C3 Rant
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,701
Likes: 1,892
From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Are you one of “those guys” that were “hopping coke cans” with a “3/4 race cam”
OP asked if the late models got hate because of a “performance gap” I don’t think so because they are all slow, relatively. I’ve never encountered anyone that purposefully bought a c3 for its performance. Or said I gotta have a 1972 because it made 200hp vice a 1978 185hp.
Usually it’s always chrome bumper or not chrome bumper. Maybe it’s big block torque over small block, but what from I’ve seen it’s looks, not the hp numbers that drive a difference.
OP asked if the late models got hate because of a “performance gap” I don’t think so because they are all slow, relatively. I’ve never encountered anyone that purposefully bought a c3 for its performance. Or said I gotta have a 1972 because it made 200hp vice a 1978 185hp.
Usually it’s always chrome bumper or not chrome bumper. Maybe it’s big block torque over small block, but what from I’ve seen it’s looks, not the hp numbers that drive a difference.
Well sir, I can only quote what you typed & that was specifically, " All C3’s, in stock form, are extremely slow". I beg to differ, with well over 400hp "STOCK" not 185 or 200 this C3 ain't extremely slow. So all I can say is: "CATCH ME IF YOU CAN" !!!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,923
Likes: 4,495
From: Virginia
Here's a conversion from @SJW in old thread. Gasoline changed, and compression changed (and a host of other issues), which really did decrease performance. But the biggest MISconception about why older C3s were better is due to the change from gross to net hp.
We all love our C3s! We should stop perpetuating this myth.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...onversion.html
Originally Posted by SJW
I've long wondered about this, and finally for the first time found some useful hard numbers on this topic. A recent edition of Corvette Magazine carried a piece by Karl Ludvigsen in which he listed GM-published HP specs for 1971 Corvette engines in both Gross and Net ratings. I've never seen both numbers published anywhere before for the same engine. Here they are:
1971 Base 350 Corvette engine: Gross = 270HP. Net = 210HP.
1971 LT-1 Corvette engine: Gross = 330HP. Net = 270HP.
1971 LS-5 Corvette engine: Gross = 365HP. Net = 285HP.
1971 LS-6 Corvette engine: Gross = 425HP. Net = 325HP.
There can be no hard and fast rule of thumb about gross vs net output ratings, because there are too many variables involved, but the above numbers suggest that, for engines of that era (early 1970s), Net HP might typically be guessed to be somewhere in the range of 75% to 85% of Gross HP. If you presume that Net HP is approximately 80% (plus or minus a few %) of Gross HP, you'll probably be reasonably close.
Live well,
SJW
1971 Base 350 Corvette engine: Gross = 270HP. Net = 210HP.
1971 LT-1 Corvette engine: Gross = 330HP. Net = 270HP.
1971 LS-5 Corvette engine: Gross = 365HP. Net = 285HP.
1971 LS-6 Corvette engine: Gross = 425HP. Net = 325HP.
There can be no hard and fast rule of thumb about gross vs net output ratings, because there are too many variables involved, but the above numbers suggest that, for engines of that era (early 1970s), Net HP might typically be guessed to be somewhere in the range of 75% to 85% of Gross HP. If you presume that Net HP is approximately 80% (plus or minus a few %) of Gross HP, you'll probably be reasonably close.
Live well,
SJW
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 11,195
Likes: 2,039
From: Grapevine Tx
2018 C3 of Year Finalist
2016 C3 of the Year Finalist
There is actually a chart in my 72 AIM that shows my LT-1 with 255 hp net and 335 hp gross. 71 and 72 LT-1s were just about the same engine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 414
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,701
Likes: 1,892
From: LONG ISLAND
2025 C3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Stock vs custom with mods, I wont stand a chance, who would, but I will give you a run for your comments, that stated "STOCK & SLOW" just pointing out you mistyped !!! ..............and included the word "ALL" so just clearing things up ! NEXT .................!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 414
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
go to a drag strip. You’ll lose to a 20 year old with a $5k auction special dodge charger R/T.
Really. Go to a drag strip. Everyone’s first trip is humbling.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2024
Posts: 1,656
Likes: 383
From: Toronto, Ontario
I mean when I went to the car show i didn't have my 79 with me. Its currently being worked on a lot. I was just telling him what I had since he asked me if I had a car in the show. And it wasn't really a show you competed in, more of a cruise in.
Its just annoying to me how these cars genuinely get disrespected so much as if they're the worst cars on the planet. Its sucks.
Its just annoying to me how these cars genuinely get disrespected so much as if they're the worst cars on the planet. Its sucks.
Last edited by TKX 5-SPEED C3; May 26, 2025 at 05:33 PM.
