Long story short, I am Shawn, and my buddy with this car and user name I am posting under is Jarrett.

Car is a 78 corvette..threw a rod and made a strainer out of the oil pan. Through a friend of mine he gets my number and we start coming up with some idea's..it went from just a simple stock engine replacement but spun out of control...

we looked over some options and came up with the following

-Derebery performance 350 ci 400 HP 430 TQ..dyno numbers spit out 447 lbs at 3700 rpm and 417hp @ 5700 rpm, its tuned and purchased as a turn key http://www.dpmpower.us/smallblock.php...should melt some tires compared to the stock tired 350

-Transmission selected is a stage two bowtie over drive 700r4, 2200 stall. complete with holley tv cable, new throttle, shift lever brackets and hard parts..

To put the trans mount in the right place, a bowtie overdrives cross member will be put in place of the old unit. http://www.bowtieoverdrives.com/cata...php?ITEMID=112

next on the parts list is a new aluminum radiator with built in electric fan and t-stat contoler.



other things going on, rebuild of rear suspension, rebuild of rear drive line, gears changed to 3.73, body mounts, clean up and detail of engine bay. frame/firewall etc.. tranny temp guage/ tach, hoses, lines and all the little stuff oh..and side pipes


should be a fun project and Ill post pics as we go. Any feedback or info is more than welcome.

 

 

Having 2 issues..

1. is the water pump is hitting the timing chain cover bolts, seems to be about 1/4 inch of an issue..The pump is the vett specific one as I had read that using the wrong one will cause alignment issues with the pulleys or vett accessory brackets.

so since the block is a vortec block I assume we are now looking at possibly having to purchase some new brackets and pulleys?


2. is the hood clearance, the crate motor comes with a high rise intake as well as a spacer for the carb. We tried it with out the spacer and still could not fit the slimmest of the three air cleaners I had to try on it. We then removed the installation/fire blanket from the hood and it just barely fits but is touching. Other air cleaners you guys know of that will work? I am pretty sure we can find on that will.


oh the fun..

 

Can you get a drop-base air cleaner over that carb? That one doesn't look drop-base. Nice build up BTW.

 

I am not completely sure but it sounds like the water pump you have is a "Short" water pump but the engine/timing cover is set up for the "Long" water pump....

The air cleaner issue should go away if you get the drop base... I had the same issue on my 78

 

This is air cleaner fits under the stock hood just fine...


http://www.vettemod.com/forum/imageh...c80d84f6ac.jpg

 

Thanks for the info on the air cleaner.


as for the long waterpump, we'll try that and see what issues the brackets and pulleys give us!