Can anyone point me to a resource for a engine package for my 91 vette. The motor needs to be rebuilt and I would like to add some horsepower by buying a tested package (Engine, prom, exhaust, manafold, etc). I unfortunately still have to pass California smog, so any advice on this issue will help.

 

good luck. The L98 has just about dropped off the face of the earth. I am doing an LS1 conversion...

 

What kind of HP is your goal and where do you want the power band??

 

http://www.sdpc2000.com/catalog/1578...ip-Engines.htm

 

bogus.. the l98 is the same as every chevy sb put out from the 1950's until 1992 besides the tpi setup. parts are a dime a dozen and can make very large hp for less than it would cost to do a comparible ls1.

an example is im building a 600hp 396ci gen 1 chevy from pan to intake for 7k using all top of line parts. i dont think you can do it for the same price with an ls1.

not many people that drag race use an ls1 unless it came in the car.

scoggindicky is just way out of line with that superram 383..$10,200 for 405 hp engine.. that is just insane..it does come with and accel dfi thought.

 

I would be happy with a solid package that gives around 350 HP under normal California stop and stop traffic conditions. The L98 RPM torq range was good for these conditions, but it could use more power in the band.

 

 

Those are parts; that's my point. The L98 has fallen off the charts when it comes to generally available, smog legal motor kits.

Technically, putting in a 2 piece rear main block into a 1987-1991 L98 vette is illegal; it's an older tech... and you can't do that.

I know I am speaking semantics, but if the only option is a $10k 383, that kinda option sucks... hense, my desire to drop in an LS1.

 

sure you can.. the only differerence is the pan and crank and cam style. in the car, no one would know but you.. as far as older tech.. its just different, the same hp is to be had out of either style block.

 

that is easy. just get a zz4 engine and slap on your intake and your done. $3700.00..

 

Keep your eye on the Parts for Sale forum. You can find some good deals on short-blocks and sometimes complete engines. Just as an example: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...98&forum_id=55

I have never dealt with the person selling this engine, so I can't vouch for him or complain about him. But, it appears to be a pretty good deal. If you go to the end of the post, it appears he will part it out and sell the short-block separately. You need to ask the right questions of the seller to make sure that the deal is right for you. However, it seems like a far better deal than the 383 being sold by Scroggins Dickey.

IMHO.

Alan

 

IF you live in cali and you want to stay smog legal and pass then you need to pass on the scoggin dickecy combo.

The tpi motor from sc. dky. is great but is not smog legal. It has a custom roller cam grind that is very similar to the gm performance parts hot cam and will give you a nice lopey idle that will scare the smog techs away the without even lifting the hood. Even though the motor is a good deal for 3700 bucks, it still comes with cast iron vortec heads.
Your car has aluminum heads. That's kinda like going from disk brakes to drum brakes. The vortecs flow better than the heads you have, but they are till nice heavy cast iron units.

You can also forget the zz4 because it also comes with a lopey cam.

remember you are trying to stay smog legal and pass, so focus on the best of what you have. The only advantage you have is that stock tpi makes killer torque.

If you have a budget of under five grand, and you can do the work yourself, I would go this route. This combo will give you about 375 hp and a ton of low end torque.

edelbrock e-tec aluminum heads 170 cc version 1000.00

383 kit from summit racing 1000.00

edelbrock tpi base and runners (smog legal) 685.00

52mm t-body smog legal bbk 300.00

tpis super profile L98 cam from tpis 400.00

ported plenum from tpis 100.00

modify your existing exhaust manifolds 0

custom chip from fast chip 375.00

roller rocker arms 1.5 ratio 300

adjustable fuel press. regu. 50-60

reuse your block, stock roller tappets, new timing chain, and all bolts.
stock injectors,

all this adds up to 4160 dollars, machine work for your block should be less than 500 bucks.

Lets say you want to go even cheaper.

don't get the 383 kit, re-use you rocker arms, don't get the chip,

This combo will pass the sniffer test with flying colors. The smog tech will never call you on the heads becuase the edelbrock logo is completly covererd by your accesories. It will idle like a stocker and run like the wind. This was the first combo in my 86 vette, and I went high 13's at 104-105 mph with a 2.59 gear ratio in the rear!

My current set up right now is a 400 cubic inch sbc, fast burn heads, tips mini-ram 3, custom comp cams grind, 58mm t-body, 30 lb injectors, custom chip from fast chip, 3.54 gears, high stall coverter, no cats, flowmaster mufflers, I have not run this combo yet, I'm still trying to tune it.

I'm putting my old 383 eldelbrock engine in my jeep. when it's time to pass the sniffer test I will yank it out and put it back in the vet.

hope this helps

 

I'm putting in a ZZ-4 short block , Edelbrock Corvette heads , Super Ram , and modified stock headers . Hope to start up this weekend . Can't wait !!!
I'm also in Calif. . All smog legal !

