Engine swap
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 178
Likes: 26
From: Blue ridge Georgia
Engine swap
I have a question. My 75 coupe has a late 80,s truck engine in it. I just purchased a 77 coupe donor car that has the original engine in it. If I take the truck engine out and put in the 77 coupe engine will I be in the ball park of period right engine.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Define "ballpark." The 77 engine will be two years younger than your car. Visibly, you could install 75 valve covers and air cleaner and folks may not be able to tell the difference. Keep in mind 75 engines were Chevy orange; 77s were corporate blue.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Dec 28, 2017 at 02:54 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
What year is the Truck Engine? It could actually be superior to the 77 Corvette engine. Trucks did not have the emissions hassles Passenger cars had. That's why in 76, the fastest thing out there was that Dodge little red express truck with a 360 in it. It would smoke any other production car made that year.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 213
From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Unless the 77 donor motor has more HP, I would stick with what you have. Seems like Alot of work, and really would not add much value. In my opinion. Get some use out of it and enjoy it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,569
Likes: 126
From: San Diego California
What year is the Truck Engine? It could actually be superior to the 77 Corvette engine. Trucks did not have the emissions hassles Passenger cars had. That's why in 76, the fastest thing out there was that Dodge little red express truck with a 360 in it. It would smoke any other production car made that year.
Steve
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 178
Likes: 26
From: Blue ridge Georgia
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 957
Likes: 444
From: Dutchess county New York
I think a Chevy V-8 with a carb & distributor is the 'right' engine for that car.
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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,458
Likes: 331
From: Indy Indiana
yes you will be in the ball park, but in general, to be considered to be a correctly dated engine, then the casting dates of the block/heads/intake/exhaust needs to be within 1 week to 2 months of the car's build date..
with a max of a 6 month spread in order to get judging points via judging organizations.
with a max of a 6 month spread in order to get judging points via judging organizations.