96 LT1 Camaro

[Beanmachine7000]

If you were here, you'd see the "dream bubble" over my head right now. lol

I had that dream bubble for the past 5 years... Buying that car at 18 wasn't the best decision though lol...

its the only vehicle that the book quotes out 10+ hours shp rate for plugs/wires. and i found that un bolting the k-member and lifting the body off to be the easiest way to do plugs.

Yea... I tried the 'easier' way when i did a tune up and just lifted the engine... Honestly anything done to that car other than something with the intake manifold the body needs to come off the engine (yes, I said that right guys, you remove the body from the engine of this car )... Anything needing to be done to the front of the engine the entire front clip needs to come off (done that twice [water pump, and 2 optispark])... While I'm on this why in the good Lord's name would GM ever decide the front BOTTOM of the engine directly UNDERNEATH the water pump is the best place for the distributor? You can't drive through any puddle over 6" deep, and once the water pump decides to start leaking you not only have to replace that, but also the distributor (I should have learned this the first time)... I replaced the Opti and got maybe 5k miles out of it until it went out again because the water pump was leaking on it (these are 2 things that MUST be done together... OOPS!)

I swear GM was on drugs when they built this car... Not to mention the Opti, they used a transmission (4L60E) rated to hold 300 ft-lbs (the same as the LT1 makes give or take 10-20 ft-lbs), then decided to back that up with a rear axle that is even weaker (10 bolt)... Other than that... Man, I love the car... Just not practical for me anymore... Plus, I need a new truck more than this car...

 

[cammeddrz]

all that being said: i did a cam swap with the engine in the car on my 1997, in one weekend no joke.......

you obviously did not do the modernized non-vented opti-spark which is a must on those.
i launched the tranny out more than once. i actually ended up going with a 700r over the 4l60 because i had one built for 1000hp. mine ran a 10.28 1/4mile (at this elevation that is quite a feat) on the stock 10 bolt, (with true-trac and 4.10's installed)
they definitely didn't have serviceability in mind when they designed that car

 

[Beanmachine7000]

My opti is vented, the water pump just leaked enough to kill it... The tranny is just fine, I've made sure I keep up on the fluid and filter changes... I blew out the Auburn in my 10 bolt twice lol... Both times I wasn't hard on it... It was just random, lol... I have a bare LQ block in my garage I was planning on building and swapping in, but maybe I'll save it for something else

 

[shane96ranger]

700r over the 4l60 because i had one built for 1000hp. mine ran a 10.28 1/4mile (at this elevation that is quite a feat)

Very impressive. Probably a 9.28 at sea level? I believe most people say we are about a second slower up here.

 

[cammeddrz]

yep, 350hp wet shor of nitrous, into a 383 lt1 with manley aluminum rods, a .650" lift cam with 292 degrees of duration @ .050"..........(that's a pretty f-cking big cam), and 4.10's. i did not run the 10.28 with the lt1 manifold though. i swapped a single plane carb manifold on to it and ran an 1100cfm 4bbl TBI onto it while still using the obdII computer to run it. and a when i ran the 10.28 i wasn't running wet gasoline nitrous, i had a second fuel tank and pump that supplied methanol to my fuel solenoid for the N2o, and 305 mickey thompsons on the rear

*edit btw did i mention that i drove this to work every day?

 

[Beanmachine7000]

yep, 350hp wet shor of nitrous, into a 383 lt1 with manley aluminum rods, a .650" lift cam with 292 degrees of duration @ .050"..........(that's a pretty f-cking big cam), and 4.10's. i did not run the 10.28 with the lt1 manifold though. i swapped a single plane carb manifold on to it and ran an 1100cfm 4bbl TBI onto it while still using the obdII computer to run it. and a when i ran the 10.28 i wasn't running wet gasoline nitrous, i had a second fuel tank and pump that supplied methanol to my fuel solenoid for the N2o, and 305 mickey thompsons on the rear

*edit btw did i mention that i drove this to work every day?

