I reasently was offered to buy a 1970 Corvette LT1 engine,it has the angle plug Camel hump heads (1970). The block has never been machined and is in perfect shape and doesent need any machine work. The numbers all match up so the Engine is "real". I dont have a clue how rare this stuff are but i know it would be perfect for one of my cars. So my question is whats the value of a Engine like this? It doesent have the original intake manifold or carb,that dont bother me as i would use some other intake and carb.
Are you sure the heads are angle plug? I don't think they were available yet. A '70 would be solid lifter and 11 to 1 compression, needs high test.
Angle plug/camel hump heads were "over the counter" parts -- pre-Turbo's. They were never installed on production line cars. Sounds like a good engine. No idea on price.
What do you mean the numbers are correct? Block casting number does not mean LT1. What is the 3 letter code on the deck? Angle plug heads are not original. I have an LT1 engine here, was in a nova. Seller says "yep, got an LT1 in there, check it out" (just like every car has a corvette engine, M22, and a 4:10 posi)..I look at the code and when the engine was rebuilt and decked the shop stamped "LT1" on the pad!
A matching number LT1 vette brings as much as a big block vette...sometimes more. As original, I think the 70 LT1 was a 370HP engine...someone out there is looking for and will pay big bucks for that motor to go in their vette....would not be a matching number car but correct...I assume the orginal vette was crashed and not fixable. The number on the front of the block...pass side....matches the vin number on the vette. Either way....the engine if real, is pretty valuable.
Were they 292 or 492s? Been along time since i saw any of those....but they would definently date the build...lol As far as the lt1.....should have small dome 11 to1 pistons and windage tray
If it is a real LT1 could be from a Z28, vin can be down by the oil filter and hard to read. Without the 3 letter code from the deck it is just another 350.
To the owner of the car the engine originally came out of --- if he can find the original heads. It's doesn't have to be a Corvette engine, they were original engines in all the Z-28's back then too. They came with steel cranks, "Pink" rods, 11/1 forged pistons. Nothing that couldn't be duplicated pretty easily. Still a good engine. It would probably cost in the neighborhood (big neighborhood though) of $2000.00 to gather up the parts to duplicate around here.
X2 about the angle plug heads not being on the LT-1. Those were a over the counter piece only. I sold a lot of those back in the 70's.
Pretty sure they were 492s (same casting as the straight plug head). The 292s were Turbo's. A lot better head for performance, but that's another thread. Yea, I forgot the windage tray (and standard volume/high pressure oil pump).
In Sweden it is even more rare but not sure of the value over there and my would be nothing more than a guess. Here in the states a Corvette guy might spend north of 2 to 3 grand for a date coded block if it were original to the car I would be guessing but maybe 2 to 3 times that amount depending on the buyer and seller if it was original to the car that it came out of. An LT1 that was from a 70 vette is more desirable to the Corvette guy than myself as the higher Compression is not that steetable without fuel additives. I know that you mentioned it does not have the Carb or Intake and those alone over here would be worth $500 to $700 if in really nice shape/condition.
Block number can be looked up. Get the numbers from the heads too (remove valve covers and look inside) to see if they are "born with" heads. Does it have the original Winters intake? Original dizzy with the pink ID tag? That's where the real value lies. If the heads don't match up to the block casting date code, then it's a bitsa. Still of value, but not "LT-1" type value to the OCD Corvette nut cases.
The Engine is from a crashed 70vette. The heads are "over the counter" bought in 1970. I KNOW this is a real LT1,the Engine is in pieces and inspected/measured. So the heads has been changed and are not the original,that dont bother me thou they are better and more rare. Short story. My friend went to look at a 1964 Impala,he wanted me to follow him because im more into cars than he is. The 64 was a supernice CA car and my friend bought it. The seller was a super nice guy and after some talking he told us he built Engines and had been a dragrace mecanic for several years for a well known speedshop owner here in Sweden. Just for fun i asked him if he had any Chevy S/B and he told me i could buy the LT1 if i was interested.
