I think the 2 worst things about the LT1s of the 80s -90s were: The coolant system is reverse flow, and they use an opti spark unit instead of a distributor. The optispark is behind the water pump driven off the cam so when it fails it is real fun to replace. Tuning used to be very limited for them too. For a street rod you wanted to drive and get great economy, they were awesome. But if performance is in mind, be prepared to spend some money and time waiting. They are good engines for the most part.