Is the L48 a good engine? Comments please...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 4
From: Fairview Heights Illinois, near Saint Louis MO, STL C3 Shark
Originally Posted by rihwoods
Interesting...mine is a Borg Warner Super T-10 in my 78....thought the Saginaws went in the 79's....
Rich
Rich
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Originally Posted by page62
The small-block Chevy 350 is the most upgradeable and easily modified engine out there. Don't worry about stock performance...this is the place to come learn about how you can put some fire in that engine.
Have an knowledgeable person look at the car. You should be more worried about rust in certain key areas than the stock engine performance. It's easy to upgrade the engine, hard to fix rust...
Have an knowledgeable person look at the car. You should be more worried about rust in certain key areas than the stock engine performance. It's easy to upgrade the engine, hard to fix rust...
A rusted frame or birdcage (body frame) is not.
Sounds like a fair price for a running 76.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 695
Likes: 0
From: No matter where you go, there you are. No VA
Originally Posted by page62
The small-block Chevy 350 is the most upgradeable and easily modified engine out there. Don't worry about stock performance...this is the place to come learn about how you can put some fire in that engine.
Have an knowledgeable person look at the car. You should be more worried about rust in certain key areas than the stock engine performance. It's easy to upgrade the engine, hard to fix rust...
Have an knowledgeable person look at the car. You should be more worried about rust in certain key areas than the stock engine performance. It's easy to upgrade the engine, hard to fix rust...
Welcome to the forum 
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Montreal Quebec
This was a re-assuring post on th L48.
I am about to acquire a 72 convert with an original base model engine.
Is this the same engine as the L48 and if yes would it be tuned the same way the 76s were tuned with all the smog controls etc....
thx
I am about to acquire a 72 convert with an original base model engine.
Is this the same engine as the L48 and if yes would it be tuned the same way the 76s were tuned with all the smog controls etc....
thx
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,152
Likes: 33
From: Folsom Ca
I think the L48 is a good reliable Chevy engine.It can be tweaked to run faster pretty easily.I think sometimes people get to caught up in the L48-L82 thing.There`s so many other things to consider when buying a Vette of this vintage.
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 432
Likes: 0
From: Granbury TX
Get some loud mufflers and drive it around like you have 500 hp under the hood. When that little Honda wants to race at the light, let him go, and just ease off. He can't say he beat you cause you didn't race him. The fool just took off in his Honda!
Last edited by lucky76; Oct 6, 2005 at 11:52 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
My 76 was stock when I got it. Top rebuild with upgraded carb, cam, intake manifold, and big valves. She will fly now when you hit the gas! 
The L48 is very easy to work on. I just can't do body work, so follow the advice here about checking it out for rust.
The L48 is very easy to work on. I just can't do body work, so follow the advice here about checking it out for rust.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 32,519
Likes: 1
From: central America
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Originally Posted by TexasMadMan
Sundance:
I believe the base '72 L48 had 200HP while the '76 version had 180hp.
I believe the base '72 L48 had 200HP while the '76 version had 180hp.
I should know, I own one. But since my rebuild this spring, 200hp is now a bad memory.trw
For a heathen, Tony isn't half bad!
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Originally Posted by Maggs
When it redlines in 4th, do you have the feeling there should be another gear??
Old habits die hard I guess.
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
1975 C3 Manual Car
Hey Guys, New to the forum here. About 2 weeks ago I picked up a 75 vette with a 4 spd. manual. The car came with a complete new Al Knoch interior and only has 37k original miles. I was reading online and saw that there were only a little over 1000 manuals made out of 34 thousand units. Is this true? The car is all matching #'s and the best part is that it was only $1500.
Can anyone give me a few good ideas as to what to bolt on under the hood? I want to keep the original engine but want to get some more HP. I figure carb, intake cam etc. Any pointers? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Can anyone give me a few good ideas as to what to bolt on under the hood? I want to keep the original engine but want to get some more HP. I figure carb, intake cam etc. Any pointers? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Hey Guys, New to the forum here. About 2 weeks ago I picked up a 75 vette with a 4 spd. manual. The car came with a complete new Al Knoch interior and only has 37k original miles. I was reading online and saw that there were only a little over 1000 manuals made out of 34 thousand units. Is this true? The car is all matching #'s and the best part is that it was only $1500.
Can anyone give me a few good ideas as to what to bolt on under the hood? I want to keep the original engine but want to get some more HP. I figure carb, intake cam etc. Any pointers? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Can anyone give me a few good ideas as to what to bolt on under the hood? I want to keep the original engine but want to get some more HP. I figure carb, intake cam etc. Any pointers? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Hey Mike, Here is a wesite that gave me the production figures for 75'.
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,046
Likes: 675
From: FL
Hey Mike, Here is a wesite that gave me the production figures for 75'.
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Hey Mike, Here is a wesite that gave me the production figures for 75'.
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
http://www.idavette.net/facts/75.htm
Total production= 37887
cars with auto trans= 28473
remainder had a manual trans, either M20 or M21
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
In 1976, the 180 hp L48 with a 4 speed had 3.08 or 3.36 axle ratios available. I don't think there is enough hp to redline the engine in 4th gear with either ratio. Somebody will correct me if I am wrong. I am sure I can do it with my car (over 400 hp) and 3.36 gears, but I would probably be doing around 135 mph at 5600 rpm. I don't have the stones to drive my 41 year old car that fast, let alone shift into overdrive and go for more.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 441
Likes: 2
From: San Antonio TX
Bought my '76 4sp. / 3:36 gears , for $8500 w/ 45k miles...... then spent almost another 1k to ship from Pennsylvannia to my doorstep in S. Texas.
180hp is not going to set any acceleration records ...but as others advise ..350sbc upgrades are easily done with a little $$$$
(cheapest way would be drop in a set of 5:88 cogs ) but you would be in 4th at the end of the block ..LOL
and yea I like the cool factor you get when "puttin' thru town
180hp is not going to set any acceleration records ...but as others advise ..350sbc upgrades are easily done with a little $$$$
(cheapest way would be drop in a set of 5:88 cogs ) but you would be in 4th at the end of the block ..LOL
and yea I like the cool factor you get when "puttin' thru town
Last edited by Rmorgan&11; Aug 8, 2010 at 02:40 PM.