I just finished looking at the great LT1 engine component photo link from Rob. Some observations:
The block still has liners (Whew!). Some have eliminated liners to reduce weight...and then regretted the decision in the long run.
The crank appears to have rolled fillets! And, can't tell for sure if that's a forging line or not...
The crank thrust bearing is at no. 3 position...hmmm
The piston crowns look very Diesel-esque. It's obvious that so much high-level design/engineering went into the combustion chamber/piston/injector geometry that it will be somewhere between "a long time" and "never" before the aftermarket will be able to improve on it. With this level of combustion control, I wouldn't be surprised if this engine would run fine on 87 octane fuel...how cool would that be?
The cam looks like a billet rather than a casting, possibly to alleviate HPFP-drive-induced torsional harmonics in the camshaft?
The HPFP appears to be a reciprocating design. No wonder they buried it in the valley, under the intake manifold, to quell the resulting noise.
The valve heads and stems appear to be welded together(?). Hollow stems, perhaps...
Aside from the combustion chamber design and I/E valve positions, the heads look quite similar to LS3 heads...
The exhaust manifolds look really good! I predict fewer header installations and more Extrude Honing...
The intake manifold plenum is now so ugly that they had to cover it up. That's too bad. There were already too many covers on the LS, and now it's even worse. The LT1 may be a great engine, but couldn't they have done a better job on it, cosmetically? In our Corvettes, we would prefer engines that look good to covers that look good, no?
