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90's LT1 in a early shark?

  • Thread starter Thread starter montanabob
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montanabob

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I've always planned on getting a '69 one day, and it looks like it will be in the next 2-3 years now. The question that I had been asking myself before is big block '69 or a '70-'72 original LT-1.

The more I've driven and worked on my '95 the more I appreciate the mid '90s LT1. I've come to the realization that I really think I want to get a basket case and fix it up as a very long term project.

So What I've been thinking recently is what about getting a non-matching numbers '69 that had a smallblock in it and (ok I'm waiting to get bashed for this one) puting a mid-'90s LT1 w/ six speed in it. It would seem to me I would get the styling of an early shark with the pump gas powertrain performance of a C4 electronically fuel injected smallblock.

Now to my point:
What do you guys think?
What problems do you think I'll run into?
How hard is it going to be fitting the newer block and tranny into the shark?

Chris(69myway) I was hoping for your thoughts on this as you've obviously done a lot with both a '69 and with C4s.

Ok I'll brace myself for any bashing I deserve now.
 
I don't really have any expertise with the swap itself, but I will go on record as saying I don't think it sounds like a far fethced idea. I've read some articles in various magazines where people put LT1s in C1s and C2s. Hey, it's all about making the car you like. As long as it gets done the right way, I'd say go for it :)


Paul :w
 
MontanaBob - I find folks on this board pretty open-minded about modifications. I have a bone-stock L82..not because I'm a purist mind you...but because I'm poor!

If I had the coin, I would probably do what you are considering. I know a guy who put a the 275 HP Camaro Z-28 (circa 94') into a shark. Nice little package and got good gas mileage too. I think that if you are considering going with an automatic you should have a pretty easy time making the modifications.

Once I sell off the Camaro, I have plans to find a 78-82 and highly modify it, using the mid 90's LT1.
 
It's your car, do as you please. People here are not going to give you a hard time about it. I think what you want to do is probably not going to be hard at all, I know plenty of cars that have been updated with new motors. Your biggest hurdle will probably be the tranny crossmember, and I think.....not sure though, that Bow Tie Overdrives is making a crossmember for the Richmonds trannies.

Here's a link to VetteDan's site, he put a 1995 LT-1/4L60E combo into a '76 Shark. http://www.vetteworksonline.com/LT1 conversion.htm

I know a guy that has a Z06 motor complete that he's thinking of putting into his '63.

Anything is possible with the right amount of money.

Modify away!
 
I have seen Vettedan's 76 with the LT1 and it is a beauty. If you are not concerned with originality, then go for it. The thing runs and sounds great.

You might also consider a newer LS1 with T56 six speed. I just got done with mine a few months ago and I absolutely love it. It easily pulls as strong as the few big block cars I have driven. And it is all aluminum. If you want some more info on the LS1 conversion, shoot me an email. BaconJB@Centurytel.net.
 
Suspension upgrades

You might want to consider some money in your budget for suspension upgrades. The C4 is such a nice driving car, if it were married to the looks of the C3.....you would have the ultimate 'Vette....at least in my humble opinion. I love my '69 and it gets attention everytime it is driven. I couldn't say the same about the '90 that I once had. But, the '90 was one sweet riding/handling car.
 
Bob - It sounds like a Great Project Car with a lot of work/enjoyment.

What'd be great is if GM would retro a few of their earlier most beautiful skins on today's performance/creature feature loaded platform. Something like what the F_ _ _ Boys did with the T-Bird.

A few skins I'd really like to see GM do this with would be the 63 & 69. What do you think about that idea? :upthumbs
 
70ls1, Were there a lot of mounting modifications needed to get the LS1 block in the old body? I recall seeing an article in one of the magazines talking about an LS6 in a '76 but it sounded like things didn't line up particularly well. I was thinking a LT1 since the block wasn't a complete redesign from the shark small blocks. An LS would be great, but I was hoping to reduce the number of problems I might encounter, but I could just be being to conservative. The LS would also help in the longevity department, as parts should be a lot easier to get in a few years than with a genII engine.

