New Corvette Owner needs some rebuilt tips...?
05-24-2010, 01:56 PM
#1
Cruising
Thread Starter
Member Since: May 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New Corvette Owner needs some rebuilt tips...?
Hello Everyone!
Last week I bought my first Corvette ever! It's an all original 1974 Stingray with the L48 350 engine. (matching #'s)
I've always wanted a Corvette and this one has a perfect body and rust free under-carriage. It's really a sharp looking car!
The engine runs and will spin the tires a little but it sounds like a MayTag washing machine, with knocks and pings everwhere. I'm guessing the od has rolled over and it has about 166K miles.
I replaced the timing chain and gears, and it still had the original plastic cam gear in it, which had a few spokes broke off. That helped, but it's pretty obvious it needs a rebuild.
My cousin is going to rebuild the engine for me. He worked in a rebuild shop in NC for years, has rebuilt many engines and knows what he's doing, but has never rebuilt a Corvette engine before. He has asked me to figure out how I want to do the rebuild, and here is where I need help.
I know this engine is a 2 bolt main, so I'm not sure how much it can take. Plus I would like to keep it looking as close to stock as possible while still adding a little extra zip to it; without spending a fortune on it. So I don't want to switch to Vortec heads or have the engine bored over any.
I plan to drive the car a lot this summer, so it would be mostly for street use.
I've found some rebuild kits on the Summit Racing website that advertise different compression ratio's with different types of pistons, but they don't come with a new cam. So I guess I need to know how high I can go with the compression without hurting the engine, while also keeping it running good on pump gas?
Can anyone recommend the best rebuild kit and cam for my project, and roughly what kind of hp I can get with the different compression ratios?
Or better yet if someone could link me to all the parts I need to order for the rebuild that would be even better because I don't know all that much about rebuilds?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Jason
Last week I bought my first Corvette ever! It's an all original 1974 Stingray with the L48 350 engine. (matching #'s)
I've always wanted a Corvette and this one has a perfect body and rust free under-carriage. It's really a sharp looking car!
The engine runs and will spin the tires a little but it sounds like a MayTag washing machine, with knocks and pings everwhere. I'm guessing the od has rolled over and it has about 166K miles.
I replaced the timing chain and gears, and it still had the original plastic cam gear in it, which had a few spokes broke off. That helped, but it's pretty obvious it needs a rebuild.
My cousin is going to rebuild the engine for me. He worked in a rebuild shop in NC for years, has rebuilt many engines and knows what he's doing, but has never rebuilt a Corvette engine before. He has asked me to figure out how I want to do the rebuild, and here is where I need help.
I know this engine is a 2 bolt main, so I'm not sure how much it can take. Plus I would like to keep it looking as close to stock as possible while still adding a little extra zip to it; without spending a fortune on it. So I don't want to switch to Vortec heads or have the engine bored over any.
I plan to drive the car a lot this summer, so it would be mostly for street use.
I've found some rebuild kits on the Summit Racing website that advertise different compression ratio's with different types of pistons, but they don't come with a new cam. So I guess I need to know how high I can go with the compression without hurting the engine, while also keeping it running good on pump gas?
Can anyone recommend the best rebuild kit and cam for my project, and roughly what kind of hp I can get with the different compression ratios?
Or better yet if someone could link me to all the parts I need to order for the rebuild that would be even better because I don't know all that much about rebuilds?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Jason
05-24-2010, 02:57 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Hello Everyone!
Last week I bought my first Corvette ever! It's an all original 1974 Stingray with the L48 350 engine. (matching #'s)
I've always wanted a Corvette and this one has a perfect body and rust free under-carriage. It's really a sharp looking car!
The engine runs and will spin the tires a little but it sounds like a MayTag washing machine, with knocks and pings everwhere. I'm guessing the od has rolled over and it has about 166K miles.
I replaced the timing chain and gears, and it still had the original plastic cam gear in it, which had a few spokes broke off. That helped, but it's pretty obvious it needs a rebuild.
My cousin is going to rebuild the engine for me. He worked in a rebuild shop in NC for years, has rebuilt many engines and knows what he's doing, but has never rebuilt a Corvette engine before. He has asked me to figure out how I want to do the rebuild, and here is where I need help.
