:yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:
lied to about motor
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: aurora co
lied to about motor
i just picked up a 1985 vette, the guy i got it from had the motor rebuilt by a shop here in town. he told me he had a cam in it all the head work done flat top pistons etc etc etc. i went to the shop the motor work was done to find out what they did and they tell me it was just a basic rebuild. the stock motor had forged pistons now i dont. i was going to juice it but thats out of the question! so what sort of heads and cam would give me a good boost in hp
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,418
Likes: 1
From: NW Chicago Suburbs
Re: lied to about motor (85 vette)
...the stock motor had forged pistons....
Eric
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: lied to about motor (silver & red CE)
...the stock motor had forged pistons....
The Chevy small block hasn't come with forged pistons from the factory since 1972. The stock pistons are good for 100-150 HP shots with a good system and they're flat top.
Eric
The Chevy small block hasn't come with forged pistons from the factory since 1972. The stock pistons are good for 100-150 HP shots with a good system and they're flat top.
Eric
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: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,160
Likes: 1,733
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: lied to about motor (GlockLT4)
The 85 L98 came from the factory with TRW Forged pistons. It is the only L98 with them. I dont know for sure if the 84 had them or not, but i seriously doubt it.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 702
Likes: 1
From: the corner of walk and dont walk
Re: lied to about motor (85 vette)
so what sort of heads would give me a good boost
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,019
Likes: 0
From: down that one road next to that big tree
Re: lied to about motor (sinistervette)
you can't really sue the guy unless it's documented, like what he sold you. in the mean time don't sweat it, things like bearing clearances & ring end gap being set correctly will keep the engine running longer than a strong piston. cast pistons aren't really the worst things in the world you just can't detonate them. as long as your air/fuel ratio is good & you don't spin the engine to the moon you'll be good to go. a good set of heads and a nice cam will really wake up your combo.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: lied to about motor (gtsyellow)
you can't really sue the guy unless it's documented, like what he sold you.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 13,356
Likes: 0
From: tucson AZ
St. Jude Donor '04 & '05
Re: lied to about motor (85 vette)
Did you buy the car "AS IS"?
If so...you really have no recourse but to live with it....Live and learn.
Did you get any receipts????
:eek: :eek: :eek:
If so...you really have no recourse but to live with it....Live and learn.
Did you get any receipts????
:eek: :eek: :eek:
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 3
From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas
Re: lied to about motor (85 vette)
You said he said flat top piston were used in the rebuild. These come in cast pistons, too, so that is not a false statement. From my experience, people usually don't lie outright, but leave out important information. That is why I always ask to see the receipts. No receipts, then his statements are meaningless.
In 1983, I bought a 1971 Corvette Convertible that was not drivable and needed a frame-off restoration. The owner said the engine was just rebuilt so I asked him if he would guarantee it in writting. He did but his written guarantee said it was for 90 days and the engine had to be running in this car. Well, it took me 6 years to complete the restoration. In the process, I replaced the frame since it rotted out. The only good thing about the car was the engine and transmission. The rest was junk or rusted out. The engine had been rebuilt with one piston replaced. I never had any problems with it during the 5 years I drove it and even raced it a few times with cast pistons.
Lesson learned: Get receipts, get everything in writting, and do your research by talking to the shop before you buy.
[Modified by Mez, 4:00 PM 10/28/2002]
In 1983, I bought a 1971 Corvette Convertible that was not drivable and needed a frame-off restoration. The owner said the engine was just rebuilt so I asked him if he would guarantee it in writting. He did but his written guarantee said it was for 90 days and the engine had to be running in this car. Well, it took me 6 years to complete the restoration. In the process, I replaced the frame since it rotted out. The only good thing about the car was the engine and transmission. The rest was junk or rusted out. The engine had been rebuilt with one piston replaced. I never had any problems with it during the 5 years I drove it and even raced it a few times with cast pistons.
Lesson learned: Get receipts, get everything in writting, and do your research by talking to the shop before you buy.
[Modified by Mez, 4:00 PM 10/28/2002]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,252
Likes: 6
From: The Colony Tx
Re: lied to about motor (85 vette)
One thing you should remember is that most of the QUOTE hot rod tips you get or the HP goodies that the factory installed were done on just a few models for the most part. Unless you a building a ***** out race monster, most cast pistons will be easier to live with on the street. All of the HOT 300 HP 327's of the 60's came with cast pistons and a cast crank and they ran pretty well.