Best Z28 Model Year?

[IROCZJEFF]

I would say 1969 but I also like 1970. Iroc-Z's well hell, thats why I own at least one of each of every gen. Still waiting to buy a 5th gen Z/28!!!!! Then my collection will be complete.

[danhr]

showroom stock, seeing how he prefer's the lt1 styling (as do I), I would say the 97 is the best. I prefer the 97+ interior, their heads flow more than the earlier castings, it's opti spark is vented, and i prefer running a maf, as oppposed to the 93's Speed density.

the 95 heads have more material on them, so they are best, should you decide to go down the ported stock heads route.

a 97 hardtop 1le t56 car would probably make me change my pants.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by danhr

showroom stock, seeing how he prefer's the lt1 styling (as do I), I would say the 97 is the best. I prefer the 97+ interior, their heads flow more than the earlier castings, it's opti spark is vented, and i prefer running a maf, as oppposed to the 93's Speed density.

the 95 heads have more material on them, so they are best, should you decide to go down the ported stock heads route.

a 97 hardtop 1le t56 car would probably make me change my pants.

'97s had different heads?... The only difference I recall are LT4s, but none of those were options (only SLP made those, in like a 100 cars or something...).

I've never read or heard of differences like you've outlined... I better get in gear I know LS1s had differences, '99 and up were 241s and there were different castings on top of that (casting flash looking like pyramids below the exhaust ports that purported better performance - though I've never seen a scientific test to bare this difference out...). '99 and up were center bolts - though not clearly more or less desirable in terms of actual performance.

[danhr]

yes'm. if i recall correctly, there are like 3 or 4 different lt1 heads they used in the camaros. the difference is almost negligable (i think there's like a 5 cfm difference), but I remember finding all this out when I was playing magical chairs with heads from a caprice, a 94, a 95, and a 97. Send a message to lloyd elliot (www.eportworks.com)..... he could fill you in.. if he's still in the lt1 game. I know back in the day, he was the man to go to for porting stock lt1 heads, and he was always grabbing up 95 castings when he could. i swear i use to know all of this stuff by heart... but it's been a few years since i've been in the lt1 game. lol.


as far as the ls1's.... the 241 castings started in like mid 2000. I know this because I was curious on why the 2000 motor/trans i swapped into my 97 had 853 castings.... turns out the early 2000 motors still came w/ the 853.

porting potential wise there is no difference between them. stock for stock the 241 flows a little better. Which is why the output of the ls1 stayed roughly the same, even when they went to a more mild camshaft in 2000 (or maybe it was 2001? cant remember that number off the top of my head now)

[radz28]

Hmm... Learn something new every day! It seems to me '94-'97s are the best to go with, if LT1s are your thing. I don't know if like the interiors on the '97s better, but starting in '95, I believe NY and CA cars got dual cats' which bumped power 10 HP, and they were standard on '96-7 models. Beyond that, and the vented opti-craps (which started in '94 or '95 ('95 for sure, because I had that one), performance differences a really small. The LS1 cars are where it's at though. An SLP grille or a little billet insert goes a long ways for the front of those cars, which I believe were more aerodynamic, too. I believe LS1 cars got upgraded diffs', too (not the Torsen in the SLP SS cars from '96), but they were a worm-drive-type like the Torsens. You better save for a rear end either way though, on a good track and sticky tires

[Angrybird 12]

Originally Posted by IROCZJEFF

I would say 1969 but I also like 1970. Iroc-Z's well hell, thats why I own at least one of each of every gen. Still waiting to buy a 5th gen Z/28!!!!! Then my collection will be complete.

LOL I guess you didn't read the OP's first post.... As i said just in the post before yours, he is not wanting a first gen or second gen or even 5th gen mainly he is asking about the 4th gen cars....

[brandotron]

Get an 02. Get over the grille.

[MaddogZ28]

Originally Posted by brandotron

Get an 02. Get over the grille.

Plus i have got give a shout out to Huntington Beach!! (I originally hail from Fullerton and wasted many a summer in the HBC)

[LS1owner]

I still own a 4th gen 2000....waiting for the moment I lose my mind and go trade both my cars for a new SS...

[Connor15]

I have ten thousand dollars to spend on my Z28/SS depending on what i get.
Anyone care to try to find one online that they think would be good?

[danhr]

for 10k, you could probably pick one up with a 408 motor or a heads/cam car with a built rear/trans

[Angrybird 12]

You can always get a later model 98-2002, and find an older doner car (or someone with an older car that likes the looks of the newer one better) and swap out the parts you don't like on the newer model... then you have the best of both worlds...

[radz28]

I think $10K will get you a long ways!

Moving to 4th Gen Section since it doesn't have anything to do with 5th...

[Fotowns Finest]

something like the appearance of the grill is a silly reason to not have an LS1. 98 and up or GTFO