Engine Upgrade L-48
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Engine Upgrade L-48
Fairly new to the Forum, you guys are great! Have solved most of my problems without having top ask questions, just reading others ques. Restoring a '79 Coupe that had no TLC in its life, Paint, interior, brakes, steering, vacum probs, all done! Need advise on low budget upgrade to get a little more out of L-48. Engine will be out for overhaul in few weeks. Thanks in advance.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
the l-48 is still a 350, but the limiting factor is the heads. if you can swing the bucks buy new aftermarket heads. todays technology for heads is light years ahead of your old stuff. but you can still find older performance heads that will outshine your l-48 turd heads. you can get afr heads for 1300$. i chose world-II motown heads for 1100$ that perform as well as afr's or better. there just not aluminum, which isnt as important as others will try to tell you it is.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Thanks, is it true that along with the heads if I install true 2.5" exhaust instead of the 2" existing it will also boost the power, no need to install headers? Where is a good place to find the heads you described? thanks for the help.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,167
Likes: 2
From: Ft.Worth Texas
It's hard to beat a crate motor on price. Time you concider the replacement part costs of cam, lifters/ probably boring and pistons and etcetra. I found good prices at Sallee Chevrolet.com
Good luck and have fun.
Good luck and have fun.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 12,065
Likes: 2
From: Smalltownville Michigan
Cruise-In 5, 6 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
the best thing you can do is get it tuned up.. once you get it running right, go from there.. the vacuum leaks willmake it run like crap until you get them solved.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,812
Likes: 2,029
From: eastern NC
If you're rebuilding the engine, I recommend you at least install the L-82 cam. If you're gonna change pistons TRW used to have a nice set that would boost the compression to about 9.5 and be totally streetable. I got mine from Summit, but that was a few years ago. There are probably even more options now.
If you can fit it into the budget, I also recommend balancing the engine. It's very cheap insurance in my opinion.
GUSTO
If you can fit it into the budget, I also recommend balancing the engine. It's very cheap insurance in my opinion.
GUSTO
Last edited by GUSTO14; Sep 10, 2005 at 10:36 PM.
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