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VBP 360 monospring (1985), Spreader bar, Holley 4175 instead of the Qjet, Poly upper and lower control arm bushings, Gary Ramadei custom blueprinted/rebuilt OEM steering box, Hella European Halogen Headlights in 1983 (100 watt highbeams, 55/60 watt lows), 255/45/17 ZR Ultra High performance summer only tires, Bilstein HDs front/Sports rear, 2.5 True dual exhaust with Long Tube Headers (headers added 1 month ago) on the upgraded/complete rebuilt L-82 with AFR heads, 10.2:1 compression, Howards Roller cam, competition adjustable strut rods with Heim joints, poly sway bar bushings, 1979 GM front spoiler extension, Performance Friction Brake pads with SS flex lines, 81/82 oil temp gauge in place of the clock (1986), complete lining of the interior with sound deadening/heat insulation under the carpeting to block heat intrusion/road noise, 3/4 inch OEM/GM style rear sway bar to balance the handling in place of the 7/16 GM rear sway bar and there is more...
Not exactly worst BUT:
Same issue with cooling as SLVRSHRK, Dewitts radiator and Stewart Stage 2 aluminum water pump...car runs too cool especially on cooler days...never gets up to proper operating temp...went from running HOT as a stock L-82 in the 80's to too cool today...talk about going around full circle....
Flex Fan in the 80's..ridiculously noisy and did NOT improve the cooling...
My 78 L-82 4 speed Gymkhana suspended C3 looks fairly stock with the exception of the wheels and the engine that looks like an L-82 minus the AFR heads but runs and handles like a modern sportscar with serious power...Not exactly like my 10 C6Z06 but not too far behind....
Wow! Awesome machine you put together there! Looks sharp!
Best: EFI for the big block, 5 speed swap, 6 speed swap, '81 seats, cloth top for convertible.
Worst: 2 Comp XE cams in the small block (wiped lobes best on both). Not doing an LS swap when I did the big block (didn't want to deal with EFI, which I now have)
I have never had cooling (Too cold) problems with big aluminum pumps because I use 195 degree high flow Slant Thermostats with some 1/4 inch holes drilled. I drilled holes because the upper hose would collapse if you blip the throttle when cold.
Best mods: 17 and 18 inch ultra performance tires on wide wheel, roll cage & 5 point sparco fiber racing seat. Makes you feel like you are part of the car when you are doing a 4 wheel drift through a turn. Solid roller cams and big ci small blocks.
Worst mod: Eagle light weight 350 mains 4340 forged 4 inch stroker crank shaft. 427 ci Motown block. It broke in it's first year in the main saddle. I went and bought a $2200 callies pendulum cut 42 pound and some new wisco pistons and made it a 434
Second worst mod: Ecklers square non opening head lights to save weight. They just about eliminate night driving. Had to add LED driving lights
No brag, just fact, ALL of the mods I have done to my '72 vert have worked out fine, except the 1st convertible top, they cut the canvass rong, and I had cut the old top off when the installer showed up.....
it has never been right for some years now.....
HOWEVER, my car was an old show car in the mid atlantic region, and so it had more body mods than the law allowed.....just right for ME, so....due to some 22 years of ownership, the thing has endured all the further body mods and all sorts of operational mods....
the list encompasses everything discussed above, but includes headlight mods, tail light mods, wiper mods, engine totally changed--miss nothing, trans was a 4 speed Muncie it's a 200 4r auto now for the overdrive....
there is nothing stock about my car, from wheels through roof, and stem through stern......except the chrome bumpers and they are repro pieces also, and up for powder coating......see pix below....
Worst....
-AFR heads that aren't installed yet
-$4000 interior package that sits up in the loft not installed yet
-first dual exhaust system that I had installed.....the guy had no clue what he was doing, I went elsewhere and had it redone.
Nice, I like the "not" installed yet for parts in the loft....I had those too. Looked at my springs and shocks for 5 months before putting in.
What suspension were you coming from and what Bilsteins did you go with? Heavy duty or Sport? (What weight springs?)
Adam
HI Adam, Stock springs (front coils were heated to lower....NOT by me) OEM replacement shocks in good shape.
NEW: VB&P 460lb Grand touring coils. I cut almost 1 coil to lower a bit. VB&P 360lb monospring and competition strut rods.
Bilstein SPORT shocks front and rear.
Spreader Bar.
Great upgrades to the suspension.
Worst....
-AFR heads that aren't installed yet
-$4000 interior package that sits up in the loft not installed yet
-first dual exhaust system that I had installed.....the guy had no clue what he was doing, I went elsewhere and had it redone.
Best modifications were eliminating the cat converter.Going to true dual SS exhaust-oval mufflers, JBM Performance headers....
Removing the funky black paint on the stainless steel windshield upright-headers..and of course new top notch paint and decals....and then there's the aluminum vent screens....
Don't care about next owner, NCRS.bowtie BS..NO BAD modifications... Got a small cosmetic wheel project up coming..New lug nuts..remove black center paint on stock alum.wheels...Put new Pace Car '78 hub covers on after I polish the wheels up properly with them off the car.Jim
Best: 408" all forged,all roller,AFR 195,air gap,engine built on cnc machine ,1 7/8" headers,700R4 525hp on dyno.
Worst; can not control car. even with burn out then come to line with 275/60/15 drag radials,power brake to 2600 rpm then nail it car come up in front and left front tire leaves ground.car swerves gently to right lose control and back off i guess don`t know how to drive or to much hp?
Best modifications were eliminating the cat converter.Going to true dual SS exhaust-oval mufflers, JBM Performance headers....
Removing the funky black paint on the stainless steel windshield upright-headers..and of course new top notch paint and decals....and then there's the aluminum vent screens....
Don't care about next owner, NCRS.bowtie BS..NO BAD modifications... Got a small cosmetic wheel project up coming..New lug nuts..remove black center paint on stock alum.wheels...Put new Pace Car '78 hub covers on after I polish the wheels up properly with them off the car.Jim
I forgot to mention the data plate specific to the '78 Silver Anniversary L48 that I had Corvette Mods make up for me..
Attached it to the glove ashtray cover which was scuffed up anyhow..with a bit of contact cement..
Also put L48 emblems (minus the pins ) on the sides of the hood (where the L82 emblems would have been).
.Used 3M double sided emblem tape to adhere them on new paint..
NEW quartz clock, new Kenwood AM/FM/CD/Bluetooth radio sound system..replaced both original rear speakers..Also clear plastic covers with corvette logo on them that went on over the door sills to protect the new carpeting...attached simply beneath the original stainless sill plates..
AND bought a black leather arm rest that fit's nicely between the seats on the console to rear of parking brake lever. Chevy should have done that when they built the car..
I put an SA patch on it with fabric cement rather than spend more for one with just a C3 crossed flag embroidery.. ALL pretty simple modifications that please us..Jim
I was thinking it would be cool to hear from the group on the best things you have done on your C3 AND the worst. Please list them and if you have pics, share.
I will kick it off.
BEST: Suspension upgrade. Bilstein Shocks, VB&P front springs and rear composite and spreader bar. Really improved the ride and handling.
Close second is the MSD Programmable ignition.
WORST: This one is hard. I would have to say it was toying with the HEI distributor and adding parts to it. It was a cheap Ebay one and I never was satisfied with the results.
How about all of you?
BEST: Th200r4 overdrive,electric headlights and Holley Stealth Ram
WORST: Not really bad but side pipes. I always smell like car exhaust
Good stuff!
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