Vett help?

Ok I asked this in two places in the chevy forum and haven’t gotten any responses so I figured I would try here. My friend james was just given his dads 1981 auto vett. The car only has 48,000 miles on it but needs a little TLC like paint, tune up ect. (didn’t start the other day but does run usually) He wants to fix the car up and turn it into a beast, but still wants it to be street able. Here’s the thing though he doesn’t know a whole lot about cars yet and I don’t know a lot about domestics. So I wanted to ask you guys a few questions. First is his stock motor worth modding? If not what motor should he swap in there? Some kind of crate motor or should he start with a plain block and build it from the ground up? His hp goal right now is 400bhp but that number may increase depending on what the vett runs in the 1/4.He wants to be sub 12s and if its not too ridiculous 10s. I will have to try and snap some pics of the car and engine for you guys.

Streetable and 10's is not really something that goes together.

Secondly cause he does not know much about cars and you don't know much about domestics the easiest way out would be a crate motor.

The only thing I would suggest for streetable and 10s would be forced induction, preferably turbos. I'm sure someone made a kit for that year vette at some point, maybe that'd be the best place to look. 10's will require around 500hp to the wheels, actually probably more since he has IRS...:thumbsdown:
So for 10s he's gonna need around 600bhp. He probably has a 350 sbc in there, I've got a 351c sbf in my mustang, and I'm goin for 10s in a streetable car as well. From years of researching, turbos are definately the best route to go. Either that or throw a BIG crate motor in there, 454bbc (or stroke it, 514, etc), but that would be an awful lot of nose weight.
Either way, he is going to have to pull the motor. I wouldnt trust 600bhp through a stock short block except for a select few. The motor needs a good rebuild, possibly a new block if stockers are too weak... After he figures out how he's gonna produce all this power, he's going to have to figure out how to get it all to the ground. Rebuild trans, rebuild rear end, driveshaft loop would be a very good idea, etc etc. I'd say 11.99 and lower aren't simple bolt on affairs, you're getting into the full engine rebuild, new trans, upgraded/new rear end, light rims, better tires, serious suspension upgrades, roll cage installations, etc. Once you get out of the teens, it gets pricey very fast.

I dont know which motor he has I only know its a L28 (i think) and its got 230hp 300tq. So is it a good small block to build off? He cant afford a big block crate motor right now, but with the money he would spend buying a big block couldnt he mod his motor to some major hp numbers? I mean a we are talking spending $5000+ for a big block.

This is the strangest race story today.

Start over, the stock motor in the Vette is crap. Sorry to say but it is, 1981 wasn't known for perfomance from cars. It was more known for Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love"... :disappoin



Where was I?... Oh yes... scrap that boat anchor of a 350. Unless you really want to rebuild it as something cool. It'll cost you alot to make it worth anything. Cause the only thing that's worth it's weight in gold is the block itself... sorta. It's a 2-Bolt main... not that great but still can be used. The intake, heads, exhaust manifolds, and everything bolted to that motor needs to die. I mean, 1981 the Vette only made 190hp...wtf? Kill it!


So, I bring you your answer... a ZZ4 hybrid... kinda. It's just been stroked and massaged.

The ZZ383...
http://www.paceperformance.com/images/products/manufacturer/GM/images/12498772.gif

The ZZ383, a 425 horsepower 460ft-lbs of torque bargin of a crate motor. It's plenty powerful enough to get you and your friend in trouble, I can personally gaurantee you'll spend a few nights behind bars giggling like small girls on a sleep over talking about that cute Billy Thompson down the street... yes we know he's Dreamy but snap out of it buttercup... we're talkin Corvettes here!

You pay them $4,869.95, and they send you one of these diamonds in the rough. And you get a 91 octane friendly torque monster that'll propel a 1981 C3 Corvette faster than you'd probably ever want to go in a street driven car. I'd expect easy 12's all day... but you gotta remember I'm pestimistic about 1/4 mile times, I always figure it'll be slower than it is.

http://www.paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=73193




Of course, you'll need to rebuild the TH350 transmission, and have the rear diff gone through unless you want to see how fast you can destroy them. Coupled with a built TH350 with a hefty shift kit, and some 4.10 gears and some meaty tires. The Vette will go from '80s Porn cruiser to Boulevard Bruiser.


Have fun Princess.:thumbsup:

Thanks red for the help :worshippy Im glad you brought up the transmission because that was the second question I had. The car is an auto but my friend would rather a stick. What would be a good manual transmission to mate with the ZZ383? Would it be even worth it?

One more quick question, on the web sites I was looking at they where saying the vett has 230hp and runs 15.1 in the 1/4 are these numbers inaccurate?


Edit:One more thing will the ZZ383 hold up to F/I? Just an idea for the future when the vett starts to feel slow again.

Edit2: Ok sorry but one more thing, seeing as the ZZ383 is $4,8XX their is a big block for that price that makes the same hp but more tq. Is the the 383 still the better choice?

Redneck383 by far that was the most entertaining post ive ever read.

You pay them $4,869.95, and they send you one of these diamonds in the rough.
I have the money for that and them some right now.

Hmm supercharger for the truck, or 383 for the Firebird. Damn you Redneck for posting this, now you got me thinking.

Thanks red for the help :worshippy Im glad you brought up the transmission because that was the second question I had. The car is an auto but my friend would rather a stick. What would be a good manual transmission to mate with the ZZ383? Would it be even worth it?

One more quick question, on the web sites I was looking at they where saying the vett has 230hp and runs 15.1 in the 1/4 are these numbers inaccurate?