6 shooter, I would love to see some more ques from the past cars, but I am a big fan of each generation being its own. may seem contradictory with what I'm thinking about doing, but with the mods I'm thinking about, with the hood closed it would look like any other early shark, and under the hood would still be a true vette motor. Kind of like a heart transplant. ;) If you look at all five gererations in a line you can see the evolution, but it would be a stretch to connect a c5 to a shark or midyear visually if you didn't know ahead of time that they were both vettes.
 
Bob,

I definitely understand your point of view.

Good luck & enjoy your project. Get us some good pics when u get her done! :upthumbs

Later,
6 Shooter
 
GO FOR IT!!!!

My observations-
LS1-
If you use the LS1, its best to go with the LS1 accessories. OTHERWISE- YOU WILL HAVE A TERRIBLE TIME GETTING THE ACCESSORIES TO FIT FROM THE OLD STYLE MOTOR'S BRACKET SYSTEM. Beware -the engine mounts won't line up without an adapter. Use the CAMARO engine because the throttle body is configured for drive by wire on the Vette. The harness you'll need to buy will look like it was stolen from a stealth bomber (in terms of complexity) and take a lot of expensive sensors. The power potential is there though!

L98/LT1-
If you go with the LT1.... you should still go with the LT1 acc. brackets and use the serpentine belt arrangements. However, the swap is easier. You will run A LOT of electronics

The L98 system is completely bolt on, so as long as you use a corresponding baseplate manifold. There are manifolds for VORTEC engines, pre-87 heads and post-87 heads. There are even systems that fit on big blocks. I prefer the VORTEC system with the L98 because of the way the heads flow. The L98 is cheap to repair (sensors are a dime a dozen at the parts house) and develops as much (maybe even more) when lightly modified with the VORTEC heads than the LT1.

Godd luck - this is just some food for thought. Just build it the way you want to.
 
I have stuck a couple of LT1s where they don't belong (no, I don't mean where the sun don't shine!), and have had fairly decent luck with them.

They run on the same basic concepts as the L98, but can be very tricking in aftermarket configurations. The harness, computer, parts, etc. are more expensive.

Because you can't trust the history given to you on a bone yard LT1 engine, you MUST put a new opti spark on it ASAP, and that alone cranks the price of the project out of site. The accesory brackets are also more expensive as you will most likely have to go aftermarket. I am talking like $1,500 to purchase the brackets and accessories to crank some cool a/c, power steering, and volts.

It can be done, and has been done. I do feel however that the LT1 is a rather unattractive engine and leaves little for the eye to enjoy when looking in the engine bay of a C3. That is in the eye of the beholder. A L98 is a better looking engine, easier to get accesories to fit, and cheaper to mod, but produces less overall hp. Aftermarket EFI is sweeeeeeet, but expensive, and you are a little in the dar at times getting things balanced out.

How about this for a project. Get a smashed C5, and figure out how to graft a 69 convertible body on top of it. Granted the floor and rear tunnel will need extensive mods, but how cool would that be?

(don't be surprised if I pull one of these off before I hang up my tools, providing they still sell gasoline when I get around to it).
 
I still think GM is missing it . . .

6 Shooter said:
What'd be great is if GM would retro a few of their earlier most beautiful skins on today's performance/creature feature loaded platform. Something like what the F_ _ _ Boys did with the T-Bird.
Click to expand...

69MyWay said:
How about this for a project. Get a smashed C5, and figure out how to graft a 69 convertible body on top of it. Granted the floor and rear tunnel will need extensive mods, but how cool would that be?
Click to expand...

Does anyone think GM wiill ever retro a Vette?
 
Here is a picture of my L-98 Speed Density system in my '78. Maybe this will help ya' decide what you want.
 
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