As everyone else has said you won't go wrong with the Qjet.
Performance Carburetor for 1978 L82 Silver
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Jun 2015
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Performance Carburetor for 1978 L82 Silver
I have a small amount of rust accumulating on my carburetor for my 78 silver anniversary edition L82. I want to replace the original with a performance one. Besides the carburetor, what other performance upgrades would you suggest? The entire engine was rebuilt in 2011.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 150
From: Forth Worth TX
A "performance carburetor" isn't going to make a difference on a 78 L-82. Have your original quadrajet rebuilt by Lars and your car will be just fine. it's already more carb than a stock L-82 can use.
How was it rebuilt in 2011? Back to stock? If so, just add some headers and true dual exhuast and be done with it. Otherwise you'll need to upgrade the heads/cam, intake manifold, compression, etc..
How was it rebuilt in 2011? Back to stock? If so, just add some headers and true dual exhuast and be done with it. Otherwise you'll need to upgrade the heads/cam, intake manifold, compression, etc..
Last edited by Revi; Jun 17, 2015 at 11:53 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
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From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
you will devalue the vehicle, keep the original and rebuild it.
how your motor was built determines your power.
just throwing a big shiny carburetor on is wasting money.
how your motor was built determines your power.
just throwing a big shiny carburetor on is wasting money.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: NYC NY
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,091
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Get your Q Jet rebuilt by an expert such as Lars. Avoid cheap o rebuilt carbs sold as new from poor components and unskilled labor.
Another carb will be a can of worms .
No reason for more CFM on a stock L82
Another carb will be a can of worms .
No reason for more CFM on a stock L82
Last edited by LS4 PILOT; Jun 17, 2015 at 10:32 PM.
Thread Starter
Navigator
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Re
Thanks everyone. So it looks like I should just clean up the small sections of rust and keep it all original. As for headers and exhaust, what do you all recommend? I was just given this vette from my grandfather who bought it off the lot in 78, so I don't know a ton about it yet besides that he did get the engine re built in 2011. I want to keep it pretty darn original, but get some more power.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
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From: San Jose CA
Biggest gain power to dollar is to tune the distributor with a quicker advance curve and give it full timing (36* is what stock L-48s typically like at ~2500 rpm).
Long tube headers (1 5/8") and a good dual exhaust system will wake it up too.
Long tube headers (1 5/8") and a good dual exhaust system will wake it up too.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
You have a cool car given to you by your Grandfather. Why would you want to start throwing money at "go-faster" parts that won't make it go any faster?
Leave it alone, take care of it properly, and enjoy it.
Leave it alone, take care of it properly, and enjoy it.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
you should figure out what your engine was rebuilt with ? Stock 1978 low hp motor.
you need to know what parts are original, or not.
without knowing this information, I would suggest leave it as is.
my best advice, research and figure out exactly what you have for a motor.
specially the pistons, heads, intake, carb. dist. maybe Cam info?
you need to know what parts are original, or not.
without knowing this information, I would suggest leave it as is.
my best advice, research and figure out exactly what you have for a motor.
specially the pistons, heads, intake, carb. dist. maybe Cam info?
Last edited by 69Vett; Jun 18, 2015 at 12:47 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 956
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From: McDonough Georgia
This is always a puzzler.
Your 78 is in no way collectible in stock form. It is a low horsepower smog mobile.
The collectible c3's are pre 74.
Having said that, a nice Holley in and of itself, while much easier to tune and get parts for, will do little to wake up your car.
You will need a square bore manifold, headers and a carb to approach 200 hp. And lose the smog stuff.
Your 78 is in no way collectible in stock form. It is a low horsepower smog mobile.
The collectible c3's are pre 74.
Having said that, a nice Holley in and of itself, while much easier to tune and get parts for, will do little to wake up your car.
You will need a square bore manifold, headers and a carb to approach 200 hp. And lose the smog stuff.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 272
Likes: 3
From: Marion Ia
Performance Carburetor for 1978 L82 Silver
Since you asked what is a good performance carb I will answer Holley. But the other posters are correct it will not make you faster if nothing else is changed. First question to ask is how much can you afford to spend. Get that amount and you will get plenty of contradictory advise on how to spend it. It's not how fast you want to go it's how much can you spend. Remember in wading through the advice it is all opinions there is no one correct answer.
Welcome and have fun.
Welcome and have fun.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
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From: San Jose CA
Headers will get you there. Don't even need to lose the smog stuff - although life would be much easier not having to deal with it.
How do I know? I've lived this. My 78 'vette went through a battery of testing from its initial configuration (0-60 in low 8s) all the way up to the previous engine iteration.
I can't remember the figures now, I've posted them in the past, but distributor tuning got my 0-60 time into the low 7s and headers took me to the mid 6's, 6.5 if I remember right - and that *matches* the L-82 numbers. Yes, the L-48 is higher on torque due to cute valves and a bumpstick that barely moves them, but I've little doubt that car was making 210-220 hp in that configuration.
To really move much past that, though, you get into cubic dollars. Vortec heads and a mild cam will take you well into the 300 hp range, and the $$ numbers get bigger from there...
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Angier nc