[Dave B]

I have one of the last LT1 cars and need to upgrade to an LS1. The '01s and '02 are coming off lease and seem tempting.

I figure there must be somethings to look out for compared to the LT1. What are the common engine failure/warranty fixes? I know the power steering pump is a big problem for race track use. On my LT1 this was solved with pulleys but it has a remote reservoir. Are pulleys available for LS1 cars? Do they work or do I need a power steering cooler?

Any easy fix for the rear wheel brake hop?

This car will be used for street and track use including competition but the engine will be stock except for a lid and possibly headers ( if they are worth it)

Also if I get an intake lid is there any difference in power between SS/WS6 cars and regular coupes? I will be altering the suspension significantly so it doesn't matter about the stock spring rates etc.

Another small point. I bought my LT1 new and defintely did not want T tops as they seem to leak. If you have them do your T tops leak? It may take me a while to find a relatively loaded car without them.

[LT4Firehawk]

Evan,  What is involved in an LT4 swap?  Is that all you did to get 311 HP at the wheels?

No, my car is one of the actual GM/SLP LT4 cars that makes it legal for you to swap in an LT4. Here is the exact list of what my car is:
Balanced and blueprinted LT4 engine
LT1 injectors
LT1 ECM (which I've had retuned to match the LT4, which is legal under ESP)
LT1 knock module (which I switched to LT4 knock module)
LT1 valve covers
LT1 accessories (A/C, power steering, alternator)
LT1 AIR and EGR systems
LT1 oil cooler

Bone stock my car made 280RWHP, and with the ECM retuing and LT4 KM (both ESP legal) it made 311RWHP. Here's a link to the dyno graphs:
http://www.lt1.net/dyno.htm

Now, let's look at the ESP update/backdate rule (14.1 section C):

Equipment and/or specifications may be exchanged between different years and models of a vehicle if
a. the item is standard on the year/model from which it was taken,
b. the years/models are listed on the same line of Appendix A (Street Prepared Classes).
The updated/backdated part or the part to which it is to be attached may not be altered, modified, machined or otherwise changed to facilitate the updating/backdating allowance. The updating and/or backdating of engines, transmissions or transaxles must be done as a unit; component parts of these units may not be interchanged. Cars not listed in the Street Prepared sections of Appendix A may not be updated/backdated until approved by the SEB and published in SportsCar magazine. 

So, you would need to update to a complete LT4 engine that matches the specs of what I have. To help out, you might take a look at this page:
http://www.grandsportregistry.com/lt1vslt4.htm
It's got a complete breakdown of all the differences, but remember, the f-body LT4s use the LT1 parts I listed above. It may look like a lot at first, but here's the basic list of things you'd need:
4 bolt LT1/4 block (standard in all 92-96 Corvettes)
LT4 crankshaft (actually and LT1 crankshaft with machinging)
LT4 heads & gaskets
LT4 pistons & rings
LT4 camshaft (hotcam was never used in production)
LT4 timing chain & sprokets
Also, under ESP rules you could bore the engine .0472 in. and still be legal, so you could get a little more power there too. And you can also port match the intake and exhaust ports, which can give you a big gain on the intake manifold to head ports on an LT4.

Still seems the LS1 doesn't have an equivalent to the intake manifold leak or optispark issues.

No, it doesn't have those issues, but it does have it's own problems, the biggest being oil consumption. The LS1 f-bodies also seem to have more power steering issues and like I mentioned before more serious axle hop/braking issues. People worry about the intake manifold leak and optispark on LT1/4s, but I've never had an optispark fail and run all my cars pretty hard. I think they really fixed them when they went to the vented style in 95 (the unit in my 95 got washed many times when I'd hose down the engine to clean it and never had any issues). Also, the intake manifold leak will not be a problem if you seal it right to begin with. The problem was that they didn't give it enough time to cure on the assembly line.

Anyway, if I were in your position I'd build an LT4 enginge and drop it in the car. I don't know if full ESP rules apply to your Solo I class, but if so exhaust and intake are compltely free (you could run full headers, etc). With an LT4 built to the limit of the rules and the best intake and exhaust, you should be able to get 340-350RWHP and probably 345+ RWTQ.