What did the Vett/Camaro sites estimate it's value. That is where you will find hardcore number in terms of rarity and worth.
if you want the value of an LT-1 you need to list all the LT-1 parts it has with it yet you mention none. so far you are missing the heads, intake and carb. LT-1's have a different oil pan, windage tray, deep grove pullys, valve covers and more details than I can remember. too many details left out to give any sort of value.
It has all the stuff that you mention. Ive seen all the parts,the question isent if its a real LT1 its just more how rare these Engines and heads are. I dont need an exact value just some general info just because im curious. If i buy this Engine i will put it in my Nova gasser.
If the code has been decked off and you are not putting it back into an original year car then it is just another 350, priced from $100 up. If the code is still there then shop the short block on a camaro or vette site depending on what vin is on the block.
1970 Vette LT1 code on front of block : CTR,SHP,CTV,CTK . 350ci 370hp. The Z2/8 version was rated at 360hp. Can't est value but they sure did run. 1970 their were 1287 LT1 Vettes made= pretty rare
Yep,the angle plug heads would boost the hp some and he told me a camshaft change would make a massive improvement.
If you read it all,the Engine has never been near a machineshop,it has all the right numbers and letters. Original oilpan and all the LT1 stuff is there exept for the angle plug heads and the intace and carb is gone. Its in parts and mesured and ist all good. Again,the question isent if its a real LT1 its mor how odd this stuff are. Im no expert thats why i asked.
They are relatively rare, but not so rare that you shouldn't consider installing it in anything other than it's born-in car, especially if it's missing its original heads, intake, dizzy, carb, etc.
Yes, the 292's have noticably bigger intake ports, and no heat risers. 492's were the over the counter, angle plug replacement head. I was in a buddy of mines shop about five years back, id'ed a pair of turbos from across the shop sitting on a shelf. Got all excited, "whoh, turbo castings! man, I havent seen a set of those in years!" He got a big kick out of that. Said I was the only guy that noticed them. Kids these days...
The truth is it is no longer an LT1 motor if the heads, intake and carb are gone. At beast it is an LT1 Short block. And unless you are going to track down the original head, intake, and carb, it should not be worth anything more than any other 350 Chevy with similar parts, especially if you are going to put it in your Nova - the "historical" significance of it being a 1970 LT1 is all but lost at this point, except to a guy with a 1970 Vette looking for that block.
Well i could just buy a crate 383 or something but i Think this is way cooler. We all know that old stuff is more fun than new
The Corvette Registry recognizes; Assuming TI = Thermactor Injection, one of the more benign forms of Emission Control. BTW from Mecom; But if you really wanted to go all the way in outfitting your new 1970 Corvette, you put a checkmark next to Option Code ZR1, listed as the “Special Purpose Engine Package”. At $968.95, it was not cheap; only twenty five brave souls drove home in a ZR1 that year, and what lucky souls they were. The ZR1 order equipped the Vette with the LT1, and then rounded out the package with an M22 4-speed, transistorized ignition, special springs and shock absorbers, heavy duty brakes, aluminum radiator and, in this case, a 4.56:1 rear end. And it transformed the car. Hoop
I agree, I just don't think it that it is worth anything extra for your situation. I wouldn't get all warm and fuzzy about it and pay too much, that's all i was saying.
The whole thing, IMO, is context. An original LT1 block has some historical value, in the original car it has substantial value. Outside of the context of the original installation it's value plummets to an equivalent current product, which have more performancepotential.
Well now hold on a sec. Normally, I would be in 100% agreement, but lets look at this a little closer. Bear with me for a minute Don, and you might have a change of heart. Heres what he started with... Uploaded with ImageShack.us And heres where hes at now... Uploaded with ImageShack.us He's real close to a period-perfect, circa 1972/73 Nova street freak. Lose the pie-crusts, and replace them with some Mickey Thompson Indy Profiles, re-do the rear flares, put the hood/hood pins back on, add a grump lump, an M-22 with a V-gate, a cable tach with a tach drive corvette dual point, a TR-1Y and some panel paint with fish scales, lace and endless lines. All of a sudden, an LT-1 short-block with over-the-counter 492's is absolute period-perfect perfection. Oh yea, and tow-bar brackets. Dont forget the tow-bar brackets...
Sure, But I wouldn't pay more to have a block casting number in that car that no one will over see. It really won't change the value of the car
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