Mr.Mouse

"You can build/swap a 327 engine, but not change a distributor?? COME ON! Buy a new opti and put it in! "
Which part of....The Opti Spark Sucks and is not reliable,dont you understand?
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"You posted a Chevy dealer's quote of $1400 to change one, but how is that relevant?"
It's revelant because this is what I have to look forward to....a piece of crap that leaves you stranded and can go at any moment.I only mentioned the price paid because a lady owned the car and since she cant do the work,thats what a Chevy dealer charged her.
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"OR install a "327" old skool, lose about 80 hp in the process (I hope you realize that "365 hp cam" won't be making any 365 hp...right?), lose EFI, drivability, fuel economy, etc."
Thats right bro...I AM OLD SCHOOL.I have had Vettes since 1969,including 2 69 435 Horse cars.
I miss the cam rumble out of the exhaust.I miss the music of the solid lifter cam.
I especially miss the SIMPLICITY and DEPENDABILITY of the old cars.
I love the C4 body and the 6 banger but absolutely hate all the computer crap.
Dont worry....A 327/350 will pull that car.I have had several 65,66,67,68 and 69's over the years with the 327/350 and 350/350 and they are plenty powerful enough.Most of all,they are 99.9% RELIABLE.No electronics and no computers to deal with.(only an electronic distributor swap)
I dont care about mileage,I dont put that many miles on the car for the few months that it gets driven and the mileage was not bad with a simple 4 speed and no overdrive.
The extra gears will improve highway miles.(probably never use 6th gear)
So....
I still want to get rid of the electronic/computer/sensors/etc.....
Wont run??? Check 2 things.....Spark and gas....NOT 1,845 codes,sensors,pumps,relays,etc....

Tom400CFI

The part where I own one, and it's reliable. The part where I've changed one, and it is NOT hard, it is NOT expensive. The part where I've swppped engines, and I know that an engine swap takes about 10x more time than a distributor swap....AND the part where I know a carb'ed 327 will make way less power and tq than your stock LT1. Those are the parts. Your ROI of eliminating the Opti by swapping in an carb'ed 327 is infinity. It will never happen.


Right, but that's NOT what you can look forward to, b/c you can change the opti yourself, right? So what does $1400 have to do w/your situation? Nothing. Are Carb'ed 327's immune to "leaves you stranded"? No, they're not, and no car is. I've never been stranded by my opti; car has ~160k on it now. In fact, my wife and I feel that the 'Vette is our most reliable car. I just sent her (by herself) on a 3k mile round trip, to Michigan and back, in my 'Vette.



Fair enough. Don't need to reduce displacement to accomplish that, however. Don't even need to swap motors.

1. Get your intake modded to run a conventional HEI dist (was already mentioned by me in a previous, helpful post), then run an L98 ECM (or any "conventional distributor" ECM), w/appropriate tune and harness.

2. Get a carb'ed/Vortec intake manifold. Run the same engine, "Old Skool style" with a carb and conventional dist. You can even use points! Keep the power, lose the refinement.

3. ^, but add a cam to give you the "rumpty rump" you like.

4. Get WILD and CRAZY!. Get the LT1 intake mod to run a conventional dist., lose the harness, ECM all EFI hardware, then fab a TB flange for front of manifold and run a 2bbl, side draft Dellorto carb on the front of the LT1 intake!

Stick it to 'em OLD SKOOL STYLE!



Put 15" Craigar SS rims, drum brakes and side pipes on it....enjoy heaven! (J/K on that last part!)


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Mr.Mouse

"OR install a "327" old skool, lose about 80 hp in the process (I hope you realize that "365 hp cam" won't be making any 365 hp...right?), lose EFI, drivability, fuel economy, etc."

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/06/...z28-lt1-video/

1966 BONE STOCK L79 327-350 HP
with STOCK 15" tires
Car weighs 3,140 lbs
1/4 mile time-13.32 @ 103 MPH

1992 BONE STOCK LT1 350-300 HP
All stock...NO mods
Car weighs 3,317 lbs
Got times from 3 different places
13.6 @103
13.8 @ 103
and another was 14.1

So as I see it......you may lose a few miles per gallon.....but you lose the NIGHTMARE that is Computers,sensors,Opti-Crap and SIMPLIFY the car by many orders of magnitude.
And a 327-350 L79 dont sound like my Grandmothers lead sled Oldsmobile like the LT1 does.

Tom400CFI

Well, you just confirmed what I said. You "won't be making any 365 hp." You just quoted a 13.3/103 time for a "350 hp", 3100 lb car (which is the fastest stock 327 *I* have ever seen. This is more like what I'd expect:
January 1965 Car and Driver - 65 350HP MT 14.9 sec, 94 mph ). And her's ANOTHER, 14.5 And yet ANOTHER ~15 sec 1/4 (1.2 way down the page) You sure you didn't quote times for a 427?

Anyway, my box stock LT1 which is 300 hp, and more than 3140 lbs will run those numbers.....so you won't be making any 365 HP. To put "'60's" hp ratings into perspective which is the point that I was originally trying to make, here is a GM graph, comparing a "300 hp" engine from today ('92 LT1) to a "370 hp" engine from 1970 (LT-1)





I wonder if maybe you bought the wrong Corvette?

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Mr.Mouse

I understand all that.....
See the Utube video of the actual run on the track with the ET and MPH light up at the end.
What I am trying to tell you is that the 327/350 is not and never was a pig.
It will pull that C4 with no problem in stock form with ancient cylinder heads.

I dont care about ET or top speed.
In the last 2 years I traded/bought a 70 coupe and a 73 Ragtop.
Thought I might like to get into an old one again but I like the C4 body and all the do-dad options and the suspension etc...
Driving those cars was like driving a Fred Flintstone car after having driven C4's.
I just hate the computer controls for the engine and I have all winter to get it done.
I have an L98 and a Camaro 350 and the LT1 and the 66 327-350.
I dont want to spend much money when I have all this stuff already.

Tom400CFI

O.K., well my car says otherwise, but you can keep telling yourself that. I never said the 327 was a pig. What I said, was. "that "365 hp cam" won't be making any 365 hp"



Well, this thread has certainly given you a plethora of viable options, from the sensible, to the outlandish. Take your pick and give'r hell.

bjankuski

As noted those are not stock cars, those cars are built to stock class "racing" specifications which means they are blueprinted and modified to maximize or minimize all of the specifications from the factory with a non-stock camshaft that has a lift rule but not duration rule. Your all stock 327 vette will not run in the 13's, more likely high 14's.

I have dynoed many factory cars from the 60's and 70's and what looks good on paper does not prove to be so impressive. Remember ratings before 1971 were gross ratings, after 1971 they are net ratings and a 365 HP gross rating will probably end up as a 275 HP gross rating.