78 Performance
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,841
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From: Inver Grove Minnesota
78 Performance
I'm looking to up the performance on my 78 with a L-48. The airfilter box is gone along with the cats and a true dual setup is already on. What would be the next best step? Headers? If so, what set would fit best. I was looking at summit headers and I'm not sure if they will fit it looks tight. What other kind of upgrades are at a reasonable price and will generate more power?
Thanks, Justin
Thanks, Justin
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 761
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From: san jose California
ive got true duals in my vette too.. (still got the cats though) ive got supercomp hookers to go with them.. real nice power and they fit great.. even with the TKO-600..
im in the myths of putting together a 383 this summer....(around 4 grand for everything i wanna get... skat forged internals, AFRs.. ect) so i cant really just start bolting things on as i get em or ill lose a few hundred bucks just to take em off when i pull the engine....
but i think an intake would give you a few good giddy ups.. and if your up for it.. maybe even headers to go with it.. the super comps are only 360 from summit.. an intake would be another 200 or so.. your looking at around 600 bucks for a decent amount of horse power.. (50 or so )..
thatle put a decent part of your as$ in your seat
im in the myths of putting together a 383 this summer....(around 4 grand for everything i wanna get... skat forged internals, AFRs.. ect) so i cant really just start bolting things on as i get em or ill lose a few hundred bucks just to take em off when i pull the engine....
but i think an intake would give you a few good giddy ups.. and if your up for it.. maybe even headers to go with it.. the super comps are only 360 from summit.. an intake would be another 200 or so.. your looking at around 600 bucks for a decent amount of horse power.. (50 or so )..
thatle put a decent part of your as$ in your seat
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
The 78 has good hood clearance if you have a stick go with an
edelbrock rpm it will still work good on a mild L48 and leave room
more performance goodies down the road. If you have an auto,
308s and a stock converter with no plans to go any further with
the motor go with the 5500 rpm and under performer.
edelbrock rpm it will still work good on a mild L48 and leave room
more performance goodies down the road. If you have an auto,
308s and a stock converter with no plans to go any further with
the motor go with the 5500 rpm and under performer.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,069
Likes: 2
From: Sherwood Park AB
The best part of installing them is driving to the exhaust shop with open headers.
Headers can be painful to install. I was quoted 6 hours by a performance shop to install them because they had problems with other installations. I did it by myself in about 6. You have to jack the car way up, the starter will have to be removed, and one side may have to be installed from underneath the car. If you have a 4 speed, the Z bar will have to be removed as well. When you go to the muffler shop, check into putting in an "X" pipe as well.
Headers can be painful to install. I was quoted 6 hours by a performance shop to install them because they had problems with other installations. I did it by myself in about 6. You have to jack the car way up, the starter will have to be removed, and one side may have to be installed from underneath the car. If you have a 4 speed, the Z bar will have to be removed as well. When you go to the muffler shop, check into putting in an "X" pipe as well.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
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From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Originally Posted by JustinD
... 78 with a L-48. The airfilter box is gone along with the cats and a true dual setup is already on. What would be the next best step? ...
Thanks, Justin
Thanks, Justin
For headers- Dynomax Cerma-coat.
PS http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/ganeyexhaust.htm
Last edited by Ganey; May 10, 2006 at 09:31 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Inver Grove Minnesota
Headers are in and A/C is out. I can tell a difference through the powerband but I need more low end. Not having a 4 speed is a problem. I have the turbo 350. So I need more low end kick, what would the easyest way? New rearend gears or something to do with the engine.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 86
From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by JustinD
Headers are in and A/C is out. I can tell a difference through the powerband but I need more low end. Not having a 4 speed is a problem. I have the turbo 350. So I need more low end kick, what would the easyest way? New rearend gears or something to do with the engine.
an RV-type cam would help, as-would deeper gears (depending upon what it already has in it ).
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 86
From: State of Confusion
Originally Posted by JustinD
It has some pretty high gears in the back.
I'd think a hydraulic cam, with approx .450"/.460" lift, duration @ .050" lift figures of 218*/222*, and LSA of 112-114* would make good off-idle power, pull to at-least 4500 RPM (probably higher, depending-upon intake/carb/exhaust ), work with the OEM heads/pistons w/o having valve-to-piston problems, and be very-mild on the valvetrain.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1395209
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1395455
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1395477
Just my $.02 worth.....
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,841
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From: Inver Grove Minnesota
What cam would you guys sugjest?
Something like this
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
or something more aggresive
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
Something like this
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
or something more aggresive
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku