C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Why are LT1's "slow"?

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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:09 PM
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Default Why are LT1's "slow"?

God, I visit many forums, and just look and see what alls going on.
Most of the forums I go to, consider the Lt1 slow, and the LS1 gods engine.
LT1's are "14 second cars".


The only LT1's I know that run 14's are eco geared autos, or my 6spd with me behind the wheel.

I even saw an S2000 guy make fun of LT1's. :lol::crazy:

What gives?

Don't even get me on L98's, to the other forums, those things are arthritis ridden dinosaurs.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:21 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

This is the NORM, where ever you go. It drive's me insane too.. Me personally I've raced about 25-30 LS1 cars with various LT1 and LT4 cars i've owned and I was never beat.. But that's just my experance I guess..I think why is because your average Joe that goes out a buy's a LS1 F-body, or vette.and puts a few $$ in bolt-ons in their car. see's more results than the counter part the LT1. The LS1's just responed better to simple mods..But what they don't relise is in a all out no holds barred type of deal, the LT1 is more capable of putting up better et's..
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:26 PM
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I think the LT1 in it's 2nd coming kind of came back at a bad time. The LT5 had just been released two years previous which made the L98 look like a wind-up toy, and did the same for the LT1 when it showed up. Then when the LT5 went away in 1995, low and behold the LT4 came out to play.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:27 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)



I even saw an S2000 guy make fun of LT1's. :lol::crazy:

What gives?


Tell him to bring that to the street! I'll go a few :boxing and make him
go run and hide like Bin Laden!


:crazy: :crazy: Ricers Drive me nuts!!! :crazy: :crazy:
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:32 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"?

I'd suggest it's all relative.

I'll continue to suffer through with my 2.59 rear-ended, 4L60E auto equipped slug :)

Wouldn't change a thing.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:33 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

I got an LT4 because it was a lot easier to get my wife to let me spend the $$$ on a car than it would be modifications to the car. Otherwise I would have gone for an L98 or LT1, modified it, and wound up with more power and less money spent.

I think the LS1 is a better engine, but that doesn't mean the LT1 or L98 is garbage and that is the fallacy a lot of people fall into.

I think some of the LS1 folks can be a bit unreasonable in their self-admiration sometimes. They seem to think every car with an LS1 is automatically a 12 second car (especially the f-body folks.)

That and when you drop a huge wad of cash on anything, it is just human nature to want to believe you just bought into the ultimate.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:37 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

I believe the bone stock (Corvette) L98 was a low 14s car, the LT1 a high 13s car and the original LS1 a mid 13s car, assuming same gearing & tranny setup. Of course the engines were improved over the years, as it the nature of the biz. Face it, how many C5s would have sold if the older LT1 and L98 C4s were beating them up!

Bone stock my L98 would have beat a similar LS1 to the 60' mark but be looking at tail lights at the big end of the strip.

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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:44 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

Which LT1 are you talking about. The Corvette LT1, The slower camaro LT1, or the even slower impala LT1? The Z28 automatics always seemed a lot slower when I raced them. I had a stock LT1 ZF6 and would smoke guys in new vettes with the LS1. A lot depends on who is driving, how well they launch, and how large their chick is :) That added weight can really make a difference!!
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:51 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"?

Of course engines got better with age, but does that really mean that the older engines "suck"?

Thats how alot of people treat LT1's and below.
If you don't have an LS1, LS6, LT5, or a Big Block, your vette sucks. Thats the general concensus I am receiving from "car folks".

The only guys who give my LT1's props have been other Vette owners, and these 2 redneck neighbors of mine who used to be cops, and had them in their cop cars.

Yes the LT5 made almost as much hp in Valet mode as L98's made peak.
And yes, LT5's had 75-105 more hp on the LT1.

The Fbody guys are the worst, one Fbody breaks into 12's and then they all use his numbers to conclude they run 12's as well.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 04:55 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (ur2slow4me)

I had a stock LT1 ZF6 and would smoke guys in new vettes with the LS1. A lot depends on who is driving, how well they launch, and how large their chick is :) That added weight can really make a difference!!
I know, I kept up with a C5 Vert, all the way up to 120. He got a 1 car lead on me, but that was due to my mistakes in driving (not being able to find 4th gear, letting him get the jump, and have targa top off) I seriously thought he would have kicked my butt. Especially with a license plate of "180 PLUS"
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 05:01 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

My "old" L98 with some mods has shut down a few newer F-bodies as well as C5s, and I just love it. So I think I'll keep her around for a while.

Of course then I hear "well sure, it's a Corvette...".

The older mills aren't "junk", but you'll typically need to do some mods to compete with the newer SBCs. Though stock you can still beat some of the heavier F-bodies.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 05:10 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

:confused: When my 95 was Stock it ran 13.5 @ 105 with 3.07 gears. And that was with a crappy 60 ft. time(2.26).

Slow...I don't think so. :cheers:
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 05:19 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

If you don't have an LS1, LS6, LT5, or a Big Block, your vette sucks. Thats the general concensus I am receiving from "car folks".
You're not receiving that concensus from "car folks", you're receiving it from "blithering idiots".
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 05:28 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (rocketfinger)

If you don't have an LS1, LS6, LT5, or a Big Block, your vette sucks. Thats the general concensus I am receiving from "car folks".


You're not receiving that concensus from "car folks", you're receiving it from "blithering idiots".
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 05:54 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (rocketfinger)

If you don't have an LS1, LS6, LT5, or a Big Block, your vette sucks. Thats the general concensus I am receiving from "car folks".


You're not receiving that concensus from "car folks", you're receiving it from "blithering idiots".
:yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:
its normal, when the new C6 engine is out, theyll all say that the LS1 is trash.
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 06:09 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

There are times however, when it is a good thing to be underestimated!! :D
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 06:33 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

Don't you know? Everything "high tech" is superior? :rolleyes:

90% of the people who think LT1's are "slow" don't know what fast is. They read about it in some frikkin' magazine. :lol:

I don't look at the factory power output of any engine as being the end all judgement of how "good" of an engine it is. But I'm capable of performing my own modifications--not just picking them out of a catalog like lots of the people who bash "old technology". :chevy
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 09:25 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

Marty - All I can say is "Not Slow".. :seeya
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 09:28 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (95AquaC4)

There are times however, when it is a good thing to be underestimated!! :D

:yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod: :cheers:
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Old Jun 20, 2002 | 09:35 PM
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Default Re: Why are LT1's "slow"? (Marty McFly)

How many stock bottom end cars are as fast as my LT1 :rolleyes:
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