 4ths......and correct me if im wrong but all 350s from 82-92 never came with stick shifts which means if you want the bigger cubes you have to opt for automatic

 

I believe that the first year the 350 was offered was in 1987. They were only available with an automatic transmission. The first year that you could get an LT1 in a camaro was 1993. This came with either a 6 speed manual, or a 4L60E auto transmission.

 

I would try and find a 91-92 Z28 with a 305 5 speed, leather, ttops,and everything for cheap and then search online for a used LT1 w/6 speed combo and swap it in.

 

Thx guys! Realy appreciate it.....but I did hear of people who supposedly bought stock F-body camaros with LT1s...and a stick....

Is a shift kit a a bad substitute for a stick? Do not have much experience with shift kits....I honestly would think that nothing beats a stick in performance.

 

Do you mean the LS1? I thought the LT1 was offered in 87 and up in the IROC-Zs?

 

Sticks are fun and better for the street, but auto is the only way to go in a consistent street/strip car. And no, there is absolutley no such thing as a thirdgen with an LT1. LT1's came out first on the vette in 92 then in the NEW Z28's in 93. Also I heard that the later LT1's are better like 96-97's.

 

True.

I ended up getting a 350 automatic Z28 and putting a t5 in it, and its really fun. The tranny will hold up even if you like to race around A Little. Too bad Chevy couldnt just find a good tranny to put in there in the first place.

$4000 doesnt seem like much money to me for 'the perfect camaro' but I guess that could also be a regional thing. I paid $7000 for my car, and another 1k on the trans swap.

 

Now how much better is the LS1 compared to say a 350 in a 92 Camaro? I'm just wondering if I should spend the extra money in getting an LT1 or should just keep the 350 that came with the car? What was it the L68 or whatever it was known as?

Also, anyone heard of the ZZ4 motor? I"ve seen some camaros with this thing under the hood, there is a 355 horse version and also a 385 horse version of this....what do you think? http://www.goautocenter.com/zz4_350.htm

 

Sorry man, I was a grouch last night.

 

For your info I'm just looking for opinions.

 

In F-Bodies...
1987-1992 350 = L98
1993-1997 350 = LT1
1998-2002 350 = LS1

The L98 only came with an automatic, the 700-r4. Its a nice auto, but nothing beats a manual. $4000 should get you a nice car.

JP

 

Not to be picky, but the LS1 engines are only a 346 not a 350.

 

Lets just say you would probably get destroyed by a 4th gen LS1

 

Actually that is being picky, but you are right. And IIRC the 350 is actually a 349.8 :lala:

 

Hmm, well I don't know if I can manage to get myself an LS1 engine, but perhaps an LT1....

How is the LT1 compared to the LS1? Is it true that the LT1 is just a predecessor of the LS1?

What do you guys think?

 

349.8 rounds off to 350 which is why it's called that, just as the LS1 is rounded to 346. icepack, just how many questions are you going to put in one post? the LS1 far exceed's the LT1. the best year for the LT1 was 97, but 96 isn't much different. they are correct, LT1's in third gen's didn't happen and neither did the L98 with m5. 93 camaro's didnt' come with a 4L60E, the weren't an E until 94.

 

since this is thirdgen.org and lt1.org and you're looking for a lt1 powered camaro this gets closed to keep with the theme of the board