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Hello friends. A friend of mine contacted me for help since they are not good with these technologically advanced online forums and asked me to find out if anyone knows of a drop in fuel tank pickup unit. He has a 1977 Corvette and is changing to a fuel injection system and needs an in tank electric pump. He doesn't really want to mess with cobbling something to his existing pickup and he doesn't want to mess with a tank swap unless it's a bolt in swap like from a later C3 that had factory fuel injection. So do any of you knowledgeable folk know if there is a fuel injection pickup that drops in to replace the factory pickup?
Thank you for the link. Correct me if I am wrong but was there a difference between early and late 1977 Corvette gas tanks? The one in that picture does not look like the one his pickup unit goes to.
all you need is an 80 buck pump tied to the frame rails somewhere with some radiator hose/etc to add for rust/vibrations/noise and plumb the stock lines with GOOD FI hose to withstand the pressures....same thing on engine side.....
all you need is an 80 buck pump tied to the frame rails somewhere with some radiator hose/etc to add for rust/vibrations/noise and plumb the stock lines with GOOD FI hose to withstand the pressures....same thing on engine side.....
jeez....SO complicated....NOT@!!!!!
Whelp, your sarcasm aside, yes I know how easy it is to strap a pump to a frame rail. I'm an old school car guy. It is not my car though and he does not want an external pump. My question was kinda simple in case you had trouble with it. Does anyone know of a company that makes a drop in fuel pickup that fits the wide mouth stock tank opening, to replace the factory pickup. Thanks though MrVette.
Thank you for the link. Correct me if I am wrong but was there a difference between early and late 1977 Corvette gas tanks? The one in that picture does not look like the one his pickup unit goes to.
The 78-82 had a plastic liner. I don't know at what point they changed over. If that is the case, you cant do anything other than work with the original opening, (attaching something), without cutting into the liner. They make new 78-82 tanks without a liner. For me, I would make a plate to mount to the original opening, and mount a module - like the vetteworks uses.
In reply to Gene - yes you can mount the pump external, and many people have. That is not what the OP asked. And - it is a proven fact that an internal pump is quieter, runs cooler, and with a reservoir for the pickup, doesn't run dry with maneuvers. My injection runs at a lot higher pressure than yours, and just a little burp from air could cause a stall. Guess how most all late models mount their pumps.
The 78-82 had a plastic liner. I don't know at what point they changed over. If that is the case, you cant do anything other than work with the original opening, (attaching something), without cutting into the liner. They make new 78-82 tanks without a liner. For me, I would make a plate to mount to the original opening, and mount a module - like the vetteworks uses.
In reply to Gene - yes you can mount the pump external, and many people have. That is not what the OP asked. And - it is a proven fact that an internal pump is quieter, runs cooler, and with a reservoir for the pickup, doesn't run dry with maneuvers. My injection runs at a lot higher pressure than yours, and just a little burp from air could cause a stall. Guess how most all late models mount their pumps.
Thank you. I'll pass that along as we keep looking. I don't mind making him something since I was thinking along the same lines and fabricating something. He's wanting to move quickly and I am not sure he wants to wait for me to build it around my work schedule. Thanks again.
75 thru 77 tanks are interchangable. 78 theu 82 are interchangable. Parts from the two series will NOT interchange.
I did the pump mod in the above picture/write-up for my TPI conversion. There is nothing that I have found, before or since, that allows installation in a stock tank without putting additional holes in the tank. The easy way, if your friend has the money and no fabrication skills is to buy a complete tank from Rock Valley - but you're talking somewhere north of $1500.
75 thru 77 tanks are interchangable. 78 theu 82 are interchangable. Parts from the two series will NOT interchange.
I did the pump mod in the above picture/write-up for my TPI conversion. There is nothing that I have found, before or since, that allows installation in a stock tank without putting additional holes in the tank. The easy way, if your friend has the money and no fabrication skills is to buy a complete tank from Rock Valley - but you're talking somewhere north of $1500.
Thank you very much. You and I are of like minds because I would totally build something like that where I buy more things from a hardware store than a parts catalog. I'll pass that along and keep looking. I imagine the end result will be him paying a fab shop with more time to build his drop in pickup.
Since your friend is technology-challenged, it would seem wisest to advise him to keep a carb on the engine of his '77 C3. There would be no real benefit from installing FI on it, unless he also swaps the trans to an overdrive unit, as well.
Have him spend a lot less money on having the carb rebuilt by Lars (V8FastCars@msn.com), or sell the car an buy an '82 [or later] Corvette.
1977 Fuel Injection Pickup
I'll pass that along and keep looking. I imagine the end result will be him paying a fab shop with more time to build his drop in pickup.