 

Your stock TPI will be a major restriction if used on any decent long block. Superram or one of several EO# large tube runners (TPIS, Az speed, Edelbrock, etc) will work on the ZZ4. But the ZZ4 is just a 10:1/cammed up version of your L-98, so you don't gain much except it is brand new. However, some GM reps at an NHRA event a couple of years ago told me the ZZ4 long block will pass Ca smog. It should, as the cam stats are not too radical, slightly milder than TPIS ZZ9. But it leaves you with an induction problem

There are loads of combinations from 350 cu inches on up that will pass the Ca tailpipe test. Many Hyd Roller cams that will pass the sniff test have no EO# though. If you are mainly looking for a wider rev range but nothing drastic, ZZ-9 passes the sniff test, so do LPE 214 and 219 cams, so does GM Hot Cam, (although IMHO the last 2 are pushing it in a 350") all in a 350". I am not speaking from experience, but this is common chatter on this forum.

I'd consider going with one of these cams and one of the EO# induction kits (including the manifold) in your block and heads and you should get much improved performance. But induction is pricey, so get ready. But new induction on the ZZ4 is a simple program and all brand new, no rebuild to mess with.

 

I too am in California and had the same delima of wanting to add more horse power and yet keep it emissions legal for my 87 Coupe.
Here is what I have done keeping the above mentioned in mine and though the engine is not in the car yet I hope to have it running within the next 60-90 days.
Bought another block (roller lifter type) and made a 383 stroker out of it which will be about 9.75-1 in the compression department.
Added a set of Edelbrock California emissions legal aluminum heads, plus it It also has a Crane after market cam that is legal for use in this state.
Upgraded the injectors to Accels 24's which is just a bit larger than stock and bought an adjustable fuel regulator to go with it. I will retain the stock distributor but will add an Accel HEI coil to it for a little added spark. Plan to upgrade the intake manifold and throttle body to a 52mm at a later date
I tried to locate a set of legal Headers for it but unfortunately, no one makes a set that would be legal for use on a 87 C4. I am going to modify the extra set that I have by matching the port sizes to the heads and just do a general cleanup.
The current engine has over 117,000 miles on it and on it's last leg but still managed to run a 14.89 at 94.64 mph last Wednesday night at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma California where I work.
I can hardly wait for Spring to come, this project has been in the works for some time and with the 3.08 gears and a freshened 700R Transmission, I am hoping for some high 12's in the 1/4 mile and still be legal for the snifter test.

 

Jim, your program should do exactly what you are hoping for. Several years ago I put a similar 383 (TFS twisted flow heads) and TPIS large tube runners, manifold and 52mm and chip with stock injectors. Mild HR cam, 9.7:1 compression. The F-body car weighed 200 lbs more than our Vettes. The car ran 13.35's with a 3.27 rear end and 1800 stall converter. It smogged so clean it was embarrassing. All I had to do was retard the timing. Ran awful, but smogged clean. It had EO# headers because the F-Body came without pre cats (The latter are what screw us in our early C4's).

 

Where abouts are those smogg techs that will ignore the cool lope of a zz4 cam? gm hot cam? and the zz'9 cam? I would definately like to get my car smogged there. I'm in Cali. I have never heard of anyone passing the sniffer test with these cams.

 

I went for the ZZ4 superram combo and pass the rolling high tech emissions dyno here in MD four years ago. The only time it didn't pass was 2 years ago, when I burnt out the High flow CAT. The ZZ4 cam is not lopey? Who told someone that? I have to run a slightly higher idle than stock. But I burn clean. Of course you probably can not have Headers even with the smog pump connected, like I do. If I had to look stock. I would have the TPI hogged out to match the high flow runners and Accel intake. I think TPIS has that package. Arizona Speed can make you a smog legal and looking legal system. Now I had a suprise on the dyno by only getting 250 HP at the rear wheels. But I have turned a 12.6 secs, in the quarter mile on a good day. The ZZ4 is almost identical to the L98 in exterior looks. Speed costs money how much do you want to spend. Enjoy...Chris

 

George:
Thanks for the info and BTW thanks for coming over and running Top Comp with us the last time we were in Redding. Sorry you had problems with the car and I just hope it wasn't something major.
Enjoyed announcing the Top Comp sessions up there and will do all of the events again in 2006 once Mike MacBriar gets the schedule worked out.

I plan on during some ET bracket racing with my 87 Corvette next year and have a set of Goodyear 11.5 inch slicks mounted up on some 15" Ralley rims that I ran on my El Camino for a season. They have little wear on them and will at least give me a base line to start with. I just hope they will fit?

Give my best to Dixie and looking forward to seeing you in the new year.

BTW, your old Austin Bantam roadster still rates as one of my all time favorites and I have never forgotten it.
Good luck in 2006!

 

Regarding my last post,
I was thinking of George and Dixie Vanderpool and their cars George and sorry if I confused the 2 of you.
I do recall you though and remember announcing a few off your races at Redding when Rod Thomas and Bill Medlen were the operators of the track.