i've got an 85 corvette z51 and i'm tired of stock. i'm in the market to throw about a grand into the motor and i'm looking for ideas. any tried and true power combos? anything to avoid? looking for the most bang for my buck. whats out there!

 

Some cheap Lontube headers

Used aftermarket intake

Cam/lifters/springs (go small, heads wont handle a lot)

With your labor that should get you there.

Some pocket porting (bowls) will help, that will run 3-500.

 

Good advice but IMHO if you are going with a cam that small just go with 1.6 RR.
Putting in a cam is alot of work (I just did it)and will probably require a tune $more$.

 

1) Do a lot of reading of past post on the Forum. Check out VADER86's web site. There is lot's of very useful information on his site.

2) The 85 responds to exhaust modifications well. Even without headers, if you whet to a 2-1/2" front "Y" and a high flow cat this would help. Stock pipe is 2-1/4". The 85 cat bolts in so it can be a somewhat easy do it yourself installation.

3) Getting air in and out is the key. Cut out the cover on your air cleaner....free modification. If you can't find a better plenum, runners and intake. Then take yours off and get a die grinder and open these up. You will find many posts....even some with pictures.

4) A good set of heads will set you back more than your budget if you get them new. But you might find a good set of aluminum heads. Don't forget about those other needed items to change out anything.....GASKETS are not cheep. Head gaskets will be somewhere around $40-60/each, intake gaskets $15+, exhaust gaskets $15-30, runner and plenum gaskets (??$$), sealer (RightStuff $15) and coolant!

5) With as old as the car is...do you know if the injectors have ever been changed out? 1985 uses 24# injectors.

6) HP costs $$$$. Very few shortcuts in this are. You will reduce your costs by finding used parts. Both positive and negative issues in this area.

My real life example with my 1985: added 180 AFR heads ($1400+) SuperRam base intake, runners and plenum ($1500), roller rockers ($150), new Accel injectors ($325), front "Y" 2-1/2" ($150), high flow cat ($160), built my own straight thru pipe to replace the cat when at the drag stip which cut .5 seconds off 1/4 mile time. Custom dyno chip ($500). Stock bottom end of the original engine, stock cam, over 200,000 on the engine....dnyo'd about 350 HP @ the crank and 430 pounds of torque at the crank.....1/4 mile at 13.6 with automatic and 3.07 gears. Original GM HP for 85 was 230 at the crank. Note I did all the labor install myself.

Make up a list and decide were you want to spend your $$'s first and do things in stages. You will go over you original budget....perhaps look at spending $1000 a year for a couple of years.

 

best bang for the buck? around $1000?

- 2600 stall converter (if auto)
- drag radials (Mickey Thompson E/T streets)
- 125 shot

just the stall and tires alone should get you into the 13s regularly. add the N2O and your an easy 12 second car at 110+mph

its probably less work to install the above parts than a set of headers and a cam as well

 

Good list here...perfect for the street, 1.6 rr's could also be thrown in fairly cheap. stop worrying about hp..go for the torque baby!!!

 

long tube headers and a good exhaust behind it You wont believe how much power you can gain from just that

 

i want it all!

 

alot of good information here! injectors are original, but i recently gave them a full cleaning. the 1000 now is just the start, it'll get excessive as the dough rolls in.

im looking at a set of used heads casting #3795896. they're off a 327, 1.72 intake valve 1.5 exhaust, 60cc combustion chamber. would these be a good canidate? i'd have to rebuild them and am wondering if they're worth the time and money?

i am going to go with a 1.6 rr.
i'd like to get a set of long tubes, any recommendations?
torque converter is a possibility, any recommendations?

i wanna do things right the first time so any and all advice is appreciated!

 

I'd pass on the heads unless you plan on doing a lot of work on them, from the CC size alone I'd say you will drop down to around 9.2:1 CR.

Contact Pete K about the converter, he has excellent feedback and I'm considering buying one from him in the near future. As for the LTs, a lot of companies make them, but you'll have to shell out good $$ for a quality set.

 

I'd go with headers and get rid of the Y-pipe and go to a LT1 style exhaust. I bought TPIS headers and Force 2 flowmaster exhaust for Lt1, more power and actually got better mileage.

Also check your camshaft to make sure the lobes have not worn down as flat tappet cams have problems with the oil nowdays (synthetic oil helps prevent this.

 

Hi
I have the same car as you but with 4+3 gears and live in Norway.
I wanted to get as much as possible out of the engine with the original heads. I ported it slightly and portmatched themto the manifold.

I have ported plenum

Descreened MAF (do not know if that works)

LArge tube runners from TPIS

The 700-134 Torque secrets cam from TPIS

Coated headers frrom TPIS. Excellent installation easyness. Did not have to modify anything except grinding the support to the alternator about a millimeter and changed one bolt to torx.

Tuned Chip from Jeremy Formato (excellent service). HAd the TPIS stage 4 chip which was not tuned to the cam but worked alright.

Have a swedish catback system.

Have just changed the stock injectors to gen III injectors from Bosch. Bought them from FIC wo has and extremely good service!!!

The car feels very strong now and is about 300 hp. Will dyno it next week. With the new injectors it starts just just showing te key to the car,lol. Well it starts much better when hot also.

Related to the stock engine its way better! and even with the cam its a good daily driver if thats what is wanted. Milage is also very good.

Pulls good till 5000. have not dared to go for more rpms AM not sure about the valvetrain.

 

I agree. I threw out a few sets of those junk 327 heads when I closed my shop a year ago.

Unless you are building a numbers matching car and need a 327 head with a certain date code, they are absolutely worthless.

And he's a really nice guy.

Hopefully this summer I'll get him over the house for a cookout.

-- Joe

 

stall,grip,and SPRAY!!!!! 12s for around $1000
or cam,heads,lt,ign,stall,and tires 12s for around $3500 if you do the work?
heres your sign

 

Is it going to be a street driver? If so, then forget about horsepower and build lots of low end torque, which this motor is famous for.

 

Do your research before doing any modification to the engine, this thing should be modded with a specific set of goals in mind to get the right package.

Click my name to get to my site for some ideas.