1997 CAMARO SS VS. 1998 CAMARO Z-28

I'd recommend the 98 unless you prefer the 97's styling. The LS1 starts at 305 hp and goes up from there... from the magazines the LT1's were low 14's/high 13's and the LS1's were mid/low 13's. (My stock 01 TA has gone 13.11 with nothing more than drag radials and an intake lid.)

Plus, the 98 cars got bigger brakes and a bunch of "under the hood" improvements.

But, the LS1 is just a better engine - hard to argue with aluminum construction, 6 bolt mains, 8 coils, etc. The main difference between the LS1 and the LS6 is the cam - throw an LS6 valvetrain in your LS1 and you have 400 hp. (ok, the block was modified for improved strength but that's seeming to be kinda not needed... lots of 500+ hp LS1's out there on stock bottom ends.)

And if 13's aren't enough, for under a grand you can throw a 100hp nitrous system and run low 12's - maybe even 11's if you're good. (Mine has run 12.18 with the lid and drag radials.)