LT-1 vs.LS-1 1998 F-body Stocker question?

[Clay Arnett]

Yup zero were actually made with LT1 engines in them. All were LS1's. It's been discussed here many times before.

[W J]

Originally Posted by Clay Arnett

Yup zero were actually made with LT1 engines in them. All were LS1's. It's been discussed here many times before.

Just did a search and found plenty of action on this stuff.....Seems it was a touchy subject for awhile....Kinda like hitting a bee's nest w/a baseball bat... wow. Thanks. WJ

[Jeff Lee]

What I have never understood with all the controversy on this, is why, if you want to race a late LT-1, not call the car a 1997 Camaro / Firebird? Aren't the specs of a '97 & '98 F-Body LT-1 the same? And correct me once again but isn't a '97-'98 F-body indistinguishable?

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

What I have never understood with all the controversy on this, is why, if you want to race a late LT-1, not call the car a 1997 Camaro / Firebird? Aren't the specs of a '97 & '98 F-Body LT-1 the same? And correct me once again but isn't a '97-'98 F-body indistinguishable?

Jeff, the 97 Firebird has a single headlight setup, the 98 is has a dual headlight setup. They look a fair amount different.

[Steve Williams]

Camaro's and Firebird's are different between the two years. Alot different on the Camaro. LT-1's in 1998 should not have been allowed, it helps justify paper cars that did not ever roll off a production line, like some of the more recent new stockers.

[Ed Wright]

It was a bogus deal, probably so GM would be able to win the Mfgr's cup thing again, they were furnishing NHRA's trucks, right?

Really makes no difference otherwise, they were no faster than the '93/'97 cars. No advantage at all, just gave guys running other brands something to cry about. The '98 front clip won't make one run any faster.

The Ford and Chrysler companys are the ones that may have come up short there, if they have anything new for 1998 that was being raced so they might have won that. Probably just a silly trophy anyway. I had just started to come back watch a few in '98, so don't know if they did or not.

[W J]

Alan, if I were to convert a '98 LS-1 Formula Firebird or Camaro to a LT-1 motored car, wouldn't the complete K-member, plus other front suspension pieces have to be changed to accomodate the LT-1? Also, do the LS-1 motored '98 cars have the motors set back farther than the LT-1, or??? Does NHRA check v.i.n.'s on these 1998 4th gens that are made into LT-1's, or are most people using '97 or older LT-1 or even V-6 cars, and making the small body trim and nose changes, in order to call them '98 model yr. cars? What works w/NHRA here, and what does not fly w/them? Thanks. WJ

[Alan Roehrich]

I'm no absolute expert on the late model F body cars, I have friends that race them, I'm an old school guy. I can work on the late model cars, I'm sure I could build one from the ground up, but I'm far more comfortable with the old stuff.

You need to talk to someone like Bobby Brannon, Woodro Josey, or Painter Stevenson.

[Ed Wright]

To put an LS1 in my '96 Trans Am I need the front K member and wiring harness. Then the front clip to make it look like a '98. Not sure if the fenders are different or not. I own both models, but have not look into the fenders. The backup light/tail light assemblies are different in a '96, but look the same as a '97. $100.00 each from the GM dealer.They have never checked a vin with any car I have ever raced.