We see the gymnastics that guys go thru to switch C4s to LS SBC....I was wondering if it would be easier to just drop in a Mark VI 454~502 from a salvage yard truck or SUV? I have made that swap from SBC to BBC in several GM cars and trucks and it was really no big deal getting stuff to work out. Anyone on this forum done it or seen it done?

 

From the research I have done:

Clearance at steering rack is tight. May need to cut and reweld steering rack mounts forward about an inch.

C3 BBC headers are a near fit with some mods needed.

Hood clearance is an obvious issue with the stock hood.

Gets tight at the HVAC box on the passenger side.

 

Go here.
https://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...-possible.html

 

That link just sent me to a general page and the search function brings up everything known to man

 

Sounds like a cool swap. BBC can make huge power. Fitment issues aside, the only thing that would make me hesitant is the added weight up front.

 

drop down box there that defaults to "everywhere" will allow you to specifically target that forum

with that said, read this and make sure to follow all the embedded links, will provide lots of information:

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com...gine-swap.151/

 

What year is your vette ? (94) if so, JMO but of course the mounts are different on the LT1 and the electronics are the biggest part to the swap that makes it difficult.

Edit to add, The LS is probably a more efficient motor....
But the wow factor of a BBC is hard to top!!

 

oh haha, thanks. My build thread is actually over there lol. Grumpy has helped me out alot on this. I am just trying as hard as i can to finding a workaround for relocating the rack. That is something i consider to be out of yhe realm of the average shade tree mechanic

 

its a 1986. I think I can get the bbc to run off of the stock tpi harness. I have been taking alot of videos, i am using this car and my monte carlo ss buildup to launch my youtube channel.

The premise behind the corvette build is this. The C8 corvette was finally greenlighted because Tadge produced a phenomenal best of the breed product in the C7, and then basically told GM that was the best he could do, and no matter what incremental improvements were made, that they had reached the practical limits of the architecture. This point was further illustrated by the 750hp zr1 not really being much faster around several major race tracks than the 640 horsepower z06.

but the c7 traces its architecture all the way back to the C5. C5 was grand daddy, but C4 was Genesis.

Clearly improvements were made, the most being from c4 to c5, but C4 had excellent geometry, aluminum suspension, abs, and a lower ride height and cog than its progeny.

all of that aside, I feel that a substantial portion of the handling improvement was made with tire technology. So what happens when we take a 2500 dollar car, spend 3500 on the drivetrain, and 4k in brakes and tires? How close can we get to a C7 Zr1 on a high school part time employees salary? Is it worth exploring? Will I have a huge amount of egg on my face? Can it be modified by someone with less than average mechanical ability? Without a fancy shop? I believe it can, and thats the point of the build.

 

Most the weight is behind the front axle I dont think some weight will be a big deal.
An LT5 is one heavy chunk of metal I felt very little difference in fact only time it was apparent was really pushing it through tight twisties, didnt slow me down at all.
Id do it, that torque is flat out addicting and that thundering exhaust note....heck yeah! If you gotta hack up the hood go for it.
Theres enough stock ones out there.

 

For the record, at the time I posted that link, it did go to a specific thread. Things change.

 

Haha sorry, I didn’t look at the date code on the post