So I am very new to the forum. I just picked up my first muscle car. I bought a 68 stingray convertible. The car was in great shape cosmetically but the engine and mechanicals needed help. It was all pretty much above board and so I bought it and drove it for a whole 3 hours before the trans failed, over reving the engine and I threw a rod (my assessment but I dunno). Awesome. So here I am with a 68 corvette that looks great but is basically a rolling chassis. I have never really worked on cars but it has always been my dream. I design and build hydraulic power units, firefighting pumps, salvage equipment and work on ships, etc.... so I am hoping that mechanical cars stuffs is in my future. Question is, how hard is it to swap a ZZ383 into the place of the current 350 that is in there? Is the block the essentially the same? Are all of the mounting holes, etc the same? I am hoping to have the trans rebuilt, change the converter to a 2500 stall speed, and be able to move the transmission, fuel pump, starter, alternator, brackets, etc.... across to the 383 to save some money in the beginning. Probably go with a new intake manifold? carburetor? and ignition system? Do I go vacuum secondary? gm single or dual plane manifold (I have read some stuff but I can't figure out which is more street able)? I have been scouring the forum reading as many of your guys stories before posting. Sorry for the newbie questions. Thanks for your guys help.

 

every thing fits

 

Yep, direct swap. Keep your mechanical tach drive distributor. On the intake, some higher rise are too tall for the stock small block hood. Vacuum secondary carbs work well for auto trans cars.

 

Be sure the vaccum line is hooked up properly at intake manifold and at rear of tranny before assuming all these serious problems have occured.

 

If that's an original numbers matching car, you might be reducing the value by replacing the engine and transmission. It's your car so do what you want, but it's something to think about.

 

From one 68 owner to another, it's not a Stingray. No badges on the 68s.

Congrats on your purchase.

Worth the price of a copy. Good reference pics.

 

He says there's currently a 350 in there now, so that's probably a moot point already.