Drove it everyday? Man, lol... I planned on building this one up, until I saw the LS series and how cheaply you can make power with them and that's when I picked up the block and planned on building 450/500 hp DD...

 

[EMB1230]

I swear it's the only car you have to unbolt the engine and lift it up to change the plugs... Had to take the fuel rail off to get to the FPR, to get the fuel rail off had to unplug the entire injector harness, half the engine harness and a billion vacuum lines (I swear), lol... Oh well... It's done...

I do like some GM's but I like Fords more. I have always kind of felt that a lot of times, the way GM designs certain things, makes them way more difficult than they need to be.

 

[cammeddrz]

Drove it everyday? Man, lol... I planned on building this one up, until I saw the LS series and how cheaply you can make power with them and that's when I picked up the block and planned on building 450/500 hp DD...

dollar per horsepower an lt1 is cheaper. as it shares literally everything except the head coolant passages with the gen 1 small blocks

all those parts i had would have cost double for an ls

but on either engine putting a single plane manifold on them is almost like cheating, especially if you do and mpfi single plane

 

[shane96ranger]

I do like some GM's but I like Fords more. I have always kind of felt that a lot of times, the way GM designs certain things, makes them way more difficult than they need to be.

In the foreseeable future, I don't see me owning another GM produce. But, I certainly will tell you that the SBC is one heck of a powerhouse. There are some versions that are dogs no matter WTH you do to them like the BS diesel conversion. There are some things for sure GM did better on the SBC, like the timing chain cover and water pump. I think the SBF timing chain cover is way more work than it really needs to be. There are way too damn many water pump bolts on an SBF too; is the SBC 4 or 6 bolts? I guess beggars can't be choosers though.

I also remember when I first got into cars, I saw the SBF aftermarket parts always would cost more than the SBC. But they are pretty comparable anymore.

 

[cammeddrz]

they are pretty comparable anymore.

20% more minimum for sbf parts over exact same sbc parts (brand model etc)

 

[shane96ranger]

20% more minimum for sbf parts over exact same sbc parts (brand model etc)

What parts are you thinking of at 20% higher? I look in Jegs and Summit all the time and the SBF is even cheaper sometimes. Especially if you get into the 5.0 Mustang vs LT1 Camaro - I can find lower prices on about anything for the Mustang.

 

[EMB1230]

Hey guys, dumb question but wasn't the LT1 built for the 'vette? I'd love to have a 94-96 Fleetwood with that engine!

 

[cammeddrz]

the lt1 came in the base model corvettes from 1992 to 1996, the better lt4 (much better heads and intake manifold) came in the lucky z06 corvettes.

the lt1 came in f-bodies (camaros and trans-ams) from 1993-1997, some buick roadmasters and impala ss's too

What parts are you thinking of at 20% higher? I look in Jegs and Summit all the time and the SBF is even cheaper sometimes. Especially if you get into the 5.0 Mustang vs LT1 Camaro - I can find lower prices on about anything for the Mustang.

xxxxxxxxxxxx tried saying this over on rps and i spent like an hour posting link, after link, after link, after link.......after link comparing just about any brand, and any component. i posted something like 40. links, and the closest the 302 came was 20% or so, the furthest was like 80%. i will not go that far into it again


i am randomly choosing parts and manufacturers from the list here. 350 $14.95 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H345ACP30/

the same brand and piston model for a 302 $23.99 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLP-H273CP30/

60% there alone.

350 129.00 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2101/
302 159.00 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2121/
thats 23%

shall i go on? pick the brand and component 302s are a minimum of 20% more than a 350

 

[shane96ranger]

I was looking as well, and found these:

AFR Heads:
Chevy - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AFR-0916/
Ford - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AFR-1388/

Edelbrock Performer RPM heads:
Chevy - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60779/
Ford - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60259/

Trick Flow Track Max Camshaft:
Chevy - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-31402002/
Ford - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-51402000/

 

[cammeddrz]

those heads are not the same model one is eliminator, one is outlaw.....fail