Considering Engine Swap--Other Changes
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
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From: Rapid City South Dakota
Yes, very similar in hp and torque. What year is your car? One major difference is my rear gears are 5.13 (from what I was told by the seller). It has a Be Cool Aluminum Radiator with dual electric fans with trans cooler. As well, it has an oil cooler (again, from what the seller said). And I was advised that the car had a new "built up" rear end, new suspension bushings, springs and Bilstein shocks. I have the same 4" Hooker side pipes. What, if any, inserts do you have in the side pipes? I guess scaring women and children (and menacing civilians at red lights) goes with the territory running a big block with side pipes.
You might take a look at the half shafts in the rear end, compare them with stock. These will twist and possibly break free with a lot of torque, a common problem. You want to make sure it is safe, although it's a lot easier on parts with an automatic. I'm wondering if you really have 5.13 gears, what's your RPM doing 65 mph?
If you have all the heavy duty IRS stuff from Tom's differentials, that's a good thing, new it runs close to 10k...
Last edited by lurch59; Oct 1, 2014 at 12:31 PM. Reason: unclear
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Mines a '69. It's having the interior done right now.
You might take a look at the half shafts in the rear end, compare them with stock. These will twist and possibly break free with a lot of torque, a common problem. You want to make sure it is safe, although it's a lot easier on parts with an automatic. I'm wondering if you really have 5.13 gears, what's your RPM doing 65 mph?
If you have all the heavy duty IRS stuff from Tom's differentials, that's a good thing, new it runs close to 10k...
You might take a look at the half shafts in the rear end, compare them with stock. These will twist and possibly break free with a lot of torque, a common problem. You want to make sure it is safe, although it's a lot easier on parts with an automatic. I'm wondering if you really have 5.13 gears, what's your RPM doing 65 mph?
If you have all the heavy duty IRS stuff from Tom's differentials, that's a good thing, new it runs close to 10k...
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
I will take your advice and have the half shafts checked out when I bring the car in for maintenance soon before I tuck it in for the winter. The seller claimed that the car had a new custom larger driveshaft and half-shafts but it certainly pays to check them out. From memory, I would say 65 mph is around 2500 to 3000 rpm. I wouldn't be surprised if the rear gears are actually 4.11...other than taking the gears apart, do you know of any way to check the actual rear gear ratio? 10K for Tom's differentials? Ay, ay, ay. But I guess it's a "you get what you pay for" thing and safety is definitely numero uno.
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Hey 540 Vette. You're right. I did say it was a pro street style build but it is not backhalfed (maybe a minitub?) so the MT Drag Radials have good clearance and fit nicely. With the Autofab race rollbar, LS5 454 stroked to a 496, solid lifters, suspension upgrades and some other nice touches, it looks and acts more like a drag car, I guess, than a pure pro street. I kinda like it that way. I have to get some pics up. BTW As a fellow Long Islander, do you go to any of the local shows? MacArthur Airport, Flowerfields? Or the cruises at Mary's Pizza and Pasta on Connetquot Avenue in Islip Terrace?
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I am in Rockville Centre. I took my vette out to the last MacArthur car show--I garage my car in New Hyde Park and the trip out to MacArthur was the furthest I have taken the car. It drove great and seemed pretty good with the gas mileage. A guy I know from a boxing gym in Huntington (his name is Bobbie in the off-chance that you know him) where my son and I train, who has a 2009(?) vette, told me about Sunday mornings at Oakdale but he said that he prefers to wait until later in the season when it moves over to Captree where there is more parking and you don't have to get there so early to get a space. Maybe I'll see you at one of the cruises.
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: No Where USA
I am in Rockville Centre. I took my vette out to the last MacArthur car show--I garage my car in New Hyde Park and the trip out to MacArthur was the furthest I have taken the car. It drove great and seemed pretty good with the gas mileage. A guy I know from a boxing gym in Huntington (his name is Bobbie in the off-chance that you know him) where my son and I train, who has a 2009(?) vette, told me about Sunday mornings at Oakdale but he said that he prefers to wait until later in the season when it moves over to Captree where there is more parking and you don't have to get there so early to get a space. Maybe I'll see you at one of the cruises.
I go to Oakdale on Thursday night, didn't know about Sunday. Do you go toi the Belmore train station. I used to go to the S&K speed shop in Rockville center.
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I work in the city and I get home too late to pick up my car and go to the Bellmore train station on Friday nights. I was told it tends to get hard to find a spot the later it gets and I wouldn't be able to get there before 10 p.m. As you probably know, it's been a summer thing for years and I intend to get there some day. Yeah, the S&K Speed Shop on Sunrise Highway in RVC closed some years ago, unfortunately. I've been to the Lindenhurst store--great place to browse. There is a "speed shop" on Sunrise Highway in Baldwin, supposedly on the site of the original Baldwin Motion shop. But I usually see mostly rice burners parked in front of the place.