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Best bang for ur buck for a 77 Stinger?

  • Thread starter Thread starter spills1969
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spills1969

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Best bang for ur buck on intake/cam package?

Im bout to go get my 77 Stingray tomorrow, and im contemplating some future mods after I do all the body work. I was thinkin to start out with a camshaft/intake combo, but I dont know jack crap bout lift durations and measurements with the cams. So Im trying to find a package deal (I wanna get the edelbrock performer series) that will give me a decent hp/tq gain, but not a whole lot to where im spending over 600 bux. I know thats cuttin it close, but Im kinda workin on a budget for right now. I can get hella discounts at my work in a few months, so for now I want to get a feel for what Im lookin for.

BTW, I want a bit of a "lopey" idle, but not to extreme. something that doesnt sound like stock, but not like a dragster. Im not sure what the code is, its either L42 or L48, but I know its not the L82. Thanx for all ur help guys
 
The fifth digit in your VIN number designates whether you have an L48 or an L82. For example if your VIN number reads 1Z37L7Sxxxxx then your engine is an L48, if it reads 1Z37X7Sxxxxx then your engine is an L82. This only applies as long as your car still has the original engine in it. You can find the engine casting plate with the last digits of your VIN number on the front passenger side of the block next to the water pump housing.

Hope this helps.
 
Regardless of which motor (L-48 or L-82) it has;
regardless of what cam/intake/carb you use in the future;
regardless of HOW MUCH $$$ you decide to spend...

DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR, the best acceleration-improvement comes by changing the rear-gearing.
YES, the MPG will drop! YES, few of us can do this mod themselves! YES, if driven continually at high-speeds, you 'could' wear-out your motor sooner...
But changing the gear ratio is like giving your C3 10, 20, or even 30% more torque; power that you feel RIGHT NOW, OFF-THE-LINE!!!

I spent less than $600, parts AND labor (including the speedo re-calbration), swapping the 2.87s for 3.73s in my bone-stock '82.
My ETs went from 15.904 @ 86 MPH, to 15.203 @ almost 91 MPH, doing NOTHING ejse but the gear-swap.
Try picking-up THAT kind of ET-reduction (short of N2O) for less than $600!!!

If your '77 has 3.36s, see if you can get 3.90s to fit your OEM series-3 carrier; I'd guess reduction of .3-to.4, right off the bat...
THEN, when you get a better carb/intake/cam package, you'll be able to 'use' the power made at those higher RPM better!

Just my $.02 worth.....
 
Re: Best bang for ur buck on intake/cam package?

spills1969 said:
77 Stingray. I was thinkin to start out with a camshaft/intake combo. its either L42 or L48, but I know its not the L82. Thanx for all ur help guys
For the time being … I’d suggest drive it around just the way you bought it. You’ll probably find there’s some things that’ll need fixing/replacing … probably things more important than more ponies. Once you’ve worked the bugs out (or satisfied there aren’t any) … then look at a cam. But first … before you go changing anything that might affect emissions … check your local/state laws … and how those & federal regs might be enforced in your jurisdiction. BTW … one of the cheapest ways for more seat-of-the-pants wallop is to change the ignition timing curve. The 77 (& most vettes since 70) came with a curve designed to meet MPG & emissions standards … and is NOT a performance curve. A kit is available with a new vacuum advance can & new centrifugal advance springs for about $40. Spend about an hour with it and a timing light & you’ll feel the difference.

77 also came with a very restrictive exhaust system … by simply going to true dual exhaust will do a lot. Headers help … but true duals alone have more effect than headers alone.

BTW …approximate specs for the very wimpy L-48 cam are:
valve lift: .390” I / .410” E
0.050” duration: 195° I / 202° E

JACK:gap
 
Re: Re: Best bang for ur buck on intake/cam package?

Jack said:
… by simply going to true dual exhaust will do a lot. Headers help … but true duals alone have more effect than headers alone.
Jack:
I'm of the same opinion, regarding true-duals being more effective than headers alone, as I contemplate the 'next' change to my bone-stock (less the 3.73-gears) '82.
The M-A-D 2.5" true-dual kit (no cat) is $229 in aluminized-steel, and $299 for stainless-steel.
Ceramic-coated headers would be another $250 (?), but come too far rear-ward to connect with the M-A-D kit.
Since I don't want to 'hack-up' a brand-new exhaust kit, and I doubt I'd ever 'drop-the-pipes' at the strip, I'm leaning towards the M-A-D kit w/o headers; maybe one day, I'll port & 'extrude-hone' the OEM tubular exhaust manifolds/headers.

Thanks for posting the L-48/LM-1/L-83 camshaft specs; I always seem to forget posting them myself.
Even going to 1.6:1 rockers, it STILL is just a .416"I/.437"E profile, and only IF the pushrods don't 'rub' the head/guide-plate slot.
Guys on the CROSS-FIRE-FORUM say 1.6s help their motors; I may eventually add these, too.

GLEN
 
if your looking for an exhaust kit, DynoMax makes a very good kit that is affordable. mine was a 2.5" kit with headers and stainless ultraflow muffs. retailed for about $600, $100 extra for ceramic coated headers. it sounds great, easy to install, and performance was greatly increased. sold at just about any parts store, got mine from CarQuest. after exhaust, look to heads for bigger gains. chances are you have 3.36 or 3.70 gears, so going taller on the ratio will yield better off-line performance. but be aware that with 3.70 and standard tires, you'll be turning 3000 rpm at 65 mph. brian
 
I've got an Edelbrock Performer Plus Cam and also the Performer RPM intake. The engine has a nice little lope to it. Not radical, not crazy, kinda in-between. I hope to get a new Edelbrock 750cfm carb really soon to complete it.

The engine still produces good vaccuum for the brakes, headlights, and all the other vaccuum stuff.

-Vic
 

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