LT1

Has anybody put a high performance crate motor in a C3 over 500 HP

EarlyC34me

lars

What's your real question? Are you looking for crate motors over 500 hp, or are you trying to determine the practicality of running over 500 hp in a C3? I have built and installed several engines over 500hp in C3 Vettes, but I have never used a "crate motor" to achieve that goal. What are you asking..?

mobird

LOTS of people have.

As Lars said, what are you wondering about? The drivelines capability to handle the power? What needs to be beefed up? The chassis ability?

Lots depends on what year/rear end is in your car. If you have an iron case diff with HD caps on the half shafts, solid spicer u-joints, and stub axles in good shape, then the car should handle that power just fine as long as you aren't putting slicks on it and hammering it off the line.

If you have an aluminum diff, old u joints, worn stub axles, etc... it will probably shred it up eventually.

If you plan to put a 500 hp motor in your car, it is worthwhile to do some easy basic upgrades to make sure the half shafts and rear end are in good shape.

bfit

LT1

Looking for info on what has to be changed as for the old pan and or oil pump on a JEGS or other rebuilders crate motor.
I was going buy one from ATK and was told it would not fit by their sales person because of the oil pan? I can not find one on line that just bolts in.
Thanks for your reply

LT1

Looking for info on what has to be changed as for the old pan and or oil pump on a JEGS or other rebuilders crate motor.
I was going buy one from ATK and was told it would not fit by their sales person because of the oil pan? I can not find one on line that just bolts in.
Thanks for your reply

Vette5311

sambrand

don't skimp on motor mounts, you want to eliminate as much flex as possible from the start.

lars

Any Gen 1 Chevy small block with a stock oil pan will bolt right into a Vette or any other Chevy. There is nothing special about a Vette (hate to burst everyone's bubble...). You can pull a 350 out of a '69 1/2-ton truck or a '72 Impala Station Wagon, and bolt it right into a Vette (as many people did after trashing their Vette engine). The Vette had a slightly higher capacity oil pan, so the Vette engine with the big pan cannot be bolted into the Impala Station Wagon without a pan change.

Also... I'm confused... what difference does the horsepower make if you're asking about oil pan fitment..?

mobird

Any gen 1 block will work. The thing that normally can cause fitment issues in the vette is the intake manifold. As long as you are running a low rise manifold you should be fine. But a taller dual plane like the Airgap or Performer RPM etc... will require a drop base filter.

Fredtoo

Are you looking at the LS type motors, or the original style small block?

cv67

x2 betting ATK meant the intake manifold?
Stock oil pump is just fine, nothing fancy needed.

LT1

Thanks a lot. not sure why the jegs sales person and the guy at ATK didn't kown that That was a big help thank again

LT1

The salesman at jegs said the crank on a higher HP motor crank would hit the pil pan

LT1

Thanks will do that

LT1

original style small block Thanks

ddawson

I would talk to Brandon at ATK for your answers, He goes by Notalent on the chevelle forum. https://www.chevelles.com/forums/139...-web-site.html

Tell him the year of your C3 and that you want to replace the motor and you want to know what will work.

mobird

The HP of the motor has nothing to do with the crank, at least not in that way. Barring some weird combos (short stroke, big bore), a 350 crank is 3.48", a 383 is 3.75", etc... If you are buying a crate motor, it should come with an oil pan that won't interfere with the crank.