modern vs. muscle

[typhoone]

okay, i have been planning on doing my swap for a couple of months now, and tax time is coming up so i will be starting in a month or two(as soon as i get back my taxes) and i need to finalize what i am going to do to my Z. at first i wanted to just do a regular vg30et setup and make everything simple....then i found hybridz.....and threw that plan out the window at record speeds. i had chosen to go with a traditional 350 sbc.....then i started doing more research and decided i wanted to go with the LS1 since it was much like the traditional 350 but comes fuel injected, is made out of aluminum, and comes with more power from the factory. Well, now that i tell people what i am planning they give me ideas as well. this is good because i love to hear new ideas because it can help me to avoid mistakes that shouldn't occur in the first place. The problem is there are some who say the LS1 is superior in all aspects but others who say that the traditional 350 is the only choice. I wanted to go with the LS1 becasue i live 20 miles from ANYWHERE and after i get the Z running it is going to be my dd and i will then work on my other car and i need good gas mileage. Well, some people have said that i can get just as good gas mileage w/the 350. Also, there is VERY little wiring in a 350 unlike in a LS1 swap. That doesn't matter an extreme amount to me because i have already talked to a speed shop and they said that they could do the wiring, but it will cost me. So please, i know all of you have had more experience with the different motors than i have so will you please point me in the right direction???? I know some of you will say search, and i have. There has been contradicting stuff in the posts that i found and i am sure that this post could be helpful to others when they are deciding on their swap. Thank you for any and all help

[Savage42]

Budget can dictate quite a bit when it comes to working on the Z. If you have a pile of cash and want to only put it into drivetrain, then the LS1 is an excellent choice. If you want 90% of the performance for half the money, then you can go with the tried and true LT1, still getting EFI, good power, etc and money left over to make stuff pretty, put it towards other areas of the car (ie. limited slip), etc. Focus on your goals, what kind of money you'll have toward the project and then the most logical choices to get the most toward those goals with the given amount of money you have. Just my 2 cents. ;^)

[typhoone]

thanks alot for the quick response. i am not EXTREMELY concerned about money considering i have a financial backer who is paying 65% of all costs, and a sponsor for tires, so cost isn't a huge deal, but it can still add up over time. one of the things that i really want the car to have, for shows, is a remote start and top of the line security system. Can i have that with a carb, or do i need EFI? i heard there was a way for a carb to do it, but it was from someone who i trust about as far as i can throw.....and he is a pretty big guy. lol

[boodlefoof]

typhoone,

 

I think that the LS1 is an excellent choice, particularly now that prices on pull-out complete engines have come down so much. It isn't difficult to find a complete LS1 engine/T56 transmission combo (with wiring harness, computer, shifter and all accessories) with 50,000+ miles on it for $4,000.

 

Sure, you can buy a fresh and powerful Gen I small block for $4k as well. But compare what you're getting with each:

 

With the LS1 you get these added benefits

- aluminum block (75+ pound weight reduction)

- roller cam

- shallow valve angle cylinder heads

- EFI

- block will handle long stroke without clearancing

 

If you were to build a Gen I small block to similar specs, expect to pay an extra $2,500 for an aluminum block, $500 for a retro-fit roller cam, $2,500 extra for shallow valve angle heads and matching intake, $$$ for EFI, etc.

 

You just seem to get a lot more bang for the buck with the LS1.

[blueovalz]

Plus, (and I don't have the bow-tie stuff under my hood), the LS1 has a very low profile, and this helps a lot over the carbureted stuff in regards to hood clearance.

[Pop N Wood]

I went with an LS motor because I wanted 400-450 HP and the LS motor seemed the cheapest way to get there with an engine that is still considered streetable. The stock LS heads flow extremely well. To get the same level of flow with the first gen motors generally means aftermarket heads ($$) and a bigger cam. From what people here have told me, getting 450 HP out of a first gen is easy to do, but the motor may not idle like a stocker. That affects gas mileage directly.

 

On the down side, prices on used LS motors have gone through the roof in the last year or two.

 

On the other hands the LT1 motors are practically free and do deliver an excellent daily driver.

 

As for gas mileage, when it comes to out of pocket costs there really isn't a big difference between 15 mpg and 25 mpg. You need to figure out how much of a premium you are willing to pay for an LS motor to get some idea of just how much gas you will need to buy to make up the difference. When the right foot syndrome is considered, I can't see the mileage being a big issue one way or the other.

 

And yes, you can carb an LS motor. Get on Summit Racing or Jegs and look up the intake manifold and spark controller GM makes for the LS motors. You can even get a distributor if that is important to you.

 

I bought a carbed LS2 crate motor directly from a local chevy dealer. It is rated at 446 HP right out of the box. Should be able to get in excess of 500 HP with just a cam and some valve springs. Hood clearance with the carbed motor is an issue, but not an insurmountable one. I was forced to build my own mounts because of my transmission choice. But once I move the hood latch to the right I should be able to mount a standard drop base 14 inch air cleaner. If I could leave the hood latch where it is if I go with a drop base cleaner that is also offset to clear HEI distributors (or a 12inch or less diameter).

 

One word of caution, I think the John's cars LS mounting kit mounts the engine higher and farther forward then where mine ended up. I did add some 3/8 inch spacers to the front cross member (ala JTR) to get a little more hood clearance. I think JTR recommended something over a half inch so there is still clearance to be gained there. Only problem is the crossmember spacers may not be compatible with the JCI mounts.

 

IMO you can't go wrong no matter whichever engine you choose. Whatever you do, go with a standard kit (JTR for first gen or JCI for LS motors) and vastly simplify your swap. Some people think the JCI kit is overpriced for what it gives you. But what they may not be recognizing is the amount of time the kit will save since you know the engine will be positioned right the first time you put in the motor.

[m1noel]

Also, I think with an LS engine you will probably be making your own mounts as John's only offers them for the S30 cars so far.

Mike