Alum 350
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 6,252
Likes: 2
From: Silicon Valley Kalifornia
Alum 350
Waddya guys think? Is it worth investing in? 95lbs lighter than regular chevy.... better braking.... better heat transfer.... better acceleration, especially at higher speeds... worth almost $5000??????
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,631
Likes: 14
From: Fountain Hills AZ
Re: Alum 350 (GRX)
I'd also love an aluminum block but I can't see paying that much to get one. The same money spent on other items (a blower?) would probably give a LOT more bang for the bucks. There are other areas that you might get at least some of that weight reduction for much less money.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,122
Likes: 1,725
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Re: Alum 350 (Vetterodder)
The weight savings, and the fact that its cool make me want one. But since this is about money, i believe i'll just go with the ZZ4 block when time for the 383 comes along. Maybe one day on another vette ill do an AL block.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,874
Likes: 1
From: Garden Grove CA
Re: Alum 350 (bill mcdonald)
Except for the fact of how a C4 has a "tub" that is glued into place in the chassis I really like the idea of a tube chassis to both reduce weight, and to tighten the flexible chassis on the C4.
Thomas
Thomas
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
Re: Alum 350 (The Green Rocket)
I have a HOT ROD magazing from 1985, I think the month is april.
They had a article/advertisement on a kit's that was being made for the "NEW IN THING" back then, which was tube frame chassis on street cars. Seems the frame of mind was, why build the motor when you can make it lighter. I wonder if that was from an emissions stand point back in '85
On the cover was a C4 corvette tube chassis. This thing was bare bones race car, with the stock engine, drive line, and suspension adapted to it. they mentioned it was something (unreal) like 2000 pounds. I mean it was bare bones! The body panels looked to be paper thin and attached with those clips you see on race cars. I dont think it even had cut outs for headlights in the hood. There were a bunch of big names mentioned for the chassis kit, like accel. Looks like nothing never came of it. This car was intended to be a street killer.
I see that article, and these guys on this forum selling early C4's for dirt. I think I would like to do something like that someday, and add in a little more streetability to it, like carpet, headlights, windsheild wipers etc... That sounds about like what I want.
They had a article/advertisement on a kit's that was being made for the "NEW IN THING" back then, which was tube frame chassis on street cars. Seems the frame of mind was, why build the motor when you can make it lighter. I wonder if that was from an emissions stand point back in '85
On the cover was a C4 corvette tube chassis. This thing was bare bones race car, with the stock engine, drive line, and suspension adapted to it. they mentioned it was something (unreal) like 2000 pounds. I mean it was bare bones! The body panels looked to be paper thin and attached with those clips you see on race cars. I dont think it even had cut outs for headlights in the hood. There were a bunch of big names mentioned for the chassis kit, like accel. Looks like nothing never came of it. This car was intended to be a street killer.
I see that article, and these guys on this forum selling early C4's for dirt. I think I would like to do something like that someday, and add in a little more streetability to it, like carpet, headlights, windsheild wipers etc... That sounds about like what I want.
