Help me Build a motor
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,691
Likes: 322
From: Alexandria VA
Help me Build a motor
So we took our craptastic 84 to the Chump race at VIR yesterday. As expected, the trans lasted a couple laps before it wouldn't shift into third. We brought it in, flushed the fluid, and sent it back out. For this, the motor overheated and we have a rod knock. So all in all we're ditching the trans and considering the following;
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans. Would cut lots of weight out. Unfortunately, to get a 4 cylinder engine at this power level will be expensive for both the engine and conversion. If we can however, find one cheap, we'll do this. Also be much better on fuel than the 'goes through 6 gallons while on the track for 40 min' stock engine.
2.) Put a V6 in it.
Again, would have to find an adapter as pretty much all GM v6 engines worth a damn have different bolt patterns.
3.) Rebuild the stock motor.
Build it for ~400hp. Would like to use cast cylinder heads (would think one would have to ditch the stock (l83) heads.
Anyone input would be appreciated or any suggestions on build kits that would get us to our power level would also be appreciated.
Cheers,
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans. Would cut lots of weight out. Unfortunately, to get a 4 cylinder engine at this power level will be expensive for both the engine and conversion. If we can however, find one cheap, we'll do this. Also be much better on fuel than the 'goes through 6 gallons while on the track for 40 min' stock engine.
2.) Put a V6 in it.
Again, would have to find an adapter as pretty much all GM v6 engines worth a damn have different bolt patterns.
3.) Rebuild the stock motor.
Build it for ~400hp. Would like to use cast cylinder heads (would think one would have to ditch the stock (l83) heads.
Anyone input would be appreciated or any suggestions on build kits that would get us to our power level would also be appreciated.
Cheers,
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: South Lake Tahoe CA
Really depends on your budget. Cast heads are ok but won't flow as well and in a Corvette where space is confined, the cast heads won't cool as well, one of the advantagees to aluminum heads.
I have a 383 stroker in mine and it was dyno tested at the tires, 492hp. You could just go 0.030 over bore, put a good set of heads that have been ported, etc and that will get you to 400 HP easily
I have a 383 stroker in mine and it was dyno tested at the tires, 492hp. You could just go 0.030 over bore, put a good set of heads that have been ported, etc and that will get you to 400 HP easily
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 4
From: East Wenatchee (2hours from n e where) WA
Track only?
Budget?
Time / work invested?
Does it need to look fairly stock?
This could turn out to be a fun thread.
1; 2pc rms SBC 3.75 bottom kit. valve train and top end.(simple)
2; stock 1pc rms short block with top end and cam.(cheep way to a roller cam)
3; LS1 w/ cam and tune.(easy 400hp aluminum block saves about 80#)
Budget?
Time / work invested?
Does it need to look fairly stock?
This could turn out to be a fun thread.
1; 2pc rms SBC 3.75 bottom kit. valve train and top end.(simple)
2; stock 1pc rms short block with top end and cam.(cheep way to a roller cam)
3; LS1 w/ cam and tune.(easy 400hp aluminum block saves about 80#)
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 188
From: Wabasha Mn
If you want to stay with cast heads I would higly recommend the Summit 152123 large valve heads. They are 72cc with heart shaped chambers and 165 runners, screw in studs, stainless steel 2.02-1.60 valves, .525 springs and are quality heads for $630 shipped to your door and are USA made by Dart. I just installed a set on my 84 carbed Z51 and for the price you cannot do a quality build on an old set of GM performance heads for that kind of money. AFR 190 aluminum heads, a streetable cam, 750 carb, intake would get you to 380 plus hp pretty easy.
Instructor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 194
Likes: 1
From: Lawndale CA
My suggestions for your options.
1. 2.0L Turbo Ecotec from a wrecked Solstice GXP or Sky Redline. 200hp, and the cars are about the same size.
2. Grand National/GNX/Turbo Trans Am motor. It's been done before.
3. Drop a crate motor in it.
1. 2.0L Turbo Ecotec from a wrecked Solstice GXP or Sky Redline. 200hp, and the cars are about the same size.
2. Grand National/GNX/Turbo Trans Am motor. It's been done before.
3. Drop a crate motor in it.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,691
Likes: 322
From: Alexandria VA
Track only?
Budget?
Time / work invested?
Does it need to look fairly stock?
This could turn out to be a fun thread.
1; 2pc rms SBC 3.75 bottom kit. valve train and top end.(simple)
2; stock 1pc rms short block with top end and cam.(cheep way to a roller cam)
3; LS1 w/ cam and tune.(easy 400hp aluminum block saves about 80#)
Budget?
Time / work invested?
Does it need to look fairly stock?
This could turn out to be a fun thread.
1; 2pc rms SBC 3.75 bottom kit. valve train and top end.(simple)
2; stock 1pc rms short block with top end and cam.(cheep way to a roller cam)
3; LS1 w/ cam and tune.(easy 400hp aluminum block saves about 80#)
Time - I'm willing for whatever it takes, already have tons of hours invested (cage, etc).
Appearance - Yes, looking stock would be best.
1.) Not familiar with it, details?
2.) Also sounds about right.
3.) Can't - We're doing chump car. Half the point of it is to cheat. I'm pretty sure they can tell the difference between stock and LS1. Even thought about Vortec, but that's out.
If you want to stay with cast heads I would higly recommend the Summit 152123 large valve heads. They are 72cc with heart shaped chambers and 165 runners, screw in studs, stainless steel 2.02-1.60 valves, .525 springs and are quality heads for $630 shipped to your door and are USA made by Dart. I just installed a set on my 84 carbed Z51 and for the price you cannot do a quality build on an old set of GM performance heads for that kind of money. AFR 190 aluminum heads, a streetable cam, 750 carb, intake would get you to 380 plus hp pretty easy.
http://www.northernautoparts.com/Pro...tModelId=18788
Another venue I have, a good friend does late model racing and has tonnnns of spare parts. However, all his motors are built to live at ~6500 rpm w/ a 400 cfm carb. Be kind of hard to pull to the line with a motor that sounds like a saturn five.