If your cousin has rebuilt any small block chevy's and if he worked in a rebuuilding shop he certainly did, then he has the knowledge necessary to build a vette motor, there isnt anything special about a 74 L-48
I know this engine is a 2 bolt main, so I'm not sure how much it can take. Plus I would like to keep it looking as close to stock as possible while still adding a little extra zip to it; without spending a fortune on it. So I don't want to switch to Vortec heads or have the engine bored over any.
The 2 bolt main can handle plenty, especially if you are thinking purely street usage. you may be forced to overbore, it all depends on the amount of wear your engine has experienced. Sometimes you have no choice.
I plan to drive the car a lot this summer, so it would be mostly for street use.
you also need to determine your budget and I think be a bit more specific on your desires. I would suggest first purchasing a few books like "how to hotrod your small block chevy" or "Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks On A Budget " which will not only give you some much needed knowledge of your new corvettes motor but will also have builds in the back of those books that you can refer to.
I've found some rebuild kits on the Summit Racing website that advertise different compression ratio's with different types of pistons, but they don't come with a new cam. So I guess I need to know how high I can go with the compression without hurting the engine, while also keeping it running good on pump gas?
I wouldnt purchase any kit until you know what sort of wear your motor has on it. if an overbore is required you need to purchase pistons and rings to fit the new bore, it may be possible this motor has been previously rebuilt, if it was bored over once before you need to know that.
Can anyone recommend the best rebuild kit and cam for my project, and roughly what kind of hp I can get with the different compression ratios?
Or better yet if someone could link me to all the parts I need to order for the rebuild that would be even better because I don't know all that much about rebuilds?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Jason
Last week I bought my first Corvette ever! It's an all original 1974 Stingray with the L48 350 engine. (matching #'s)
I've always wanted a Corvette and this one has a perfect body and rust free under-carriage. It's really a sharp looking car!
The engine runs and will spin the tires a little but it sounds like a MayTag washing machine, with knocks and pings everwhere. I'm guessing the od has rolled over and it has about 166K miles.
I replaced the timing chain and gears, and it still had the original plastic cam gear in it, which had a few spokes broke off. That helped, but it's pretty obvious it needs a rebuild.
My cousin is going to rebuild the engine for me. He worked in a rebuild shop in NC for years, has rebuilt many engines and knows what he's doing, but has never rebuilt a Corvette engine before. He has asked me to figure out how I want to do the rebuild, and here is where I need help.
If your cousin has rebuilt any small block chevy's and if he worked in a rebuuilding shop he certainly did, then he has the knowledge necessary to build a vette motor, there isnt anything special about a 74 L-48
I know this engine is a 2 bolt main, so I'm not sure how much it can take. Plus I would like to keep it looking as close to stock as possible while still adding a little extra zip to it; without spending a fortune on it. So I don't want to switch to Vortec heads or have the engine bored over any.
The 2 bolt main can handle plenty, especially if you are thinking purely street usage. you may be forced to overbore, it all depends on the amount of wear your engine has experienced. Sometimes you have no choice.
I plan to drive the car a lot this summer, so it would be mostly for street use.
you also need to determine your budget and I think be a bit more specific on your desires. I would suggest first purchasing a few books like "how to hotrod your small block chevy" or "Build Max Performance Chevy Small Blocks On A Budget " which will not only give you some much needed knowledge of your new corvettes motor but will also have builds in the back of those books that you can refer to.
I've found some rebuild kits on the Summit Racing website that advertise different compression ratio's with different types of pistons, but they don't come with a new cam. So I guess I need to know how high I can go with the compression without hurting the engine, while also keeping it running good on pump gas?
I wouldnt purchase any kit until you know what sort of wear your motor has on it. if an overbore is required you need to purchase pistons and rings to fit the new bore, it may be possible this motor has been previously rebuilt, if it was bored over once before you need to know that.
Can anyone recommend the best rebuild kit and cam for my project, and roughly what kind of hp I can get with the different compression ratios?
Or better yet if someone could link me to all the parts I need to order for the rebuild that would be even better because I don't know all that much about rebuilds?
Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Jason
Last edited by fauxrs; 05-24-2010 at 03:00 PM.
05-24-2010, 10:13 PM
#4
Safety Car
Member Since: Aug 2001
Location: North Easton Mass
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
If you have the original engine (last several VIN numbers stamped on the pass. side block pad at front of head) make sure that the numbers aren't removed if the block has to be decked. The value of the car will be lowered considerably if that happens. I would be standing next to the machinist while he does the milling if that had to be done.
Rick B.
Rick B.
