Where did you guys get your engines from? Prices?

 

Ebay. I bought mine from contemporary corvettes (Fparts is their ebay username). I paid $4500 delivered for a 99 ls1/t56 with all of the belt driven accessories, fuel computer, and wiring harness with 8600 miles on it.

If you go the LS1 route you will want a 2001+ block. The money I "saved" by buying a pre 2001 block quickly disappeared when I added the upgrades to get me to the same point.

 

try americancamaro.com , they move quite a few ls1/lt1 drivelines and are great to work with. shipping may be a bitch to hawaii though. finding a driveline isn't so tough, it's waiting for the damn parts to mount it in!

 

the t56 was off an Fbody right?

 

yup. I bought a complete drivetrain pullout from a rollover.

 

Wingsfan: What mods did you have to do to get your 99 up to 01 specs? I thought the intake manifold and maybe exhaust manifolds were the only differences. The only chance you would have at getting an LS6 "block" would be about a 25% chance IF you got an 02 LS1. About 1/4 of the 02+ engines have LS6 blocks. Even then, the only real difference is larger pressure ports between cylinders. Other than that, I thought all 99+ LS1s were identical. Please inform me, I need to know this stuff!

 

Just intake manifold and PCV change to the ls6 style (I'm not sure if they changed that or not on the LS1 blocks). You also want a later edition block because they got better and better at making them. You'll decrease the chance of getting a factory "dog" like mine.

 

i have heard '01+ have larger fuel injectors as well? also you get a better master cylinder(if included) which you can sell to the 98-00 fbody guys who are looking to upgrade clutches, as well as better flowing exhaust manifolds.

 

Wouldnt the newer ones cost alot more though?

 

not necessarily, i paid 3975 for my '01 ls1/t56 pullout w/ 45k miles , although shipping ran ~ 400 to my house. i was also pleasantly suprised to find a pro 5.0 shortshifter and spec 3 clutch/ flywheel already bolted on.

 

I just bought a 99 LS1/T56 with 46k miles for $3300 before shipping. I would definitely have rather had an 01+, but since I'm planning on upgrading most of the top end and boosting it, a few extra horses from the intake manifold were not of much concern to me. An LSX intake will more than likely find it's way onto the engine anyway. Who knows!

On the other hand, I would definitely advise anyone looking to buy a motor to get at least a 99 or newer. The 97's (Vette only) and 98's have center bolt valve covers and slightly different heads. The newer valve covers look much better, not to mention the ignition layout is better, or so I'm told. I think a lot of casting issues were sorted out by 99 as well. Problems with the aluminum breathing or something. Don't quote me on that; I'm just repeating stuff I've read or been told.

 

How long have you been waiting on parts? From hinson?


I only ask because I thought hinson was pretty fast about getting parts out(really hadn't heard anyone complain). I know what turned me off of lt1 conversion before when grannys was taking almost a year and some people still hadn't received parts. (this was all before the jimlab vs. grant ordeal). I realize the parts need to be fabricated but if it's taking months, that's ridiculous..

 

i've been waiting for ~ 6 weeks for my torque brace and driveshaft. i understand they are busy now, possibly overwhelmed, but hire some more people to meet the demand! i may have to push back my may 1st startup goal

 

Guys I waited 3 weeks for my engine cradle and torque arm from Hinson. They always take longer than Brian estimates though. The quality is top notch, and it's worth it in the end.

Speedy Wankel, if you're putting the engine in an FD, you're going to have problems with the FAST LSx intake manifold. The MAP sensor on that is quite a bit beefier than the LS6 one, which is already just a few millimeters from the firewall. I'd bet you'd have to get a little happy with the 4 lb sledge. Not a big deal to me, but some people cringe at the thought of hammering in the firewall an inch or two.

 

Nice.....what did the kit from Hinson run for? link to his site?

 

Hey Wingsfan, what exhaust system are you using in your car now? I am getting ready to start my conversion and i am still unclear as to what options I have.

Thanks Skeltah.

 

I'm running my own custom 3" stainless exhaust. It took about 2 weekends to fit everything up and weld it together.

Options? You have no options for exhaust. Either make it yourself or buck up and take it to a local exhaust shop where they will rape you for a mild steel exhaust you'll likley have to have made again in 5 years.

 

I paid around $1300 for a cradle, a torque arm, aluminum drive shaft, tranny brace, and bump steer sorrection. it looks like they have since gone up in price.

http://www.hinsonsupercars.com

 

Yea, it looks like the price has gone up about $130. Its still much cheaper then Grannys though.

 

You mean cheaper than waiting a year for parts that don't work? :O

 

Or, you could always find the village idiot, like I did...'95 LT1, complete, with fresh head/intake work, ECU, and flywheel...$300. Of course, I have to get a wiring harness, accessories and a T56, which will probably put me at right around what you guys paid...unless I luck out with some junkyards.

 

Good deal. Who makes mouting kits for the LT1 though? Or is it the same?

 

Not the same. Your choices for an LT1 are make your own, Jimlab, or grannys

 

I heard the T-56 tranny won't "talk" to the mazda'a speedo cause of the electrical vs mechanical clables. Has anyone ever put a different tranny on the back of an LS1 motor, or do they pretty much have to stay together?
p.s. (off topic) I heard the tach won't work either? Granny's has a "how-to" page on recalibrating the mazda;s tach for a V8... will it not work for the LS1's??
brandon

 

What you heard is bullshit, plain and simple for an FD as both the speedo and tach are electrical. I can't speak for an FC or FB. You might try asking that question over at torquecentral as there are several LS1 converted FCs rolling around.

The tach is a simple wire to wire splice, and the speedo can be calibrated through either LS1Edit, or thorugh the use of a Dakota Digital SGI5A signal converter.

My speedometer and tach work flawlessly in my ls1 converted FD.