thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I am looking at either buying a 3rd car. 93 firebird forumla V8 LT1 with 80K on it. Or a 00 Camaro ss with 50K or so on it. Let me clarify something . To get the 00 I must trade in my wifes Grand Prix and loose axxis to the monte:). Pros 93 is cheap Con its a lt1 ? I dunno what kinda powerlevels could i easly get out of the 93. I really would like to have it as just at hird car to play in so i don't mess up the monte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FooFooMaru Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Then go with the 93 It's cheap and with little mods could get 13's. They are just not good with tuning and such that i've heard. Just because 93 and so forth being a bit different than 94+. There are pros and cons. '93 +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 thanks. I really like style of both. the miles wernt bad. I was thinking a shot of juice. some exhaust work and a RAM AIR . But i just don't want to buy someting with less power then my monte has right now. what does the lt1 dyno? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 93 is a forth gen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ta Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I would go with the ss.....they are just sweet cars. And the 93 would be slower than your monte. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l36tols1 Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 300+ rwhp (ls1) 260+ rwhp (lt1) shouldn't be hard to decide but thing again I'm a little bias.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 I was going to have a third car. that was all i was getting out. I am going to dealer tonight to look at the SS. If they give me crap about test drivining it i am just walking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 how about the 93 with an LS1 swap? sounds like a sleeper to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miller Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 If you really want to go fast and lose the monte to your wife - go with the SS (ls1 ftw). If you want to be able to keep all your cars and still be quick then go with the lt1 car. And whoever said that the lt1 would be slower then the monte is suffering from a minor misconseption. I'm pretty sure that lt1 motor would still put a good half second on Thornes current 1/4 passes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FooFooMaru Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 93 would be more fun because cheaper and could mod more and do work with less worries? That's just me. Wouldn't be to hard to get that 93 faster than the SS anyway. I'd get the SS but since you're having multi cars and lookin for fun, meh...93. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bam Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 where's it this 93? if its a decent price I'd like to check it out if you don't buy it. I really want an ls1, but lt1 would work too. I'm thinking about buying the 95 camaro on here and dropping an ls1 in it, that would be a sleeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiumss Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Go with the LS1, can't go wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98fiveseven1647545503 Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 93 are speed density cars. a bitch to get tuned. Also if it is an automatic it is the 700r-4 not the 4l60e ( same trans but controlled differently. LT1s have the intake manifold leaks opti spark bullshit and yea. Both have 10 bolts that would eventually break. I personally would stay away from the 93. Look for a 95 OBD1+ Vented opti or 96-97 OBD2 and vented opti. the SS will be best all around. If you dont do your own work go with the SS because opti spark and waterpump changed are costly in parts & labor. soooo LS1 FTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 i do alot of my own work. But yeah im gonna look at them both. My monte ran a 14.4 with shitty 60' just recently i read the 1993 only ran a 14.8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorne Posted June 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Forumula V8 14.7 on the little thing we have stickied thats slow then me. so its down the the SS now. BTW the 93 is over at haydocy on the west side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 lt1's are faster than your monte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 14.7??? where did you get your info from? they are low 14 high 13 second cars stock. I ran a 13.9 when my car was BONE stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miller Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 True^^^ That is why I made my statement. The factory lemons were running no higher then 14.3's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted June 1, 2006 Report Share Posted June 1, 2006 Ugh, idiot info in here! Your Monte isn't going to keep up with a properly running, bone stock LT1. Maybe a 2.73 geared auto rag-top, but that's about it. Intake manifold leak. OOOOHHHHHH NO'S, a $20 gasket and 2 hours tops w/ basic hand tools. That's if it is even leaking. Optispark; yes, they do fail. No, they aren't as bad as the internet makes it out to believe. $190 shipped to your door, and not that hard to replace. Hardest part is getting your stock balancer off if it is rusted on. Water pump: like most cars, water pumps can go out. Gotta pull it to do the Opti anyway. Swap in a CSI electric pump, and it's $135, and a performance mod at the same time. I'd tend to avoid 93's due to the non-flashable PCM and speed density. 