pedec

I bought this 1969 427/390hp vet all original with 100000 miles and planning on rebuilding motor and wonder if factory side pipe and manifold are restricting motor. Motor builder want to put header on car. I am planning on enlarging valves, rollers, porting head, cam, basically getting some more power out of motor yet looking stock. Car won a top flight award back in 1992 but I am not planning on trying to do that again just make car a reliable nice driver thats is fun to drive.

pedec

Just a picture of car. Thanks for any help.

doorgunner

She's beautiful!

If the engine is in good shape....don't rework it!

I WISH my engine had the H.P. that your engine ALREADY has!

sug

Great looking 69 mate. I cant help with your motor rebuild. I think the side pipes have no baffles and are open chambered so I don't think they would restrict the flow much. Good luck with the rebuild and welcome to the forum.

billla

Yeah, that's a stunning 'Vette for sure.

Just me, but if I had something that close to Top Flight I'd sure keep it there.

There are plenty of ways to increase the power somewhat while not making external changes.

Make sure - damn sure - that the engine builder knows not to cut the VIN pad on the engine. If he's asking for headers, I'm betting he doesn't do restoration-class work.

I guess in the end I'd think carefully about messing with an all-original 'Vette.

63mako

on the deck cut. I would avoid resurfacing the deck completely. You will drop the price 20-30% if the vin numbers are decked off. Don't do headers. The factory side exhaust is a nice option and any extra power isn't worth the loss of that and originality. On ANY rebuild I would recommend a retro roller just for piece of mind, more power, better streetability and vacuum with similar duration.

69427

My compliments on your choice of car.

pedec

The motor and car are all original and seems to run ok but with a 100000 miles on stock 427 it starting to leak a lot all over including tranny. Frost plug are ready to pop also so i figure it better to just rebuild the whole drivetrain before I do any damage that will cost me more later and whole drivetrain is number matching with all documentation so I do not want to Destroy any original parts. I want a car I can jump in a drive on a long trip no problem. I am new to corvette car and need all the help I can get and would be appreciated. So with car being all original I justify the cost to rebuild whole drivetrain now will save in long run and I will know what I got then also. Since motor will be out I figure making motor a little better than stock should not hurt value to much. Thanks for any help or ideas to make it better than stock but still look stock. Planning on putting composite rear spring in also while rear end is out and changing to a 2500 stall converter.

69427

Have you considered storing the original engine in a box in the corner of the garage, and putting a crate engine in it? The headache factor of a rebuild is erased, and if you ever (accidentally) grenade the engine you won't lose a moment of sleep worrying about hurting the car's resale value.

cv67

Go for it the right guy will understand not to grind the #s off and get the block good and square doubt that would value a bit
Port the heads, HR cam etc is all undetectable.
Same with extrude honing or porting intakes.
dig the stock look/big power thing.

pedec

The guy doing the drivetrain work is a very welll know drag racing shop VOGT RACING they actually race a pro mod 63 corvette. He is more about getting power out of car but also owns a few nice original cars and knows what a original car is worth. He told me you can always keep original manifold and bolt it back up if needed. Thanks for all the ideas and options so far. I am going to rebuild drivetrain just not sure totally which way to go yet but have alway been the type that like more hp but also like keeping car looking orignal. Thanks again,

pedec

Just some more documentation that came with car. As you can tell I am having hard time which way to go with rebuild. Car has every bill for work done on car from 1980. Car has only had 5000 mile put on it last 20 years.

pedec

Just a little more stuff that came with car.

pedec

So should I just leave it stock? I can not decide, I am keeping sidepipe with new stock mufflers but how would it sound and perform with headers on slighty built motor. This car has turbo400 auto and 3.08 rear end and in stock trim it has a hard time breaking loose rear tires. Its not slow it just get traction and takes off. But with a car that looks like this and with 427 on the hood it would nice to have a little more go. I also like the 3.08 gears on highway and plan on doing a lot of highway driving . With car having a lot miles on it anyways it should not hurt valve to much anyways and may as well enjoy the car.

garygnu

I agree with storing the 427 engine ,and swapping in a rebuilt 454 that meets your power goals .

Jeff_Keryk

Listen to Billa and 63mako. Those little numbers on my L36 pad are pretty hard to see... And you don't get a second chance.

pedec

You guys have got me thinking again and might change my original plan. Glad I found this site. I want to keep car stock looking but with 100000 miles the value of it being all original is not the same as car all original and 30000- 40000 miles right even though car looks like it has a lot less mileage it still matters the most. The original owner took great care of car and put 90% of miles on car but total mileage still take away from total value of car does it not. When does mileage reach a point that car can be modified and it does not matter. I am new to this old car game and last old cars I had were 25 years ago 1966 chevelle with 283 and 1970 nova with 350 and this vette is in better shape now than they were then. I really was just looking for a old driver muscle car and could not pass this car up with a 427 in it. It the first one I have ever really seen or driven in. Where I am from there has never been to many Vette and no 427 vette. Thanks for help.

roscobbc

Did this too with my 'matching numbers' but scruffy 70K mile '68 L36. IF you are looking to do a total re-build if is far easier and ultimately less expensive (if you consider your $ expendeture/HP/torque/drivability realised) to source a seasoned 454 4 bolt block, new stroker rotating assembly, cam, heads, inlet, carb etc and build it up. My 489 cu in '454' has now increased HP and torque by 50% compared with L36, improved cruise mileage by about 10% and fun factor by more than 100%. If you ever sell the car, the 'old' engine goes with the car for originality - no contest

7t9l82

all good suggestions. definitely agree about not cutting the numbers off the deck. the mileage on you car has almost zero impact on your cars value. id rebuild the motor with a better cam and some head work and extrude hone the exhaust manifolds. i suspect your lack of power is a worn camshaft and components .

rponfick

I agree with stock exhaust manifolds. They don't flow that bad, and headers can be a nightmare, besides originality is lost. You don't sound like you want every last HP. Internal upgrades like roller cam, etc. are good, and hidden.

Just my 2 cents.

Ralph