Hi im kinda new. I registered here back in 2003 when i started my building my car but never posted. The car got put on hold for last 2 years do to other things but am ready to get back to work on it.
A little about my car...
Its a 77 i bought all original but lacked performance so i decided to make a few changes.
It has a 502 Ramjet with hooker headers and side pipes. A march pulley serpintine belt setup. The transmission is a Bowtie Overdrives 700r4 built for this motor. It has the VBP perfomance package with fibergalss leaf springs. 17" TT2's.
A few questions and comments. Some are to various posts i have skimmed through in past few days.
1)The headers did not clear my head bolts as i seen someone post. I have the chrome headers so i wasnt about to grind on them. What we did was taped up the exhaust ports and ground the head of the bolts that hit to just clear the header. Didnt need much so should be able to remove them when needed. But will be replaced if they are ever taken out.
2)At the moment my steering is hitting the header. Thought we had it cleared but set screw is hitting header tube. Was all setup while on jackstands. Not sure if frame flex was the problem. Will see about getting it to clear when i get back to work on it. Also for got to mention it has Steeroids on it.
3)The fuel injection doesnt clear any hood we tryed. Was thinking im just gonna cut a hole in the hood and let it stick through. Anyone know of any sites with a C3 like this or have any pics? I have searched through google and couldnt find a C3 with a ramjet 502.
4)Question on rollbar. I want to add a rollbar. My dad and i had a shop and we did work like that. I said i was just gonna weld it to the floor with the plates like we did on lots of cars but he says i have to run outriggers to mount it to. How is everyone else mounting them that have rollbars?

I have some pics of the car when it was at my dads shop back in 2003. I will try and find them and post them later.

 

I have a zz502 w/ the accel superram setup, so its very close to yours.
1. I have the hooker headers in chrome and i ground down the flanges.
2. Mine hasnt been off the stands yet so i dont know.
3. Nope, no way it will fit under a hood. I cut my stock one and ordered a hood scoop through www.up22.com that im going to modify and glass on to make it look nice.
4. No idea on the rollbar, sorry.
Heres some pics of my setup -

 

Ok finally found a pic of it. this was back in 2003.

 

Take a look at My Corvette Photos

ARP has shorter bolts search the archive for the PN

I had no issues with the Steeroids on the headers look for recent post

Hood clearnce is a problem Most all mod the hood. there is a real nice one here with a L88 hood. I cut a hole and have a Harwood piece to build up to clear and stay low in the back. My pics mught be useful.

I'm getting ready to finish weld my roll cage. it has 8 points to the frame now and when I finish it will have 14 points and the bird cage...

 

Thanks for the advice. Figured out what to do for steering. (posted in another thread as mentioned) The pics of your car where a big help on some things i was wondering about but didnt post. I also have a fuel cell set up for mine. i have a 22 gallon fuel cell. Been trying to figure out how to put gas in it. I have an external pump setup right now cuz we couldnt figure out how to put one in the fuel cell. What sender unit piece is that from that you adapted to the fuel cell? Looks a bit smaller than my 77 stock piece.
Have you had it out on the road yet?

 

87 corvette piece with a stock 87 corvette pump. I tried to use the stock QTY sender but couldn't get it to work because the cell I'm using is to thin and it could snag onthe foam.

The cell I have is likely temporary as I will prolly switch to an ATL or FuelSafe Cell and a nascar style mounting at some point.

Yeah I've done my share of block long second gear smokey burnouts from a rolling start...

 

ok another question on the fuel cell
How deep is your fuel cell? I measured mine and is 9 inches deep.
Debating on redoing my cell or running the external pump. I know its highly recomended that the pump be mounted in the tank.
Anyone have any thoughts or experiences running an external pump on a setup like this?

 

I went this way cause I figured I could get a 50PSI GM Fuel pump anywhere in a pinch. It worked out well I used some high pressure fuel hose, a couple of Otiker clamps and short section of Stainless fuel line and a 37 degree flairing tool.

The pump is mounted fairly rigid but vibration isolated by the rubber. I just adjusted the lenght of the ss tubing till the pickup screen set flat on bottom of the tank. The pump is in a 6"x6" hole I left in the foam filler. I also built the cell mount so that I can adjust the angle of the bottom of the cell so that it is parallel to the ground at the cars normal ride attitude. the foam hole is supposed to keep the pickup from unporting at low fuel levels under load. I havent run it dry yet but I have run it under
1/8 tank and had no issues when blitzing the freeway ramp.

16 gal is not a heaping amount for a thirsty 502... I'm hoping that my switch to a 3:36 from a 3:90 and the 0.80 OD ratio of the ROD 6 speed will extend my cruising range a bit.

My Fuel Cell is 9 inches deep...

