71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

[Jeff Chester]

If you had a choice which would you buy.
71 white convt, blk leather LT1 55,000 all there, needs only paint!!!.

all new frame off.4sp, 4:11...$14,000...or....
71 LS5 Brighhampton Blue, Blk interior, conv. 4 sp, needs front clip,

and paint/interior, Motor on a stand, done. $10,500.

I've done it all, resto part...
Just looking at long term investment, resale.
I've seen the ## on production...
Jusy need a general feel of what's hot.
I'm a BB fan, yet the LT1 seems to bring good value...
p.s. I never sell, so long term....

[Tom Freeman]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

Grab both of them Personaly, if I could not get both, I would go for the LS5. Just like the big blocks. Also, my favorite price guide - Cars&Parts Corvette magazine, lists the value of the LT1 at $3,500 above the base engine and the LS5 at $5,000 over the base engine.

tom...


The '73 Spot

[robert leazenby]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

if it was a 70 LT-1, i would say that one. being a 71, go for the big block. and this comes from an LT-1 owner.

[Ed Jennings]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

The 71 LS5 makes a terrific driver. I drove one for 3-4 years in the early 70's. It will even run on pump gasoline, and would outrun the 427/390's at the local dragstrip with regularity. From an eventual value standpoint, it seems like there were a lot fewer LT1's than LS5's. The big block popularity may not last forever. I remember when you couldn't give one away, and coupes brought a significant premium over convertibles. Everything goes in cycles.

[Jay Hastings]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

Jeff their is no question BIG BLOCK!!

I am bias 73 BB / 67 435 BB ( dealing on a 69 nom BB )
Jay

[Dave S.]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

Jeff, I owned a loaded 70 Big Block convertable and now have a 70 and 71 LT-1's. The Big Block was a fun car but in my opinion couldn't hold a candle to the LT-1. Unless you are hung up on having A/C which the early LT-1's don't have, I much prefer the small block cars. The performance is super and they are easy to work on. The Big Block cars are difficult to repair and my 70 seemed to be a car that required constant attention even though it was a limited use toy. You can't go wrong either way as long as you buy a good car at a fair price. Good Luck

[Jeff Chester]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

Here's the low down.
I found this guy near me that buys and parts cars....
I helped cut one up this weekend...don't worry it was beyond repair.
Pillars, door jams, rear was broke of frame, 3 foot size holes. etc..
Anyhow,
He has this 1971 LS5 conv. which took a shot at the nose- needs nose..
He bought it, with the ## matching fresh motor on a stand.
Paint coded to Bridgehampton Blue, blk leather.
The car needs totally done....paint, interior..but all there. for $10,300.

He has this 1971 LT1, conv. frame done motor done, running,all new nos parts
all new....parts...55,000
Paint coded to white, blk leather. interior done, mint...new top...4:11
Needs paint only...$13,500

tough decision....
I love that blue, but the LT1 coud be done, done in a few weeks..
.oh, whooo is me
Why do we do this, I have 3 other vettes that need to be finished?
thanks for all tha input....jc

[Robert C.]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

No choice for me, get the car that you can drive. If you don't get the LT-1 let me know, I would love to have it.

[Mark Ring]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

My first knee jerk reaction was ...The LT-1 as it is MUCH closer to being finished and the big block will take much more time/money to finish. But after more careful consideration I came up with this idea...Buy the one that you will like best when completely finished, ignoring price. Simple, since you keep them forever (like I do) you realy need to love looking/owning/driving the car. If you love the blue better than the white, go with the big block. I assume both cars will be a joy to drive/own. The engines are both fun to show off either way. If it were my choice, and I realy wish it was, I would love to go down to the garage at night and pull the cover off the blue one just for a peek before going to bed. White is just not my first choice. Good luck!
-Mark.

[Jeff Burkey]

Re: 71 LT1 vs 71 LS5

Remember, after all is said and done, the most favorite Corvette of our illustrious Chief Engineer, Zora Arkus, was the LT-1. The 50-50 weight balance, a small-block with all out carburetion and unlimited rev potential, not to mention not having to worry about the "oven" under the hood on a big block, made this set-up very attractive....!!!! only 1,949 made in 1971

[Duke W.]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........

It's no secret that Zora was not a BB fan, but I read that his favorite Corvette was the '65 because it was the only year you could have both a FI engine and disk brakes, and he was instrumental in the development of both of those systems.

Duke

[Tom Freeman]

You sure....

"Zora Arkus-Duntov reckons the new Corvette to be the best ever, and after exhaustive testing of four different models, we're inclined to agree"
Car and Driver, Dec 1972, in their road test of the new 1973 Corvette.

Also read somewhere that Zora's fav Vette was the last one he owned, a '74 LS4 automatic.


The '73 Spot

[Duke W.]

Re: You sure....

Yeah, I read it somewhere. Unfortunately I can't quote the source, but I believe the comment was late in his career or after he retired - one of those "looking back over the years" type comments.

No doubt he always promoted the latest model as the greatest. I think he bought the '74 because he was retiring. I recall that was the first Corvette he ever personally owned because prior to that he always had a company car or an engineering development car to drive, and he obviously knew what was going to happen to the power in 1975.

Duke

[Patrick H.]

Re: You sure....

Duke,

I believe it was in a magazine article in the early 90's (Car and Driver?) when he visited that large collection some guy had in Massachusetts (Boston area) and drove a few of them. I've got the mag somewhere. One of the cars was a 65 fuel coupe, and I believe it was in that article he said that.

Patrick

[Terry M.]