95 is the "optimum" year to own, as it is still OBD-I w/ the vented opti, which is a little more robust. If you ever swap cams, then it is easy to swap to the vented opti, which is what I opted to do. Swapping plugs can be a pain with stock manifolds (again, not as bad as the internet claims); pretty easy with a decent set of headers. The big advantages with LS1's are: heads/intake, aluminum block (though that's a disadvantage come machine work time), coil-on-plug setup is nicer, a stronger aftermarket now. But don't think the LT1 aftermarket is weak; there is a TON of stuff for it as well. And some stuff can use standard SBC stuff, making it a lot cheaper than LS1 stuff. LT1's are performers too, and can take plenty of abuse. My 90k mile, well abused stock shortblock looked just peachy when I pulled it. Where do people get the idea that throwing in an LS1 makes a 93-97 car a sleeper? Hell, a lot of 93-97 Firebird guys swap out to the 98-02 front ends = looks like an LS1 w/ an LT1 under the hood. As for Ram-Air; the stock 96-97 SS setup is pathetic; major heat soak and flow problems; it SUCKS. The Firebird setup is much better; but to be honest, it is mostly cosmetic; a CAI kit would be a lot cheaper with the same results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ta Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 I would bet on thornes monte over a stock lt1 any day. You can throw out numbers all you want, but I don't think thorne has got all out his monte that he can get. Stock for stock yes the lt1 is faster, but thorne is not stock so we are not talking about that. Anythony has a stock lt1...just race him and they can end this argument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkent93 Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 93 are speed density cars. a bitch to get tuned. Also if it is an automatic it is the 700r-4 not the 4l60e ( same trans but controlled differently. LT1s have the intake manifold leaks opti spark bullshit and yea. Both have 10 bolts that would eventually break. I personally would stay away from the 93. Look for a 95 OBD1+ Vented opti or 96-97 OBD2 and vented opti. the SS will be best all around. If you dont do your own work go with the SS because opti spark and waterpump changed are costly in parts & labor. soooo LS1 FTW As an LT1 owner, I must say 98fiveseven has said it well. If you do your own work, the LT1 is definately the more economical way to go but the speed density is tough to tune. If you find a nice 94-97, it comes with the MAF and is easier to tune. 94's are not vented optisparks but if you're buying one, you may as well put a new one on it for peace of mind, and you can get a vented GM optispark for just over $200. If you go this route, let me know and I will get you the dealership who will sell it to you for that $2XX I speak of along with many other parts most dealerships try to get 2x as much for! If the car is an automatic, a stall and gears is .5 et reduction and a small cam is about another .5-.7. I've run a best of 12.74 @107mph and just dynotuned my OBD1 bumping horsepower to 308rwhp and torque up to 349 ft.lb. If you wanted to get rid of the monte, I'd go with the LS1. If not, get an LT1 and make it fast. Stock at trails my weather dependent times ranged from 14.1-14.4 @97-98mph on 2.73 gears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 thorne, why are you getting a third car? use that money to pay off your house, or modify the monte. the monte is more of a sleeper than either of these other cars is ever gonna be. oh, and for real, dont overlook the lt1. joe, correct me if im wrong, but there are a few guys into the 9's with an lt1 last i checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 dont overlook the lt1. joe, correct me if im wrong, but there are a few guys into the 9's with an lt1 last i checked. There are a lot of guys in the 9's with LT1's. Hell, there are several 6-speed guys in the 9's w/ it. There are several in the 8's as well; fastest being 8 flat @ 178. This is w/ a stock-style suspension "street" car too; no 4-links or any of that BS, and just LT1 AFR heads, no converted SBC/SB2.2 heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitrousbird Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 94's are not vented optisparks but if you're buying one, you may as well put a new one on it for peace of mind, and you can get a vented GM optispark for just over $200. If you go this route, let me know and I will get you the dealership who will sell it to you for that $2XX I speak of along with many other parts most dealerships try to get 2x as much for! If only it were that easy to swap to a vented Opti. Requires a new cam (as the stock cam has the short dowl pin for the 92-94 LT1's), different timing chain, different timing cover, different wiring harness, and vented opti tubing. It's only economical to do if you are swapping out cams, as you would do the cam and the timing chain in that situation regardless, so the cover/harness/tubes aren't all that costly. Also, you can get Vented opti's from several GM sources brand new shipped for under $200. I think mine was $180. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkent93 Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Forumula V8 14.7 on the little thing we have stickied thats slow then me. so its down the the SS now. BTW the 93 is over at haydocy on the west side. Im not sure where you read this stuff at but 14.8 is more like a TPI et from 1992. Even on the hottest of hot days at Trails and my 2.73's I never seen slower than a 14.5(avg time was 14.29). Now when I had a 6speed car, the first time I took it to the track, I ran 14.7's-14.9's @97 until I learned how to drive a little bit. I never did get good at it, but still ran a 14.3@99 and that is stock exhaust and filter along with everything else. My brother has a 95 Formula with 180,000mi...yeah we had to replace alot of stuff when we bought the car since the previous owner didn't do maintenance but it's a pretty nice car now and runs low 13's on stock heads. Your monte sounds pretty nice. I'm not sure I'd get rid of it unless you're getting alot of your money back out of it. Good luck with whatever you do though, they're both good cars and a blast to drive. Orion, don't quote me but I believe the LT1 has even been in the 8's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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