C3 weight
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 6
From: 68 427 4.11s Roadster
The 454 has the clearances machined under the valley. You can stick a 427 rotating ***. or a 454s.
You can't do it the other way around unless you machine those areas in a 427, which then makes at a 454 block
You can't do it the other way around unless you machine those areas in a 427, which then makes at a 454 block
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by thanke
I'm curious, why the switch from the Tremec?
It's almost impossible to be as consistent as with automatic transmission...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by groovyjay
Olivier's getting old I guess... 
I converted the '68 to automatic, but went from a automatic C5 to a 6-speed C5
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I'm bracket racing and a stick shift is not suited too well for that...
It's almost impossible to be as consistent as with automatic transmission...
It's almost impossible to be as consistent as with automatic transmission...
So did you have any trouble with your U joints and half shafts with slicks? I'm guessing you have a pretty beefy Irs to do 11's
I'm wondering how much more abusive the manual trans is to the drivetrain compared to the auto
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,370
Likes: 788
From: Redondo Beach, California
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
I'm talking about all 3 crossmembers.. They all can be cut/removed and replaced by chromoly tubular units..
(tranny x-menber, rear x-menber, diff x-member)
(tranny x-menber, rear x-menber, diff x-member)
Maybe you could duplicate the function of this piece in titanium? Also, if you're not worried about the strength of the bumper's you could even duplicate this part in aluminum.
The early C3's have a lot of weight in the bumper's but this heavy weight doesn't add much protection. The rear bumpers are attached to the fiberglass (at the bumper ends) and the front bumper is also closely virtually mated to the front fiberglass. Since just a light tap on the bumpers will produce damage, why carry all that weight around? Replace the heavy bumper fasteners with aluminum bolts (or titanium), reduplicate the brackets in aluminum, (titanium)?
Another thing I would like to do, (but probably never will have the time) is duplicate the bumpers in fiberglass and then have them metallized in chrome. All this work would produce a chrome bumper C3 with a great reduction in weight.
Also, I'm really surprised about the weight of the door window glass.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by thanke
So did you have any trouble with your U joints and half shafts with slicks? I'm guessing you have a pretty beefy Irs to do 11's
I'm wondering how much more abusive the manual trans is to the drivetrain compared to the auto
I'm wondering how much more abusive the manual trans is to the drivetrain compared to the auto
With my current setup, I'm using 1480 series u-joints.. Those are almost impossible to break...
I'm also using Tom's 12-bolt rear end and axle kit.. The rear should hold up to close to 1000 HP...
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
Don't forget the front removeable crossmember used as a radiator support and attaching point for the front bumpers. This piece looks like low hanging fruit it you're looking for more parts to lighten.
Maybe you could duplicate the function of this piece in titanium? Also, if you're not worried about the strength of the bumper's you could even duplicate this part in aluminum.
The early C3's have a lot of weight in the bumper's but this heavy weight doesn't add much protection. The rear bumpers are attached to the fiberglass (at the bumper ends) and the front bumper is also closely virtually mated to the front fiberglass. Since just a light tap on the bumpers will produce damage, why carry all that weight around? Replace the heavy bumper fasteners with aluminum bolts (or titanium), reduplicate the brackets in aluminum, (titanium)?
Another thing I would like to do, (but probably never will have the time) is duplicate the bumpers in fiberglass and then have them metallized in chrome. All this work would produce a chrome bumper C3 with a great reduction in weight.
Also, I'm really surprised about the weight of the door window glass.
Maybe you could duplicate the function of this piece in titanium? Also, if you're not worried about the strength of the bumper's you could even duplicate this part in aluminum.
The early C3's have a lot of weight in the bumper's but this heavy weight doesn't add much protection. The rear bumpers are attached to the fiberglass (at the bumper ends) and the front bumper is also closely virtually mated to the front fiberglass. Since just a light tap on the bumpers will produce damage, why carry all that weight around? Replace the heavy bumper fasteners with aluminum bolts (or titanium), reduplicate the brackets in aluminum, (titanium)?
Another thing I would like to do, (but probably never will have the time) is duplicate the bumpers in fiberglass and then have them metallized in chrome. All this work would produce a chrome bumper C3 with a great reduction in weight.
Also, I'm really surprised about the weight of the door window glass.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 511
Likes: 4
From: Phoenix AZ
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
......Also, I'm really surprised about the weight of the door window glass.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
From: Kissimmee Fl
In my opinion, modifying C3's is what makes them so much fun. Finding ways to remove weight provides an endless means of opportunity. I also heard that the later vettes have thinner door glass. I am not sure how much of an ordeal it would be to change them over and how much weight difference there is. I spoke to a car painter and he was going to make some bumpers for me out of fiberglass, just as one of our members mentioned. He since disappeared. He was going to use the stock bumpers as the means of making a mold to form the dimensions of the fiberglass bumpers.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,161
Likes: 0
From: pr, frederick md.
sorry grand sport, but i have to agree that coil overs are the way to go, as i see them on ALOT of cars, tube chassis or not. alot of newer cars have a sort of stock coilover built right in ( camaro/mustang ) and theyre going 8 sec. now. and also ive seen tubualar a-arms in almost every vette catalog i own. .02
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by redc3
sorry grand sport, but i have to agree that coil overs are the way to go, as i see them on ALOT of cars, tube chassis or not. alot of newer cars have a sort of stock coilover built right in ( camaro/mustang ) and theyre going 8 sec. now. and also ive seen tubualar a-arms in almost every vette catalog i own. .02
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Guys aluminum is much lighter then titanium A cubic foot of aluminum is 165 pounds, a cubic foot of titanium is 281 and steel for comparision is 490 pounds.
So use aluminum as much as possible to reduce weight and it costs alot less and welds easily.
So use aluminum as much as possible to reduce weight and it costs alot less and welds easily.