2.) Hmm, I will research, that sounds . . . interesting!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 21,016
Likes: 0
From: Galveston... well, Santa Fe Texas
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Donor '03 & '06
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,691
Likes: 322
From: Alexandria VA
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16,838
Likes: 341
From: Database Error Indiana
For cheap, just get a short block from a truck. Do rings and bearings and the cam of your choice. I have a good one in my garage that I put together for almost nothing. You can do it pretty easy. Craigs list is your friend.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 188
From: Wabasha Mn
I did not flow my Summit heads, my 84 is strictly a street car and I wanted lots of low and mid range and the engine rarely will see 4800 rpm. My C4 only had 68K on it when I bought it and was a 2 owner car that had really good care. The PO used Mobil 1 oil and then engine was clean as a whislte inside with little wear so I left as is.
Instructor
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 194
Likes: 1
From: Lawndale CA
- 1986 Original Owner -
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 139
From: North Yorkshire, England
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,713
Likes: 105
From: Manassas VA
[QUOTE=RandomTask;1581571815]Budget- Cheap. Absolute garbage cheap. This chump racing, (www.chumpcar.com)
Time - I'm willing for whatever it takes, already have tons of hours invested (cage, etc).
Cheap
Reliable
Fast
pick 2
So we took our craptastic 84 to the Chump race at VIR yesterday. As expected, the trans lasted a couple laps before it wouldn't shift into third. We brought it in, flushed the fluid, and sent it back out. For this, the motor overheated and we have a rod knock. So all in all we're ditching the trans and considering the following;
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans.
You brought a 28 year old (craptastic) car out to race and expected it to be reliable? Trans went? wonder what maintance was done to that in the past 28 years. Motor went? Again, wonder what maintance had been done in 28 years, not to mention mileage on it.
Time - I'm willing for whatever it takes, already have tons of hours invested (cage, etc).
Cheap
Reliable
Fast
pick 2
So we took our craptastic 84 to the Chump race at VIR yesterday. As expected, the trans lasted a couple laps before it wouldn't shift into third. We brought it in, flushed the fluid, and sent it back out. For this, the motor overheated and we have a rod knock. So all in all we're ditching the trans and considering the following;
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans.
You brought a 28 year old (craptastic) car out to race and expected it to be reliable? Trans went? wonder what maintance was done to that in the past 28 years. Motor went? Again, wonder what maintance had been done in 28 years, not to mention mileage on it.
Last edited by 93 ragtop; Aug 15, 2012 at 08:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,691
Likes: 322
From: Alexandria VA
[QUOTE=RandomTask;1581571815]Budget- Cheap. Absolute garbage cheap. This chump racing, (www.chumpcar.com)
Time - I'm willing for whatever it takes, already have tons of hours invested (cage, etc).
Cheap
Reliable
Fast
pick 2
So we took our craptastic 84 to the Chump race at VIR yesterday. As expected, the trans lasted a couple laps before it wouldn't shift into third. We brought it in, flushed the fluid, and sent it back out. For this, the motor overheated and we have a rod knock. So all in all we're ditching the trans and considering the following;
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans.
You brought a 28 year old (craptastic) car out to race and expected it to be reliable? Trans went? wonder what maintance was done to that in the past 28 years. Motor went? Again, wonder what maintance had been done in 28 years, not to mention mileage on it.
Time - I'm willing for whatever it takes, already have tons of hours invested (cage, etc).
Cheap
Reliable
Fast
pick 2
So we took our craptastic 84 to the Chump race at VIR yesterday. As expected, the trans lasted a couple laps before it wouldn't shift into third. We brought it in, flushed the fluid, and sent it back out. For this, the motor overheated and we have a rod knock. So all in all we're ditching the trans and considering the following;
Our criteria: We want at least 200 hp (stock)
1.) Put a four cylinder in it.
Doing this to mostly **** off vette fans.
You brought a 28 year old (craptastic) car out to race and expected it to be reliable? Trans went? wonder what maintance was done to that in the past 28 years. Motor went? Again, wonder what maintance had been done in 28 years, not to mention mileage on it.
Second - Its pretty ignorant to think a 350 small block can't make a reliable and mind boggling 200hp + some for cheap.
So if you want to make a suggestion on how/what to build, I'm all ears. But if you come in to criticize that someone would dare be absolutely budget oriented with a stupid low 'performance benchmark', than this def won't be your thread.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,253
Likes: 4
From: East Wenatchee (2hours from n e where) WA
cheep n easy; You need a crank kit right.
Cast 383 kit,
ported xfire intake,
the 165cc heads w/ 64cc chambers like wilcar sugested or a pair of ported 113s (58cc lotsa compression) the best springs you can get that match the cam,
something like a LPE 214,
RR pan,
the usual xfire tricks
shift at 5500 max!
An automatic?! There was a thread on a mustang or camaro 5 speed a couple years ago (cheep)
Cast 383 kit,
ported xfire intake,
the 165cc heads w/ 64cc chambers like wilcar sugested or a pair of ported 113s (58cc lotsa compression) the best springs you can get that match the cam,
something like a LPE 214,
RR pan,
the usual xfire tricks
shift at 5500 max!
An automatic?! There was a thread on a mustang or camaro 5 speed a couple years ago (cheep)
Last edited by Crepitus; Aug 17, 2012 at 07:24 PM.