The 1981 Corvette was the first year of an environmentally friendly engine. There was no engine option, only a 190 HP 350 with a carburetor that was computer controlled. So much for a "Sports Car". I decided a late model, smog friendly LT-1 would go nice. I decided to retain the 4L60E automatic overdrive transmission and the LT-1 fuel injection. The LT-1 is factory rated at 330 HP.

The first step was to remove the weak 350 engine and turbo 350 transmission from the 1981 Corvette.

With the engine and transmission removed it was time for a major clean-up and sanding as the car would also be repainted as part of the up-date.

After spraying the body with 2 part epoxy primer the block sanding started in earnest. The color chosen was a Gunmetal Gray Pearl urethane.

The 4L60E overdrive transmission was cleaned and painted awaiting mating with the LT-1 engine. A wiring harness for this swap was purchased thru Ron Francis Wire Works and the panel was mounted behind the passenger seat while the computer was mounted behind the drivers seat replacing the 1981 computer. A special tail housing was ordered to allow both the electronic pick up ( needed for the computer) and a cable (for the speedometer).

The 1994 LT-1 was stripped and freshened with new rings, bearings, oil pump and gaskets. A LT-4 "Hot Cam" was installed with 1.6:1 roller rockers. The aluminum angle plug heads were gasket matched and have 58cc chambers giving a stock compression ratio of around 10.5:1. Stock injectors were used but an adjustable fuel pressure regulator was added.

Here is the LT-1 with a complete chromed serpentine pulley system from Street and Performance. Including a new late model power steering pump and Sanyo air conditioning compressor.

The LT-1 nestles nicely in the 81 Vette engine compartment hooking up to the factory Stainless headers and exhaust, including the cat converters. Electric fans are used along with a Griffin aluminum radiator to aid in cooling. The drive shaft had to be shortened and transmission crossmember / mount had to be modified because of the longer 4L60E transmission.

The ignition was upgraded to an Accel 300 system. The fuel quantity sending unit in the tank was replaced with a sending unit from a 1982 Corvette and a fuel pump from a 1994 Camero. Fuel lines were fabricated and an adjustable fuel pressure regulator added. A LT-4 knock sensor was used to compensate for the added noise of the 1.6 roller rockers

1995 Corvette 17" rims were added using VBP spacers. The front and rear suspensions wrere completly rebuilt using products from VBP (urethane) and an upgraded rear spring, Borla mufflers, stainless emergency brake hardware and a set of 3:73 gears for the rear end.

Recently the Vette was taken to my local Meineke Car Care Center (Hendersonville, NC) where Kip Newhall installed a complete 2 1/2 inch exhaust to the headers. The exhaust has 2 new hi-flo stainless cats and follows the original routing back to the 2 Borla Stainless mufflers.

New seat cushions and covers are being installed. The interior wiring ( for the LT-1 conversion) and counsul are being finalized so the interior can be put back together. New door panels are also being fitted as part of the completion project. The wiring was left to complete after the car had some miles on it to insure the electronic part of the conversion functioned properly.