I gest picked up the latest copy of Hot Rod magazine. Its cover feater is the top ten rod's of the year. One of the ten is a C5 vette that has a 700+ hp motor in it. It is fast buy anyones standards. It made me fell antiquated to be on the net to be debating as to witch is the fastest a LT1 or a L89. In the same isue it taulkes of the last Comero to roll of the asembly line. A truly sad thing to me . The redesine of the Camero and Fire Bird was what I fill was the reason to develop the LT1. Dave McLellan ( corvettes chief engineer ) had taken a L89 and a ZR1 to Texas and broke 20 exsisting speed records. six of them with the L89 ( how does six hr. at 176 mph sound ? ) L89 corvettes domanated SCCA and was finely but in ther one class because the Porca prepeys was tired of lousing at twice the cost. The land speed record for the fastest productin sports car was set in a C4, not shure about the exact engiine combo but it was not a ZR1 and the LT1 was not out yet. The motor was not stock and was blowen. The car ran in the high 260's and the body was stone stock. That's fast. My point is that GM had no point in Engine Development. With in reason I think it fare to say Dave McLellan has beat everything ther was to beat. It is untrue to say that any LT1 will beat any L89 IN stock or any other form. If you are a mecanic or turner you whould know potentaly bouth cars can run pretty desent. Lt1's drive the distributor off the front of the cam because of desine limatations of the F bodys, check one out you will see. their was no enprovement to the electronics in the distributor, althoe redesined for cam drive it parst funtioned the same as a HEI. timing and advance is controled by the knock system an the ECM for bouth. So to say that there is any proformance advantage to the OPTI SPARK is douthfull . Now if you want to debate if the higher compresion or the cylender head's hart shaped combustion chamber ( were the Vortec desine came from ) of the LT1 added proformance then you are on the right track. A set of flat top pistons in the L89 gives the same results ? so I dont know were to go with this but I will say that I have a L89, it a blast to drive and I have never wanted for a LT1 or a LT4. the best advice is to get the best vette in the best shape ( low miles, great int. ECT. ) that you can. L89 or LT1 you are gooing to love it . and my wish for all corvette lovers is a new Z06 for Chrismas this year. A 57 fulie wouldnt be bad eathire