Dyann99

I am looking at two different 58's one with 245hp the other 270hp what is the difference and witch is better. Cars are priced the same and overall condition is about same. How can you tell the two apart I know the 270hp is different cam and solid lifters are carbs and heads same.






Thanks for all your Terry

Frankie the Fink

The 270hp will rev higher and perform harder but it has solid lifters that require more maintenance than the hydraulic lifter 245hp car.

They both will have 6-1299 air horns on front and rear carbs. 0-049 or 0-1049 main bodies are correct for both. I don't look at the aluminum triangular tags to verify originality as they can be swapped out or lost: but they should be 2626S for front carb and 2627S for the rear for 245hp carbs....2613S and 2614S for 270hp carbs.

The easiest way to externally identify 245hp carbs from 270hp carbs for a fact is their counterweights and main primary bores...the nozzles in a 245hp carb primary will be cut straight up and down the 270hp will be cut at a 45 degree angle. Note the pictures and text in the attached article.

The rear flapper counterweights and arms are different between the two carbs but those can be changed too - best to check for an angle cut on the primary nozzles to be sure of a 270hp lid...

vintagecorvette

In 1958 The 270HP car will have an 8000RPM tach and the 245HP car will have a 6000RPM tach.

Frankie the Fink

Thanks for adding that; I got awash in the details and forgot it

68hemi

Actually I believe they are the same tach just different redlines. It is the quickest way to determine if the car was originally a factory hipo car (provided the tach had not been changed) but then you need to determine if it was a hipo carb or FI car.

ejboyd5

Start it up and let it idle - the sound should tell you the difference.

Frankie the Fink

Yup - except for the carbs...

vintagecorvette

They are not the same tach. The 270HP does not have an rev meter while the 245hp does.

Real FI cars will have an air cleaner nut riveted into the inner finder.

scopeli

if the owner of the 270 is knowledgeable about the car the oil fill cap will be non-venting and therefore not have the decal on the side of the cap.