 

Check out eBay item # 8051680848 or just type "77 corvette hood" this guy sells a hood for your car with a nice 5" lift that should cover everything, but I could be wrong. It will only set you back about $500 shipped.

This is what I'm thinking of doing for my zz502 (carb'd version), let me know what you think.

 

there is some guy in the midwest mking a 5" hood and some guy's in Fla on rt 301, goes from gainsville to jacksonville that make a 4.5" hood.

I've decided that they are to high in the back and I want to reshape the hood over the intake and leave maybe a NACA duct feeding the Air Cleaner...

or feed the intake fom a box behind the license opening...

 

I just checked Ebay and i have that scoop i could bond to my hood. What i really been looking for is a L88 scoop that will clear. While i was on ebay i did a search for L88 scoop and found this. Hmmmm...
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I kinda like it. Wish i could see one on a car.

 

HUG E

 

Solving the hood issue is probably the single biggest hurdle to putting the RamJet in a C3. Guess thats why there is only three of us. ...(that I know of)....that have tried In a way, that's not bad. Back when I first bought my Torque Thrust II wheels, I was the only one in the Midwest with that setup. Now everyone has them. I did considerable research on hoods awhile back and came to the conclusion that the only way I would be happy with the result is to craft one myself. Most of the aftermarket L-88 hoods don't fit and the only one that does is HUGE...as stated above. My advise is....polish up on your fiberglass skills and go to work





Bullshark

P.S. The other two things that I have learned on Project RamJet is that the MEFI ECU is a POS and the RamJet Throttle body is a little small. A 52mm or 58mm would be better and worth the effort.

 

Another option is to machine the intake so the runners are shorter. If you do a search in the c-2 section for Stepinwolf and email him, he could hook you up. He had installed a 502 ramjet into a 67. They shortened the upper intake around 2". He had to use a 65-66 big block hood and notch the front brace, but it fitted.

Hope that helps.

 

Bullshark - That looks awesome. Really nice job. Thats what im looking for.
Wilkinshc - When i was searching the net that was the only vette i could find with a 502 Ramjet. They did a very nice job on that but i dont think i want to get into doing all that.

On another note i decided to go out and look the car over and remember what problems i still needed to overcome. After getting out the paperwork i dicovered i cant find the instruction manual.
Seeing how all the work that has been done was at my dads shop i figured it might be there. So i called and left a message and waiting for his return call now. He has since closed the shop and bought an 18 wheeler and is driving over the road.
Figured maybe i dont need so i went out and looked the car over. Well the motor is sitting in there with the pulleys and headers hooked up and thats it. The wires arent labeled so i dont know where they go.
Been a discouraging day. Seriously thinking about pulling the intake off my 454 and putting that on for now till i can get everything sorted out.

 

engine looks good

 

I was thinking about getting the Throttle Body off the ZL1 it's a 58mm and it wold look "Stock" I'm gonna go down to the Cheby dealer and see how much it costs...

Bullshark do you have the MEFI3 or MEFI4 controller with the O2 sensor?.

As to the hood I dont like the tall ones, visibility is an issue to begin with and the ramjet needs just a bit more room on the hard place for a vette hood any way.

I'm gonna keep the back of the hood the same and give a bit more clearance on front and try not to change the lines... Infact I'll try to match the lines of the fenders a bit more...

 

Bullshark...every time I see that hood I am more impressed! And I know how good it looks in person!

Great work!

JIM

 

Cruzier,

Milling the intake is not that involved, I think he wanted 600 to shorten it. Just ship it to him, ship it back and bolt it back up.

I went with a new rockvalley stainless steel tank with intank pump, runs about a 1000 shipped. Many have run external pumps with no problems but they are noisy.

Also I have a ZL1 ramjet with instructions for the 502 ramjet manual with the ZL1 additions. I have the Mefi 3 and 4 wiring diagrams. Let me know what you need and I can fax or scan & email.

84rzv500r,

The ZL1 uses a 58mm BBK throttle body, probably be cheaper to pick one up on ebay or summit racing then chevy dealer. Maybe check the c-4 parts for sale, they use the throttle body and many have upgraded to the 58mm bodies or a mono blade throttle body.

Chuck

 

Wow awesome. I went out and looked again, the wires i was looking at are for the trans. But there are a few other things im not sure of. I have the MEFI 3. If you could could scan and email them to me that would be great.
I have my fuel cell and everything setup ready to go in. I just need to run some new lines and its done. My biggest concern is that i remember reading its highly recommended to run pump in the tank. Will i have problems with an external? Im thinking im gonna get what i have working then redo it next winter. Ive owned this car since 2003. Drove it about 100 miles before it came all apart and im diein to get it back out.
Do you know if it affected performance at all after being shortened?
TIA