You need LT1 heads, which requires an LT1 block. (The LT-1 was the engine used in the '70 Z28. The hyphen makes a big difference)
The LT1 has reverse flow cooling. Coolant doesn't go through the intake manifold. Coolant goes into and out of the block on the pads on the front of the engine block (coolant goes both ways through the decks similar to a 351C) so the heads, block, and water pump assembly are all LT1 specific. And, of course, the intake manifold does not have a thermostat in it. I don't think coolant flows through it at all, but it's been forever since I've had to play with one.
If you put an LT1 intake manifold on a small block then you would have no thermostat or even water outlet. Different species...
Check this out, here's someone converting an LT1 to use a standard intake manifold and water pump setup. The LT1 water pump was driven off of the camshaft gear, another weirdness.
http://www.bacomatic.org/~dw/engine/lt1/lt1.htm Might give you an idea as to just how different they are from anything else Chevy did. Plus this page is good for a quote that still makes me laugh: "Remember, Chevy stuff all interchanges, and they're easy to work on..."
Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio
1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2008 09:09PM by Pete.
