fms93gt

So I need space in my garage.
My 1970 was born an L46/M21. I have replaced the engine with a roller cam 355 and Tremec TKO600. The car has been in my family since 1972 and I don’t see myself or anyone in my family making it an NCRS 100 point car. I built it to drive. To that end, is it worth keeping the original drivetrain?

Discuss....

AllC34Me

It will only be original once.
If you intend to pass it down to your family then maybe that won't matter.
If you intend to sell it someday then it will matter.
You can always post if for sale in the parts for sale section and see if anyone has an interest in it for the price you would want for it. Maybe that will determine if you sell or keep it.
Just my thoughts.
Good luck with your decision.
David Howard

kenba

If it were mine I would keep it. When you sell the Corvette it will be worth more than you will get out of selling it now which would be next to nothing. You or you family will sell it someday.

c3_dk

Same here, I would never sell........

JohnnyQuik

I'd sell it... If I needed money an organ transplant or something. Right or wrong, original drivetrain cars are worth considerably more money, and you never know what might happen in the future. Your car and you should do what you want. Personally, I like early C3's either original or very well modified, nothing in between. A stock chassis with a hot motor is just a bad combination.

cv67

If you got the room then maybe but you know that the chances of someon pulling a hot motor and nice OD out are slim. Sure it may be "Correct" but...slow.

Sad thing is you keep something nice, hand it down 9 times out of 10 its sold off fast soon as youre gone.

Alan 71

Hi fms,
70 350/350 4-speed....
I think keeping the engine and transmission the car left St.Louis with will widen the scope of perspective buyers when it comes time to sell this car, AND, make them have to dig a bit deeper into their wallet in order to have it sitting in their garage.
Regards,
Alan

revitup

Buyer: I like the car but you're asking a few grand too much.
Seller: But that price includes this motor and transmission here that used to be in the car that I've been storing in my garage for years for just the right buyer!
Buyer: OK then, I'll give what you're asking and bring those home to store in my garage for years also.

cv67

Op you said you arent going to sell it, need space and built it for yourself so just sell it off. Who cares what happens after we are gone it doesnt matter.

Typically people looking for a factory perfect car wouldnt look at one thats been modded even with the old motor sitting there. If you were looking for a modded vette "done" youd look for that not a stocker?

Nowhere Man

a four speed doesn't take up much room. and one that needs rebuilt sells for around 500 bucks. I would keep it. if your life depends on the sale of that trans you can't afford the car

fms93gt

Thank you. My dad gave the car to me a few years ago. He had the car painted in 1999 along with a rebuild of the original engine. Mechanic used low compression passenger car heads as the original heads were cracked. The car had 70k miles at that time. He gave it to me because he wasn’t driving it. He put around 400 miles on it after the rebuild.

I have done a complete suspension rebuild, brake system rebuild, and the engine and transmission. Although very frustrated at times during the process, I won’t sell it. It is my intention to give it to my son someday.

fms93gt

This is the debate I keep having. The 4 speed isn’t taking that much space but I have moved the engine stand more times than I care to count.
I know I won’t get a lot of money for either but I am trying to justify keeping them for the “what if” after I am gone.

fms93gt

Thanks! I agree with your perspective. I built the car to drive so I didn’t go crazy with the engine. It is built to produce about 350 to 370 gross HP which is what it had from the factory. The 5 speed is to account for the 4.11 gearing it had from the factory so I would characterize the car as more “stock” than modified.

C3 4ME

I would keep both. You never know what the future will bring. You may some day want to put the original engine back in, or your son may if you do in fact pass the car down.

calwldlife

strip the block
naked block don't take much room.
the engine pad is all you need or not.
since it is 70 i think no vin.
some 70 owner might like it.
shrug

fms93gt

Thanks. I think that is going to be the path I take. I have a spot for the bare block and I can store the other parts. Heads are wrong anyway so I am definitely getting rid of them.

Nowhere Man

After 1960 ALL Corvettes got a vin on the block and after 1968 ALL GM cars and trucks got a vin stamp. Again keep the block.

calwldlife

my mistake then.

vettebuyer6369

It simply makes the car you own worth more. That is not up for debate. The handful of dollars and tiny bit of space the block takes up will never be worth the value the matching number block will add to that chrome bumper car. Theres simply no upside to selling it.

I had a '63 roadster that I put a crate motor in with a TPI because I wanted to drive it to death. Put the block in plastic and when I went to sell, it absolutely added value and interest. Didnt matter that the buyer was buying a nonstock car.

Alan 71

Hi fms,
I'd encourage you to store the COMPLETE engine.

Most folks interested in the original engine will want it to have ALL it's original parts. Many of which have casting numbers/dates, part numbers, and configurations, that are important to someone concerned with originality and are part of 'matching numbers'.
For instance; the carburetor, intake manifold, exhaust manifolds, water pump, fan clutch, fan, starter, distributor/cap, heat and radio shielding, and more.

The same is true for the transmission. Store the shifter and it's rods and levers too.

Regards,
Alan