Anyone out there with an honest .02 cents worth please chime in...

I have a stock 81 with only 35k miles and runs and looks great. A few custom mods include Hi-Flow Cat/Muffler system, Custom Stereo, Custom Paint, Alarm, Tinted Windows etc...but all stock Motor/Drivetrain. My goal is to have a beautiful weekend driver with 300+ Hp and decent 1/4 mile times for show and go. Funds are non-existent so need to stay under $1000 for now. Hopefully a grand a year until completely satisfied would be ideal. What is the best upgrade to do next?

1) Swap out the lazy 2.90 gears in the rear for a more reactive set of 3.73's?
2) Swap out CCC/QJet for a nice Carb/Distributor set to go with future engine mods or possibly ZZ4 crate engine?
3) Swap ot TH350 for a 200R4 or 700R4 Tranny ( and which is better?)
4) Swap out Intake/Cam?
5) Swap out Heads?
6) Swap out Exhaust Manifolds for Headers?
7) Do none of the above, save my money and box the original motor and get a crate engine?

As you can see I have my wish list, and what I think would be the order to proceed over the next few years, but just want to get some additional input from the experts. Any opinions are more than welcome and greatly appreciated.
Thanks !

 

On such a tight budget schedule, I'd swap out the gears first. But, I'd caution against going past a 3.36 or 3.55, or you'll spend up the rest of your $ on gas if you drive on the highway very much. IMHO, the difference in those and the 3.73 isn't worth it unless tracking your car is a priority.

As for the rest of it, headers would be next on my list, and then I'd suggest waiting until you could afford the crate of your choice, again due to your $$ constraints. That ought to give you pretty good bang for your limited bucks. That's my $.02...

 

Drop your weight of about 400 lbs and put 4.11 rear gears and you'll be done...

 

2 and 6

 

With your low milage engine and low horse power goals
keep the engine you have. First change go for 3.55/3.73 with your
$1000.00, after you build up some more money 2nd change to a
built up 200R4 trans. next change after a build up of more money heads, engine should be built around good airflow of the heads.
Brodix IK180 heads with 64cc chambers #BRO-1021004 , $1013.95.
you can buy the summit brand cam and lifters for $90.00 they
are dependable. performer EDL-2101, $119.95 this manifold is double
drilled for both a spread bore or square bore carb allows you to keep your stock air cleaner, you can make up your mind to the kind of carb you want to use.

 

I went with a 385 fast burm crate motor and I changed the rear end gear from 2.72 to 3.55. It was fine aroud town but sucked on the highway. Motor was screaming. I take the car on road trips, so I put the stock gear back in.

I bought a keisler 5 speed (THE BEST UPGRADE) and changed the rear end gear back to the 3.55. That's the ticket, you can even go 3.73

Leave motor alone, go with 5 speed and change rear end gear. That is what I would do if I was in your shoes.

My 2 cents worth!

 

I have an 81 thats about exactly the same condition as yours. I did this:
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake/Carb
Hooker Headers
Stage 2 Flowmasters
Edelbrock Fuel pump/ bigger lines
Removed Smog/Emission
Engine Dress up, Braided hoses, Valve covers

With all this I ended up with a car that I can show and take to the track. There are a million other things I want to do, Heads, Cam... But this is a good place to start and will help support any other changes you will make in the future. Hope this helps!

 

With just $1000 in the budget, it wouldn't properly allow any of your other listed modifications to be done, and deeper gears will only enhance all future mods, which increase higher RPM/more top-end power..... spend the money there, first, and enjoy it as you continue to save & build in the future:
more cluck-for-the-buck!!!!!

 

Keep the Vette the way it is and buy a motorcycle to satisfy your need for speed. I love my Vette, and I love to go fast in it, but a friend gave me a ride on his motorcycle a few years ago, and I can only imagine that this is what it feels like to be shot out of a cannon!

Having said that, I think gears are the way to go for the Corvette.

temvette72

 

have a new cat converter put on if you have emission testing.the old cats plug up and never did flow well .gears would be the next step .if you can do the cam change your self ,its not that much money,just a little time .

 

It looks like a Gear swap may be the next on the list, and most likley 3.55s to keep it highway manageable for now. Thanks for all the good pointers and I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday!

 

I think you'll be quite happy with the 3.55. My SA came with that ratio. After yanking the L82 for a 427 BB and converting from auto to stick, I went to a 4.11, which proved far too deep for my purposes, and ended up back with the 3.55, although with a 12-bolt IRS setup. Overall, it's hard to beat.

 

since an 81 has 8.2:1
i'd buy 50cc enginequest heads $475/pr+$174 valve kit
with 10:1, it might not need a rear change , rear makes no extra power, not a good use of $$$) 10:1 will get it moving w/ extra torque.
a summit $70 cam 1103
will have big power increase and more mpg at cruise

 

2004R or the 700R !!! Add the hp later (Vortecs w headers YEE-HAWWW !!) Right now youre probably spinning 2450 rpms at 60 mph (good) Wouldn't you like to spin her at 1700 rpms ? ( really really good) AND 1st gear is roughly 30% steeper than 1st in your 350TH. So off the line your tires think they have 3.77's !!! (kick *ss good !!!)
I put aside about $1000 / year to stick in the car. That was my 1st change , and lordy - I love passing gas stations. From 19 to 26 mpg (Canadian)

 

On my '81 I installed a Holley 650 spreadbore, and dist. from a '77 L82. Then I ditched the factory cat, and installed a true dual exhaust system, exiting through the factory mufflers. Amazing how much performance I gained! This year it'll get a pair of headers, Magnaflow mufflers, possibly a cam and, without a doubt, a 200r4 with a new lock up torque converter. As the stock compression is so low, and the stock heads have such a small CC to start with, I've decided to NOT change the heads for another set UNLESS I change the pistons. From what I have seen, if you change the heads w/o pistons you just lower the CR on an L81. Whatever you do, keep all the stock parts!!!!!! Who knows what it'll all be worth in 20 years.

 

20years!!!

 

Save up and replace the tranny. If you spend less on fuel you can save more for mods. Especially if you go with the 3.55 rear. Everytime I take mine on the highway it kills me to turn around 3000 at 70. The 2004R is the more economical... You can use the existing driveshaft and crossmember. The 700R has a steeper first gear but you gotta spend a little more when it's all ssaid and done.

With the upcoming "tax rebate/incentive" coming I'm hoping to squirrel away enough to get this done.

 

2,3 & 6. With it's very low 1st gear ratio, a 700R4 will take care of the gears issue. Get a good Holley carb and a set of headers. If you get about a 750 vac sec carb, you can use it on a crate engine as with the headers and of course the tranny.
My '81 is getting an LS based 427. That blew the budget out of the water!!!

 

by the time it is said and done even a gear change will be hard to do for under a 1000

 

I'd go with 3 (700R4) and 5 in that order.