Another new guy
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
Rescue I have been on Ebay but really need someone that knows more about these engines than I do to help out - have a couple local guys looking for me. As for Facebook - I will NEVER EVER go on that platform - absolutely refuse to support the owner/developer of that forum
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
I'm curious, how did you come to find that it was in reality a 454?
I'm actually surprised that your "inspector" missed this as well. Generally these guys are pretty good at verifying authenticity and the like. Obviously his oversight
costed you dollars, as well as aggravation. Perhaps some amount of refund should be expected from him as well.
I'm actually surprised that your "inspector" missed this as well. Generally these guys are pretty good at verifying authenticity and the like. Obviously his oversight
costed you dollars, as well as aggravation. Perhaps some amount of refund should be expected from him as well.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
you want as close to orig as possible or a 427 to update to efi? check the parts you now have. pull valve covers and see if they are correct era 427 heads-possibly orig to the car-or giant chambered tiny port 454 peanut heads. intake may well be original also. pretty sure the 91 had very few 4 barrel intake options. i think best way to go is find the 427 block you want. if you put a 3.76 stroke crank in that engine it is is a de-stroked 454. not a 427! and the added upside is you are driving it while upgrading it.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
Found out it wasn't a 454 thru a friend that stopped by to see it - once he saw and heard it he suspected it wasn't a 427 _turns out he and his brother were chevy motor heads from the late 60s early 70s. Showed me where casting # was and later that night his brother called to say that it might not be a 427 - guess they didn't want to pop my balloon. So I checked the #s myself and found it was 454. This was confirmed by my shop as they pulled the valve cover and confirmed it was peanut port 454 heads. As far as going after the inspector he was one of several people lined up for court action - but once I received the $$ I was asking for I decided I didn't want the aggravation of pursuing legal action
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
you want as close to orig as possible or a 427 to update to efi? check the parts you now have. pull valve covers and see if they are correct era 427 heads-possibly orig to the car-or giant chambered tiny port 454 peanut heads. intake may well be original also. pretty sure the 91 had very few 4 barrel intake options. i think best way to go is find the 427 block you want. if you put a 3.76 stroke crank in that engine it is is a de-stroked 454. not a 427! and the added upside is you are driving it while upgrading it.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
then you need to decide on heads. date and casting number correct iron GM or aluminum aftermarket heads. check intake casting number. you need to see if it is a correct vette intake or the very low-rise iron 4 bbl intake sometimes found on 91 truck engines. and you likewise need to decide what intake as it is part of the efi system anyway. what is the number stamped on the pad in front of the right head? is there even a number there? apparently the 9286 is a somewhat special MK 4 block. maybe putting a crank and pistons and a set of heads in that block should be considered. hell, everything needs to be considered.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
then you need to decide on heads. date and casting number correct iron GM or aluminum aftermarket heads. check intake casting number. you need to see if it is a correct vette intake or the very low-rise iron 4 bbl intake sometimes found on 91 truck engines. and you likewise need to decide what intake as it is part of the efi system anyway. what is the number stamped on the pad in front of the right head? is there even a number there? apparently the 9286 is a somewhat special MK 4 block. maybe putting a crank and pistons and a set of heads in that block should be considered. hell, everything needs to be considered.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,114
Likes: 9,242
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Rescue I have been on Ebay but really need someone that knows more about these engines than I do to help out - have a couple local guys looking for me. As for Facebook - I will NEVER EVER go on that platform - absolutely refuse to support the owner/developer of that forum
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
Previous owner put a new Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold on it with a new Holley 750. There is no number on the front pad - flat and smooth You mentioned the 9286 is a special block - can you tell me what that is? I think at this point I'm going to hold off on the engine rebuild/swap til next fall and just drive it with the new efi on it - that will give me time to do more research and think over the comments from the folks on this forum - and yes everything needs to be considered!
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
Found out it wasn't a 454 thru a friend that stopped by to see it - once he saw and heard it he suspected it wasn't a 427 _turns out he and his brother were chevy motor heads from the late 60s early 70s. Showed me where casting # was and later that night his brother called to say that it might not be a 427 - guess they didn't want to pop my balloon. So I checked the #s myself and found it was 454. This was confirmed by my shop as they pulled the valve cover and confirmed it was peanut port 454 heads. As far as going after the inspector he was one of several people lined up for court action - but once I received the $$ I was asking for I decided I didn't want the aggravation of pursuing legal action
You mentioned potential court action. I applaud your course of action. It's too bad it came to this, I'm sure that this is not what you had in mind when setting out to purchase an old Corvette. The plus side is you've got a beautiful car to enjoy. Hopefully the dollars retrieved are enough to offset the cost of correction as well as the aggravation factor.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,114
Likes: 9,242
From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
my 396 didnt like the sniper efi on a dual plane. Just kept flooding the motor with big droplets. it wouldt atomize like it should and did on my 327 with the low profile single plane. If you see your AFR mixture all over the place and it just wont tune the way it should then consider a single plane as a cure, but it has to be low profile to fit under you hood even though its a L88 hood.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
How fortunate for you that your friend came along when he did (impressed that he "heard" the difference). It's unfortunate that this type of thing can happen considering the cost & investment at stake. Clearly you did your due diligence, too bad that the car dealer didn't do theirs. I looked at their current inventory. Given the high cost of the cars they sell, you would expect them to be above reproach in this regard. No doubt that they are regretting whatever oversight that led to this. As for the inspector, so much for his reputation and credibility. As buyers of cars like this, we rely on their expertise to insure we're making informed decisions. This oversight is inexcusable.
You mentioned potential court action. I applaud your course of action. It's too bad it came to this, I'm sure that this is not what you had in mind when setting out to purchase an old Corvette. The plus side is you've got a beautiful car to enjoy. Hopefully the dollars retrieved are enough to offset the cost of correction as well as the aggravation factor.
You mentioned potential court action. I applaud your course of action. It's too bad it came to this, I'm sure that this is not what you had in mind when setting out to purchase an old Corvette. The plus side is you've got a beautiful car to enjoy. Hopefully the dollars retrieved are enough to offset the cost of correction as well as the aggravation factor.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 26
Likes: 31
From: Colorado Springs
my 396 didnt like the sniper efi on a dual plane. Just kept flooding the motor with big droplets. it wouldt atomize like it should and did on my 327 with the low profile single plane. If you see your AFR mixture all over the place and it just wont tune the way it should then consider a single plane as a cure, but it has to be low profile to fit under you hood even though its a L88 hood.
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
