JoeZ

Currently I have an L-82 engine (1980) that has aftermarket heads (not sure what type...I didn't put them on). I'm torn between modifying it and purchasing an LS1 engine.

For the L82, I purchased a TPI setup and have to install it. I also wanted to do head work on the engine, as well as other small things to increase performance. I also purchased a 200r4 tranny that needs a rebuild before I could use it. Would it be cheaper to buy an LS1 with tranny and install that rather than all mods for the current engine? With the LS1, I’d really like putting a 6spd in as well.

I’m kinda lost in this…I would much rather prefer the LS1. If I go the LS1 route, I could possibly sell the engine I have now (the numbers match the car so I’d be hesitant) with tranny and TPI to pay for part of it.

The other thing is that I think an LS1 would be much more reliable than a modified L82 with what I'm considering. I'm not sure if it will with TPI, but it's always had a hard time starting (until it is warm, it likes to stall), and the LS1 wouldn't have these problems (heh...I don't think atleast...).

HELP PLEASE :)

cardo0

That sounds like a ton of work JoeZ. :bb
I'm several months into a cam & head swap and still doing fixes for Bubbas fixes.
If your asking advice just sell your home and buy a C5 with LS-1. Much cheaper to squeeze the ponies out of the old style small block. Much Much more fun to drive than to work on them. Heck your Chevy dealer will bolt in a new ZZ4 with 355 HP - that's the 5-day go fast ticket for a C3. :yesnod:

JoeZ

Well it's about more than just HP for me....it's also about fuel effeciency, which is why I wanted fuel injection to start with. Truth is, when I'm done (prob in about a year or two) I'd like to sell the car. Which would be worth more, and would the fact that I have matching numbers on the block make a diff at all in value if I went with the TPI setup???

Metal Wulf

If you're going to sell it, you shouldn't do anything to it... you'll just end up taking a loss on all the money spent to put a LS1 in.

Ganey

Hey Joe

Nice 80. A properly built L-82 has excellent reliability. TPI was designed for a 305.
For what you want-
Sell all & buy a 92 up LT1 6 spd. C4 or 6 spd. C5.

amcom6

:iagree: Put your money into something you want to keep :D

70 LS1

:withstupid:

If you are going to keep the car then go with the LS1.

If you are going to sell the car then sell it and get something you really want.

JoeZ

problem is that I won't be able to sell for a long while, and the car needs alot of work to be able to get any money from it.

I hadn't considered the LT1 really...maybe I should.

Since the car is stock auto, how hard would it be to convert to manual?

The Money Pit

80's aren't worth a ton of money,numbers matches or not.If you plan on keeping the car build it for what you want.Carbs are easier to deal with,and when I ran the 355,I managed an average 17mpg running 400 miles a week to work with the 3.70 gears.
If your intention is to sell it,sell it as is,save the work,you will never get the money you put in to it back out. :yesnod:

Ryan77

:iagree:

JoeZ

Well I've decided on what I'd want to do, and I really would like to keep the car and go with an LS1 conversion. Funding will be a problem for a little while to do such an expensive swap, so I'll install the TPI for now and prob try in about 6 months to do this.

Now the real fun begins...
I have to figure some stuff out....like since I have a 200r4 tranny, th350, a TPI setup, and the stock L82 engine with carb setup, how can I sell to get most money? All seperately? Combo with engine, TPI and one of the trannies?

lol....fun fun... Thanks for all the advice guys :)


[Modified by JoeZ, 3:05 AM 3/7/2003]

LAvetteman

What kind of deal can you get on a LS1?

Metal Wulf

around 3k on ebay, usually with a tranny too :thumbs:

JoeZ

What ever comes up on ebay...I've seen combos for under $2k with both engine and tranny. Right now there isn't anything good available, but in time there will be.

Never Finished

Vette magazine has a series of articles on what it takes to install an LS1 in a shark. It doesn't look easy. Do you want to work on it or drive it?

JoeZ

Ouch...good point: I never considered what it would take for install...

I feel like a woman (lol...no offense, all the women in my life are like this...) in that I can't make up my mind at all.

My end goal is to have a car I can road race. Whether that lands me with an S2000, C5, or my C3 modified to handle it, I want a car where I can take to the track or autoX.

Since I know my car isn't worth much of anything, I was thinking that over the course of a year I could make it more customized (such as dropping in another engine or adding the TPI) with things that would raise the value slowly for when I sell it, and make it fun to drive in the mean time.

I guess the LS1 route would just be an expensive (yet fun) way to spend money that I wouldn't get back out of it. Any other ideas on my end goal?