T
tazdevl35
Guest
Hello all ...I'm new around her so I thought I'd say somthing about my C3. I bought it 2 years with 53000 on the odo. It cost 9300 dollars... great looking car but weak, and a little lopey at idle. I verified the original plugs in the motor and changed them right after purchace..thinking this would smooth the idle out...it wasnt bad , just a little rough. Even though the plugs had no electrodes left when replaced it didnt make a big difference. Next came the wires, cap, rotor, coil and module including pickup (for maintenance and due to age) a bit smoother but still a hickup at 500 rpm Idle. Also the Acceleration was flat even for a 190 horse motor. Next the pancake converter and mufflers came off and were replaced with higher flow units.a bit better but no great shakes still. So , apart comes the carb ...filthy... found the secondary fuel transfer tubes in the bowl laying on the bottom....overhauled and reinstalled with all new vacuum lines....accel better but still not as good as I thought it could be. And the dog-gone rough idle was still there. Compression was good at time of purchace 150 to 165 on all cylinders. In fustration ,as well as to reseal the multitude of oil leaks, I pulled and dissasembeled the engine.....and what did i find? Three wiped exhaust cam lobes and one intake starting to go!Can you say overhaul? This was last November. Since then I have had the block hot tanked and painted, new freeze plugs and cam bearings,align bore checked, magnafluxed and assembeled with GM steel crank, pink rods and standard gm perdormance flat tops , all balanced to within 1 gram so I'm told. Pete Jackson gear drive connected to a comp cams 268h (?) bumpstick and lifters. Next came the Trick Flow Gen 1 heads with heavy duty springs and Harland Sharp full roller rockers and chrom molly pushrods.Top it all off with a performer EGR intake , semi tall valve covers and all the factory emissions stuff including the stainless manifolds which I had to repair due to cracks and leaks. With the exception of the 2800 stall converter with lockup for the 350 c trans, and the Mid America true dual exhausts with no cats everything else looks factory.It is now 90% TOGETHER after a year and about 1/2 a day away from running. With the exception of the machine work , all work was done by me. The car is beautiful inside and out , Mint down to the AM FM 8 track W/ cb radio. It has taken a year but well worth it. I cant wait to hear it run and drive it. Anyone care to comment on how you think it will run...I have no Idea....I havent ever built a smog era motor. I also replaced all trans and motor mounts and u-joints in the driveline.Next comes the bushing in the front end (polyurethane) and the trailing arms, rear bearings and a different rear diff ...373 to go with the lock up trans. Brake system hoses and components are all new as well as steering assist suspension , shocks , tie rods, hoses etc. Only the A arm bushings and sway bar links and bushings remain. even the body mounts and birdcage are cherry. I cant wait to get it back on the road. I want to get a 72-74 big block convertable next for a daily driver. I have 2 C4's but C3's are my favorite. I just dont want another emissions car or computer for that matter. Anyone build a similar motor? Any replies are welcome and appreciated!
Later
Taz
Later
Taz
when you find a few extra months worth of time I can send you Rare for the same engine treatment 
Welcome aboard both to both the CAC and the L81VetteRegistry