Edit:One more thing will the ZZ383 hold up to F/I? Just an idea for the future when the vett starts to feel slow again.

Edit2: Ok sorry but one more thing, seeing as the ZZ383 is $4,8XX their is a big block for that price that makes the same hp but more tq. Is the the 383 still the better choice?



Alrighty, Transmissions... I had my TH350 for the Nova built for only $360... although I brought him the shift kit and the tranny out of the car. He supplied the upgraded parts and rebuild kit. Still a pretty cheap rebuild for a nice quality unit...

For a manual swap, I'd go with a M21 or M22 Muncie 4-speed Rockcrusher transmission. Difference between the two is gear ratios, one is pretty close the other is pretty tall. But not by much, difference really. I can't remember which is what ratios... but they're dead nuts reliable. Those transmissions were mated to high output Big blocks during the 60's and early 70's from the Factory. Plus nothing's sexier than a 4 speed manual Corvette... They're not cheap, around $2200 for a new transmission. But well worth it.

OK, Big Bitch, Rat motor, Big Bertha, Your Aunt Sally.. whatever you want to call them. Big Blocks are just that, Big... and heavy. Also, switching a car over to a big block is expensive. The only thing you can really use from a small block to a big block is... well the alternator, and a carb(s). The initial cost of a big block is a huge set back, then building it up just starts to raise the cost exponentially.

Face it, todays Small Blocks are making just as much or near what the Big Blocks of old were making back in the 60's/70's. Except for say the 426 Hemi's, the LS6 454s, the CJ428 and the likes... those were bad boys. But today, we have 6.0L Corvettes making 400hp.

Like I said, Big blocks are heavy... you'll be adding about 200-300lbs to the car by going Big. That ZZ383 as you can see has aluminum heads, so in full dress it'll be about 520-550lbs. Compared to about 700-800lbs by the Big Block. Yuck... weight!

With the small block you'll be able to retain the Corvettes handling ability.... Ok the C3 wasn't the 1.0g handler like it's future siblings are now. I believe a dead Elephant can out corner a stock C3 Corvette. But, you can always upgrade suspension... and with the light weight high output small block with a 4 speed. You'll be able to go drag the strip, or go for a leisurely drive out on the back roads and not worry about hitting some Hippy on the side of the road who's VW van broke down. Now you can comfortably give him the bird as you drive by with one hand. Not shrieking for your life as you try not to roll over from body roll.

Forced Induction? It's got 425hp... you're going to be more than doubling the car's performance. Yeah... Forced Induction won't be a problem for a long while. But if you wanted to, it's got a compression ratio of 9.7:1. You could slap on a centrifugal supercharger from like Paxton, Vortech and others with a low boost setting and conservative tuning. Or possibly a single turbo setup with again, a low boost setting. Slap on a quick Supercharger from Procharger... and with stock boost you'll be easily pushing 600hp.

Motor safely.

Your knowledge of American muscle Kung Fu is strong, I am honored to be in your internet presence :worshippy

get the 383 stroker awsome engine, my friends dad runs one in his monza it runs 6.00 flat in 1/8 mile

For a standard transmission I might suggest the new Tremec TKO500 or 600. This tranny is made to be used in anything Ford/Chevy/Dodge old street rods whatever starting at a rated 500+ft/lbs of torque. You have the added 5th gear over the 4-speed muncie so you can run a better rear-end gear all for the same price or less.

For a standard transmission I might suggest the new Tremec TKO500 or 600. This tranny is made to be used in anything Ford/Chevy/Dodge old street rods whatever starting at a rated 500+ft/lbs of torque. You have the added 5th gear over the 4-speed muncie so you can run a better rear-end gear all for the same price or less.


I said... nothing is sexier than a 4 speed Corvette. :mad:




:p


Alot of those older cars, have clearance problems when you try to slip in a 5 or 6 speed tranny. So some modifications to the trans-tunnel might be needed. Only reason why I didn't include them, cause a 4 speed on the Vette was optional those years... if I'm not mistaken.

I said... nothing is sexier than a 4 speed Corvette. :mad:




:p


Alot of those older cars, have clearance problems when you try to slip in a 5 or 6 speed tranny. So some modifications to the trans-tunnel might be needed. Only reason why I didn't include them, cause a 4 speed on the Vette was optional those years... if I'm not mistaken.


If you were a real man you'd used a Ford 4-seed toploader the real badass 4-speed!!! LoL


If you look the Tremec500/600 is used to replace the old school 3550/TKO. They did this so they could start from scratch to make a tranny the is much much easier to use in any type of project and many shifter locations. Reason why I mentioned it. LoL

Whats a good site to buy and find info on Muncie transmissions so I can compare it to the TKO? I googled it but didnt like the sites I found, none gave me any info on how much tq they can handle.

Take it from me, he is wasting his money. Bad Project :/

if it were my vette....

I would put in a LT1 with a T56 transmission from a Camaro or C4 corvette.

cheaper then LS1, easier to swap, great power, easier to mod, more like a conventional SBC

Yea but the LT1 isn’t that cheap. Sure its not as expensive as the 383 but with the money left over from buying a LT1 you couldn’t make it as fast as the 383... or at least not reliably.

a used LT1/t56 setup will cost less then those 5000+ GM Performance crate motors..... and already fuel injected.

lt1's really are not that expensive, they are cheaper then a sr20det for a nissan lol.. WAY cheaper then a LS1, and you can always give it a LT4 conversion =)