Anyone know anything about this engine: 350 LM1?

Can you tell me if it would be a good idea to throw this in my '79 instead of rebuilding my L-48?

Thanks!

I racked my head for a few minutes trying to figure out what the heck a LM1 was, then I noticed it was a link, DAAAAAAAAA, ya I know I'm aawake now. Ok I'll give you my .02, you asked. 1375 plus shippeng, probally another 250, hopefully no tax, unless you feel real patrotic. I don't know all that is wrong with your 350 Adam, or is it just tired and your looking for a little HP. I know if you take your engine to a machine shop, hot tank, bore, hone, freeze plugs gut plugs, cam bearing, then polish crank, hope it falls in specs, can always gring and install over size brg. Then check all the rods, but you'll probally want to replace pistons, so they'll have to press the old pistons off and the new ones on. Then have them put the bottom end together, it may cost a few bucks, but they have everything, plastic gauge, grind rings ect. alittle peice of mind. If they supply pistons, mid grade, timing chain, main and rod bearing, new oil pump with tacked pick up, they may as well put the pan on also, that way it stays clean. I would say you will have close to 1000. You didn't touch the heads yet, probally another 300. are you going to use old intake? any other goodies? So you have 1300 into the old engine, the only conslation is its the original engine. I guess I would buy the replacement engine, install it, take to old one apart and if the original is important to you, rebuild it as money permits, eventually it'll be done and you can either just crate it till you sell it of just sell either. Good luck, in youe decision, when I did mine 3 years ago crate motors were not as available as they are now, I would have gone that route myself.

Dave
Mr69vett

Adam,
I don't know anything about the motor you referenced, but would throw my vote towards rebuilding the current motor, if it indeed is "right" for the car. While I can appreciate the upgrades people do to their cars, I tend to lean towards keeping things more original, or at least within the realm of available options at the time the car was built. I know that the whole "numbers matching" thing gets all blown out of proportion, but a car that is more "correct" does traditionally have a higher resale value than one that isn't. Good luck with the decision.

Dave,
ya..that was a link alright!
Thanks for your input.
I am not looking to stay numbers matching, nor do I ever plan to sell the car.
I am looking to bump up the HP.
And my local machine shop cost to rebuild the block and heads is very close to the cost of the new engine. Plus the new engine has a 3 year warranty. The rebuild is just "hope it works".

Anyone else have any "first-hand" experience with on of these "LM-1"s?

Thanks!

Adam,
I was talking with a co-worker this morning about your engine options. He has a NOM b.b. '68 and has located a "right" engine for his car. His recommendation was to rebuild/build up your current engine. As long as the dollars are close between the options he thinks you'd be better off in the long run to stick with the original. His comment was that any engine shop worth working with should offer some kind of warranty on their work, just to protect their reputation at the minimum. He also said that a block is a block, its what you put in it, and on it, that makes it. So if you want more HP, dig out the specs for a higher performance engine, like the '70 LT-1 for instance, and go from there. Most of the things that add the horespower are more internal (bore/stroke/pistons/cam/etc.) that won't affect the outward appearance. You'll have the best of both worlds - more scoot and the "rightness" of an original.

He also added that if you decide to go with the replacement, hang on to the original. We all say that we'll never sell "our babies", but the reality is that they will most likely out live our being able to enjoy them. Hopefully that point in time is many, many miles down the road, but when it does come a car that is more "correct" is going to have more value. Even if the original "heart" is in a box, just having it available to the buyer will be a plus. And should they not be interested in it, you still have an asset that someone else with a '79 project would be interested in having.

Jim,
Thanks for the research!

I'm mostly going for the quick and easy solution. Since the cost is the same, but the time difference is a matter of weeks, I think I'd rather go with the new engine. Plus to upgrade the current engine, that means I'd start messing around with parts that weren't necessarily meant to be together. If I buy the new engine, I know all it's parts are meant to be together.

Unless someone can give me a reason not to buy the particular engine I'm looking at, I'm probably gonna go that route.

And, yes, I already plan to keep the original engine and clean it up as time/money permits. And I really will never get rid of this car. My father was the original owner, and if I ever get tired of it (which I really can't see happening) I'll give it to my kid!

You're welcome. Sounds like to me you will have one happy kid in the future...!!! Most kids get a pocket watch or something like that from their grandfather - yours gets a 'Vette.

Have fun with the project...!!!

Jim O.

I've got the LM1 in one I just picked up to resell Adam. This is what the guy told me on it. He blew his old engine, didn't want to put a lot of money in it as he knew he was selling it. So he got this Target LM1 short block and added all his stuff to it off the old one. It runs fine, fact I took it thru inspection just short time ago and passed with flying colors. He said it came in around 250 HP but I'm not really sure on that. Plenty of power for me. Really runs nice ...They added a new carb on it but the rest was off the old one. I'd say if you just want a driver while you build up a killer engine that its a cheap way to go..... Or save you money and get a crate engine thats all built up...lots of those available..I get all the catalogs here and there is a wide selection of those if you just want it all new....Just drop it in...... If ya need urls for crate built engines let me know, but I'm sure you probally have them already. If I'm not mistaken that LM1 is stamped right up ahead of the front right valve cover where the ground off the old numbers.....fact there is a web site on those also... Swampy

|UPDATED|3/9/02 6:20:17 PM|/UPDATED|

The price on that crate engine sounds pretty good. I just bought a complete 454 to replace my original 427. The engine was $850. The head work will be $450 total for both. The block will be $300. The specs I am using say I should get around 540 hp and 539 ft lbs of torque at the fly wheel so I should still be around 400 of each at the rear wheels. If I were you, for a driver, I would definately get the crate engine. I hope to run into you this spring or summer, I live about 25 miles from you in Downingtown.
Good Luck, Glenn

Glenns. Had a friend of mine in Carmel, NY. run a Dyno-Jet test on his basicly stock "502" 440HP. The only modifications were the Hooker headers/sidepipes. He only pulled 246 HP and 388 on the torque. That was with Hookers reverse flow mufflers. With the Spiral Turbo Baffles it jumped to 338 HP and 408 on the torque. Open tubes only gained 4 HP but the torque jumped to 445. I'm not sure your going to get that much at the rear with the 454. Good luck. JCL "Sidepipes are the way"