Conversion

[akvette]

Hello all! Been quite awhile since I last visited here. I hate to admit it but I have procrastinated another year in converting my 81 into a noncomputer operated vehicle. It has been running welll and I did not want any downtime with it Also, I am now retired! So do have some extra time between all the honey-do lists that my working wife leaves for me each day. I already have purchased an Edelbrock intake manifold and carb. I still need to buy a distributor and was wondering which one you could recommend. I also will be replacing spark plugs and need new wires. I think that I will probably need some type of new fuel linkage and supply line but am not sure. Any advice before I start this project would be helpful. Also, the new intake manifold did not come with a gasket, which gasket is preferred for this type of install?
Thanks in advance and it is good being back with my fellow "81'ers"

 

[GerryLP]

Welcomed Back, AK,

There are some post already on computer-less distributors, intakes, and carburators; however, I found the stock H.E.I. (4-pin module type) very dependable. I believe some of the bests are Davis Unified Ignitions (DUI) systems, and they have a pretty good thing going. Check them out!

Mine is Accel, but I bought it before reading on DUI's units.

As far as the gaskets that go between the intake and heads, the Felpro people make one that has a bead of rubber around the ports. The stock gaskets tend to leak after a while (these are made of a type of material that looks similar to card-board type gasket material), and the ones with the rubber bead work best. I am sure Mr. Gasket and other brands have something similar.

I initially modified the stock fuel line to fit the Holley 4150 carburator. Later I had nothing better to do, and manufactured a new fuel line. Good'ol' trial and error method worked, and the 3/8" fuel lines can be bought ready-made and at different lenghts. All one need to do is use good imagination and tube bender.

 

[81 Corvette]

what manifold and carb did you go with?

I just did this mod on my 81 with an rpm air gap, with a road demon sitting on top. I went the cheap route on teh distributr and went with a proform. Also used felpro gaskets.

The biggest piece of advice i can give is, be very careful with the gas line. I had to have one made to replace the stock line as some how i cracked the line at the fuel pump. weird.

Other things they may come up. On the rpm air gap, the throttle/trasmission(auto) cable bracket will need replacing.

I also had to trim the valve cover gaskets back a little, as teh intake was bumping up agaist them.

Make sure to use plenty of gasket goop on the front and back fo the block. When cleaning the old gasket off the heads and block, make sure you put a rag in lifter valley, you don't want crap getting in there.

make sure to drain the coolant before starting.

depending on your set up, you may need to change the heater core line location. Mine is on the driver side now. make sure you get an adaptar for the heater core to manifold. You could probally reuse the old one, but i foudn it easier to spend a couple of bucks vs. fighting the old one off.

if you are using a non q-jet carb, you will need a vacuum port that will fit under a holley or demon carb.

hmmmm, thats all that comes to mind right now.

 

[GerryLP]

Hey 81,


Is the RPM AIr Gap intake a taller intake than the Holley High-rise? How well does the intake and carb fit under the hood with an air cleaner?

 

[81 Corvette]

got me on the holley comparisson. I will say its a very tight fit tho. I put on a gm air cleaner with a drop too it. I can barely close the hood, but it does close (without a wingnut on the cleaner assembly). In the near future i'm going to replace teh air cleaner lid with an k&n extreme top to pick up an extra a little more clearance, and possibly go with a slightly shorter filter.

 

[GerryLP]

got me on the holley comparisson. I will say its a very tight fit tho. I put on a gm air cleaner with a drop too it. I can barely close the hood, but it does close (without a wingnut on the cleaner assembly). In the near future i'm going to replace teh air cleaner lid with an k&n extreme top to pick up an extra a little more clearance, and possibly go with a slightly shorter filter.

I believe that they offer a 2" tall 14" diameter element. The most notable difference I found using my X-Tream K&N Filter lid was the sound of rushing air into engine...:L It was weird, but true. Now I am used to it, but I imagine one cannot not get better air flow than this, unless we remove the filter all toghether.